English 
Welsh Mind our Future North East Wales
Mind our Future North East Wales is an innovative initiative spearheaded by The Venture, an Integrated Children’s Centre located in the Wynnstay ward of Caia Park, Wrexham. The Venture, which began as an adventure playground in 1978, has grown over the past four decades into a vital community hub that provides a wide range of services to support local families, children, and young people.
The MOF project is dedicated to empowering young people in North East Wales to shape the future of mental health services, resources, and conversations. Recognising the growing mental health challenges faced by young people today and the importance of early intervention, this initiative provides them with a platform to share their experiences and ideas.
We believe that young people hold the key to creating better mental health services. By listening to their insights, we aim to:
- Improve access to mental health services.
- Build emotional resilience.
- Combat stigma surrounding mental health.
- Reduce pressure on existing services.
We are committed to creating a community where young people feel supported, understood, and valued. Their well-being is at the core of our mission, and we strive to ensure they are heard by service providers, decision-makers, and the wider community.
The Venture
At the core of The Venture is its adventure playground, a testament to the organisation’s enduring commitment to Playwork Principles and children’s rights, as outlined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).
Over the years, it has expanded to include several key projects and services:
- Early Years Centre: Providing essential support for young children.
- Venture Alternative Learning (VAL)
- Offering alternative learning opportunities.
- Venture Inclusion Project (VIP): Focused on creating inclusive spaces for all children.
Situated on a sprawling 2-acre site, The Venture hosts numerous community events and groups throughout the year. It also offers modern facilities, including a commercial-grade kitchen and meeting rooms, creating spaces for services and meetings tailored to community needs.
The Venture stands as the Welsh Government’s flagship model for Integrated Children’s Centres, a concept that has since been adopted in both Scotland and England. As a registered charity and company limited by guarantee, The Venture receives funding from a diverse range of sources, which you can explore further on The Venture’s Governance page.
Our Team
Our initiative is led by a dedicated core team and supported by skilled staff members, all working towards the goal of empowering and engaging young people in our community.
Malcolm King
Chief Officer
Malcolm provides strategic oversight and guidance to ensure the project aligns with broader organisational goals. His role involves monitoring project progress, making high-level decisions, and facilitating the resolution of complex challenges that the project might face.
Karlos O'Neill
Project Co-ordinator
Karlos serves as the primary point of contact for all project activities. He is responsible for managing the project’s timeline, coordinating tasks among team members, and ensuring that all project milestones are met on schedule. Karlos interacts with all project stakeholders to maintain alignment and address any issues that arise.
Amanda Helsby
Senior Youth engagement officer
/ designated safeguarding lead
Amanda leads the charge on shaping our youth engagement strategy, ensuring we increase youth involvement and co-production across all aspects of our work. She’ll also serve as the Designated Safeguarding Lead for the project, taking on a critical role in this area.
Arlo Dennis
Project Officer
Arlo supports the Project Coordinator by handling day-to-day administrative duties, project documentation, and managing smaller project components. He assists with reporting, compliance checks, and liaises with external vendors and partners to ensure that all project needs are adequately addressed.