History
From Small Beginnings, Come Great Things
PlayBoard - A Potted History
PlayBoard is the lead agency for the development and promotion of children and young people's play in Northern Ireland. The agency works to improve the quality of children and young people's lives through the provision of innovative services, all of which are designed to strengthen service delivery through information, support, training and tailored play provision.
PlayBoard has come a long way since it's formation in 1985. PlayBoard then was one of four UK national organisations set up under the auspices of the Association for children's Play and Recreation, a UK-wide group with responsibility for co-ordinating children's play. Based in Crescent Gardens Belfast, it was, in essence a small community-led organisation working primarily in the Greater Belfast area.
In 1987, PlayBoard moved to premises in University Street, Belfast from where it launched itself as an independent, specialist play organisation in May 1990. Four more premises moves followed before the agency found its present home. In March 1991, PlayBoard moved to premises on Belfast's Lisburn Road, in 1994 to Dargan Industrial Estate, in 1996 to York Street, and finally in 2010 to its current premises in Crescent Gardens.
Although the PlayBoard of the 21st century is many miles away from the original Association, it has remained true to its old aims and objectives. The aim of the Association for Children's Play and Recreation was to encourage and promote the development of children through play and recreation. In addition, the Association's objectives reflect the work of the current agency in that it set out to:
- Promote facilities for play, recreation and other leisure time opportunities for children;
- Carry out, encourage, commission and publish research into children's play and recreation;
- Provide an educational, advisory, information and promotional service for children's play and recreation;
- Provide a co-ordinating and development role for voluntary organisations concerned with children's play and recreation.
Similarly, the original PlayBoard was also a membership organisation, with a structure called the Play Forum which was open to all affiliates who supported the agency's objectives. Membership of the Play Forum was made up of individuals, local and national voluntary organisations and local and district councils, and they strived to influence the future development of children's play and recreation.
Through its 25 year journey PlayBoard has been guided by various government policy developments and legislation - the UK ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child; the Children (NI) Order and the PlayCare Initiative to name but a few, but the agency has always remained true to its mission statement "Working for the child's right to play".
Looking back over the history of PlayBoard, it is apparent that many of the philosophical issues that originally gave rise to PlayBoard back in 1985, still remain today. PlayBoard, however, remain committed to campaign, lobby and raise awareness of the play and leisure needs of children and young people and to putting play on the agenda of policy makers and resource providers.
Mary Mc Kee (Director) 1983 - "It is disappointing to convey lack of progress on the inclusion of NI in the UK out of school initiative. The problem seems to be one evidenced by the lack of government department to take the lead on the issue of children's play"
PlayBoard 2nd Conference 1987, Meryn Hill (Chair) - "Todays children are exposed to many anxiety causing experiences, violence, and family instability before they are old enough to cope. Children learn to handle these emotions through experience and play. Play can provide a framework, a protected environment for children to experience fear, challenge & uncertainty. The challenges for children of today are even greater than we faced as children"
Oct 1992 - John Sugden at PlayBoards AGM said "Though play is a natural like event, modern living makes it dangerous & in some cases impossible, for children to play safely"
1992 At Play Editorial - "Play has become a major community issue in NI. Continually we are hampered in our efforts through the lack of a clear policy directive for the development of play"
1994 - Peter McCartney (Chair) - "PlayBoard is an organisation that knows where it is going. It has in its staff team a group of people who are committed to the development of children's play in NI"
1995 Annual Review - "Over the past ten years PlayBoard has been striving to put play on the agenda. People are beginning to listen"
1997 Antoinette Mc Keown (Chief Executive) Annual Review "We have a responsibility to create child-friendly environments where children can learn through play that equality is a right and diversity is to be celebrated… we have a responsibility to invest in children's play, not just because it rewards society down the line with responsible adults, but because it is a child's right… "
PlayBoard continues to be an active key member of local, national and international networks, forging partnerships with colleague organisations, where we continually provide opportunities to share expertise, developments and gains in play for our members.
