Useful links

Addictions

  • Addiction NI (previously NICAS) – provides support and treatment to people affected by alcohol or drug addiction.
  • Al-Anon – provides support to anyone whose life is, or has been, affected by someone else’s drinking.
  • Alcoholics Anonymous – a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism.
  • Contact – an independent counselling service, raising awareness of the value of professional counselling for people of all ages.

Age

  • Age NI – delivers care services, provide advice and advocacy, fundraise and influence decision-makers to improve later life for people.

Children and young people

  • Barnardos – transforms the lives of vulnerable children across the UK. They believe they can bring out the best in every child whether the issue is child poverty, sexual exploitation, disability and domestic violence.
  • Childline – a counselling service for children and young people. If you are an adult and are worried about a child, please contact the NSPCC Helpline.
  • Children and Young People's Strategic Partnership – agencies, children and young people, families and communities across Northern Ireland working together – to improve outcomes for children and young people through integrated planning and commissioning.
  • Children’s Law Centre – provides advice for children and young people about their rights and the laws that affect them.
  • Contact – an independent counselling service, raising awareness of the value of professional counselling for people of all ages.
  • GLYNI: Gay and Lesbian Youth Northern Ireland – provides services to LGBT youth across Northern Ireland.
  • NPSCC – works to end cruelty to children in the UK.

Disability

  • Disability Action – works to ensure that people with disabilities attain their full rights as citizens, by supporting inclusion, influencing government policy and changing attitudes in partnership with disabled people.

Housing

  • Housing Rights – the leading provider of specialist independent housing advice, training and information in Northern Ireland.
  • Northern Ireland Housing Executive – Northern Ireland’s strategic housing authority. They offer a range of services to people living in socially rented, privately rented and owner occupied accommodation as well as supporting and working with a number of other public bodies.
  • Shelter Northern Ireland – aims to secure rights to housing for all households in Northern Ireland.
  • Simon Community – provides emergency accommodation, advice and community support for people who are homeless or who are at risk of becoming homeless.

Law/advice

  • Citizens Advice – the largest advice charity in Northern Ireland.
  • Law Society – the regulatory authority governing the education, accounts, discipline and professional conduct of solicitors.
  • Northern Ireland Legal Services Commission – funds lawyers and other advice providers to help people who are eligible for legal aid to protect their rights in civil matters and to help people who are under investigation, or facing criminal charges

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT)

  • Cara-Friend – a voluntary counselling, befriending, information, and social space organisation for the LGBT community.
  • Family Ties Project – provides practical advice, guidance and support to parents of LGB children, or for parents who suspect that their child is LGB and do not know what to do.
  • Gay Helpline – supports gay and bisexual men in Northern Ireland.
  • GLYNI: Gay and Lesbian Youth Northern Ireland – provides services to LGBT youth across Northern Ireland.
  • Here NI – works to improve the quality of life and enhance the voices of lesbians and bisexual women and their families.
  • The Rainbow Project – works to improve the physical, mental and emotional health of gay, bisexual and non-heterosexual men in Northern Ireland.

Local Women's Aid Groups

Men's organisations

  • Men's Action Network – offers a range of support services to men, including counselling and one-to-one support, promoting male health and wellbeing.
  • Men's Advice Line (UK) – a confidential helpline for male victims of domestic violence and abuse.
  • Men's Advisory Project – provides counselling and support for male victims of domestic abuse, relationship and anger management (men and women) in Northern Ireland.
  • The Rainbow Project – works to improve the physical, mental and emotional health of gay, bisexual and non-heterosexual men in Northern Ireland.

Other useful links

  • Patient UK – provides non-medical people in the UK with good quality information about health and disease.
  • Relate – offers advice, relationship counselling, sex therapy, workshops, mediation, consultations and support face-to-face, by phone and through their website.
  • Samaritans – a confidential emotional support service for anyone in the UK and Ireland.
  • Victim Support NI – helps people affected by any type of crime. They provide emotional support, information and practical help to victims, witnesses and others affected by crime.

Parenting

  • Family Ties Project – provides practical advice, guidance and support to parents of LGB children, or for parents who suspect that their child is LGB and do not know what to do.
  • Parents Advice Centre – promote positive parenting by providing parents helpline, support, training and information on family issues.

Research

  • ARK research database – this online research bank is a collection of searchable databases containing bibliographies and summaries of research focused on the lives of adults and children in Northern Ireland.
  • Domestic Violence Special Interest Research Group – this group provides access to the latest research into domestic violence and helps shape future research to inform the development of more effective and efficient ways of tackling the problem.
  • Social Care Online – the UK’s largest database of information and research on all aspects of social care and social work.

Sexual abuse

  • Nexus Institute – provides counselling to survivors of childhood sexual abuse, victims of sexual violence including those who have experienced rape and sexual assault.

Women's Aid groups (Outside N Ireland)

  • Dublin Women’s Aid – the leading national organisation working to address domestic violence in Ireland. The Women’s Aid National Freephone Helpline (1800 341 900) operates from 10am to 10pm, every day of the year (except Christmas day). When ringing from Northern Ireland.
  • Scotland's Domestic Abuse and Forced Marriage Helpline – offers information and support to anyone experiencing domestic abuse or forced marriage. 24 hour service. Phone: 0800 027 1234. Email: helpline@sdafmh.org.uk
  • Wales Domestic Abuse Helpline – bilingual information signposting service, to help and guide people with experience of domestic abuse or sexual violence, who are in need of information or access to support services. Free phone: 0808 8010800

Women's organisations