Newsletter of the
National Association of
Youthreach Co-ordinators
Volume 15, Issue 3, October 2011
www.youthreach.ie
Welcome...to the third edition of the NAYC newsletter for 2011.
Inside this issue:
Transforum Alley Awards
Night
4
Ballymun Visit Rome
6
Wicklow Sports Day
8
Anti Bullying Campaign
13
Mallow Graduations
14
Gortahork Driving Award
18
Cabra Sponsored by Ulster
Bank
20
Centres were busy in June and July with summer programmes and
presentation of awards. Additionally some learners went travelling, some
‘close to home’ (Ballymun visited Rome) and not so close to home (Hong
Kong). This edition of the newsletter features articles from the AntiBullying Campaign (p.13) and the Young Social Innovators programme
which centres may be interested in.
A number of learners have also contributed to the newsletter, sharing their
experiences of the programme.
I hope you enjoy reading through this—the next edition will be available
just before Christmas.
Dr Sandra Buchanan, NAYC Newsletter Editor , [email protected]
Rush Celebrates Twenty Years!
Rush Youthreach celebrated twenty years on 22 September 2011. The occasion was attended by
Minister of State for Training & Skills Mr. Ciarán Cannon. The students in the centre released a
commemoration booklet to mark the occasion. Past students came back to say hello and spoke
of their experience in the centre.
Happy birthday to Rush!
Pictured above left at the Rush celebrations are l-r: Dr. Dermot Stokes, National Co-ordinator of Youthreach; Dr.
Marie Griffin, Acting CEO, Co. Dublin VEC; Austin Wynne, AEO North Fingal (first co-ordinator of Rush); Christine
Hughes, Rush Youthreach Co-ordinator; Ken Smartt, Regional Co-ordinator and Ciarán Cannon, Minister of State for
Training & Skills.
Pictured above right: Students of Rush Youthreach.
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N a t i o n a l A s s o c i a t i o n o f Yo u t h r e a c h C o - o r d i n a t o r s
Swords Learners Visit Christ Church Cathedral
Recently some of my fellow students and I went to visit Christ Church
Cathedral. We came to the church as part of our study on propaganda
for our FETAC Level 4 Communications course. We were looking at
the use of non-verbal images to show power.
The first monument we looked at was the tomb of Richard FitzGilbert
de Clare, also known as Strongbow. He was the first Normal lord to
invade Ireland. The tomb told us a lot about what knights were like in
the Middle Ages. It also showed he was powerful as he is buried
inside the cathedral whereas most others were buried outside.
Next we saw the special seats where the powerful people used to sit.
Back then people could tell who the powerful people were by where
they sat in church. Each important person had a symbol on the front
of their seat so the people could tell them apart. The Lord Lieutenant (who represented the King of England)
sat in a seat with the crest of the crown of England. It had a lion and a unicorn on it. The Lord Mayor had three
burning castles for his symbol, also known at the crest of Dublin. Chris O’Connor (Swords Youthreach)
Blessington Youthreach Take to the Trenches at Glendalough
On 2 September 23 students from Youthreach Blessington visited the archaeological excavations at the Upper Lake
at Glendalough run by the UCD School of Archaeology. The programme is part of the School of Archaeology’s
fieldschool at which undergraduate students of Archaeology at University College Dublin learn the key skills of
archaeological fieldwork. The Youthreach visit took place under the EPOCH (see below) initiative which has been
established to enable people from all walks of life to gain an understanding of the processes and practices of
archaeology. The initiative allows members of the public, school students and adult learners the opportunity to
participate at archaeological research programmes. As part of the visit the
students took a tour of the archaeological monuments of the upper lake
area, including the caher (large circular stone fort) and Reefert Medieval
Church, and got a behind-the-scenes perspective of the ongoing
archaeological excavations. They were able to see and handle some of
the artefacts that have been uncovered and talk to the archaeologists
about their discoveries, such as the possible medieval path or trackway
(right) that was discovered in one of the excavation trenches. EPOCH Engaging the Public Through Outreach and Communicating Heritage is
funded by the Heritage Council under the Heritage Education, Community
& Outreach Scheme 2011 and is managed by the Cultural Learning
Initiative. For more information about EPOCH or about how to get involved
in
archaeology
programmes
contact
Thomas
on
[email protected] or log on to www.epoch.ie.
Youthreach Roscrea Receive Awards
North Tipperary VEC annually holds an award ceremony at which it recognises outstanding
achievement by students of the organisation by presenting awards in a variety of categories. Five
students on the Youthreach programme at Roscrea
Education Centre recently received awards at this
event. Sincere congratulations to them and their
families with this achievement.
Pictured left:
Dillon Treacy (Information Technology Skills); Michael
Gallagher (Art); Ester Mackey (Coordinator); Lisa
Kennedy (Personal Achievement); Colleen Doyle
(Academic Excellence); Catherine O’Driscoll
(Educational Achievement); Geraldine Kinirons
(Teacher); Catriona Burke (Teacher).
