US Consul visits Barnardo's NI 'All Stars'

Barnardo's NI recently welcomed US Consul General to Northern Ireland Mr Gregory Burton to its 'All Stars' programme at Little Flower Girls' School in North Belfast. All Stars is an early intervention programme which originated in the US 25 years ago. The introduction by Barnardo's NI to local schools is the first time it has been used outside the US. The programme aims to raise aspirations and strengthen family, school and community bonds. Barnardo's NI began introducing All Stars into schools in Belfast over a year ago with funding from the Big Lottery, Realising Ambition programme. Over the next three years Barnardo's NI expects that over 8,000 pupils will benefit from the programme. Mr Burton said: "It is interesting how educational support programmes devised in the US can be imported, with some cultural tweaks, to the benefit of local schoolchildren. All Stars is just one of a number of early intervention programmes Barnardo's NI has introduced from the States and it is good to see there is an ongoing transfer of learning between Northern Ireland and the US."