N a t i o n a l A s s o c i a t i o n o f Yo u t h r e a c h C o - o r d i n a t o r s
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Tuam Graduation
On Monday 30th May, Youthreach Tuam L.C.A. 2011 students attended their graduation ceremony at Ard
Rí Hotel in Tuam. The main guest of honour was Junior Minister for Education and Skills, Minister Ciaran
Cannon. Also in attendance were members of Co. Galway V.E.C. which included Education Officer Sean
Duffy, Adult Education Officer Eithne Nic Dhonnchadha, Chairperson of Co Galway V.E.C Pat Gilmore
and Chairperson of the Adult Education Board Jarlath McDonagh. Other guests included, Dr. Dermot
Stokes National Youthreach Co-ordinator, Superintendent Gearoid Begley, and Garda Michael Healy.
Ger McDonagh, Co-ordinator of Youthreach Tuam, welcomed all guests, students and staff and spoke
about the importance of this day for the Leaving Cert Applied class of 2011. She encouraged the students
to take the next step and further their education or try to seek employment. She spoke about the hard
work the students and staff had undertaken to ensure all students had achieved their goals when
completing the Leaving Certificate in Youthreach Tuam. Sean Duffy Education Officer welcomed all
guests and students and congratulated Ger McDonagh on her role as Co-ordinator of the centre. He also
congratulated the staff and learners and wished all students the very best in the future. Dr. Dermot Stokes
spoke about the economic climate Ireland experienced when Youthreach was set up originally in 1988 and
he recalled how certification was limited at that time. He acknowledged that now students are leaving
Youthreach centres all across Ireland with a Leaving Certificate and various FETAC accreditations. He
assured the students that although Ireland is in a similar economic climate as it was in 1988, it is a great
advantage to have a Leaving Certificate in seeking further education or gaining employment.
Chairperson Pat Gilmore also congratulated the students and spoke about the important role Youthreach
plays in the everyday business of Co. Galway V.E.C. He spoke very highly of the L.C.A. programme
offered by Youthreach Tuam, and how it is focused on the learner. He also praised the hands on learning
approach that is encouraged within the centre. He stated that Youthreach Tuam has provided the current
students with a great opportunity and spoke highly of the various partnerships Youthreach Tuam has with
other groups in the community. Adult Education Officer Eithne Nic Dhonnchadha spoke of her delight to
be attending the graduation and she congratulated the L.C.A. class. She spoke about the challenging
times facing the students and encouraged all students to gain further education in courses which are available within Co. Galway V.E.C. and also in 3rd level institutions. She praised the staff for their hard work
and dedication to their jobs.
Finally Minister Cannon thanked Co-ordinator Ger Mc Donagh for his invitation to attend the ceremony. He
spoke about how education is a very important tool in an ever changing labour market. He stated that
education is pivotal and that the jobs of tomorrow require many skills. He recognised that Youthreach
Tuam provides education and skills in the various courses it offers. He finished by encouraging the
students present to follow their dreams and quoted Eleanor Roosevelt “The future belongs to those who
believe in the beauty of their dreams”.
Pictured below left: Junior Minister for Education and Skills, Minister Ciaran Cannon with students at Youthreach
Tuam Graduation Ceremony. Pictured below right: Minister Ciaran Cannon alongside staff Alison Joyner, Gerard
Wilkie, Kevin Staunton and Gerardine McDonagh, Youthreach Co-ordinator, with students at Youthreach Tuam
Graduation Ceremony.
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N a t i o n a l A s s o c i a t i o n o f Yo u t h r e a c h C o - o r d i n a t o r s
Transforum Alley Awards Night 2011
The Carlton Hotel Tralee was the venue for the annual Transforum Alley Youthreach Awards
ceremony on the 29th of June 2011. Twenty-five young people were presented with FETAC
certificates, with seventeen achieving the full FETAC Level 3 certificate. The subjects they
studied were Communications, Maths, Personal & Interpersonal skills, Art & Design, Computer
Literacy, English as a Second Language, Food & Nutrition, Food & Cookery, Health Related
Fitness, Introduction to Internet, Living in a Diverse Society, Office Procedures and Preparation
for Work.
Each young person was presented with
their certificates by Maaike Verhuizen,
Programme Co-ordinator. Guests included
Gemma O’Brien, Manager KDYS who
addressed the young people, their families
and the staff of Transforum Alley. The room
in the hotel was decorated with the young
people’s art works and photographs
representing all of the many activities
during the year. Finger food was provided
by the hotel and the night was a huge
success.
Mallow’s Mural
Mallow Youthreach trainees were invited by Mallow Tidy
Towns Committee to paint a mural on a derelict area of
Mallow town as part of the summer programme.
Trainees worked on the mural in the centre and put up
the finished murals in July for all of Mallow town to view.
A big thank you to their teacher Amy Byrnes who got
sponsorship for all the paint and materials needed for the
project.
N a t i o n a l A s s o c i a t i o n o f Yo u t h r e a c h C o - o r d i n a t o r s
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Literacy Week 2011 in Transforum Alley
As part of Transforum Alley’s commitment to improving literacy a
special week of activities took place from the 7th- 10th June 2011.
The week kicked off with team literacy games which included
word anagrams, spelling crosswords and compound word
puzzles, to name a few. The winning team, which comprised of
four young people, each received a €10 book voucher for
Polymath bookstore.
Throughout the week our young people wrote different stories,
poems and raps for the TA Year book which the staff will compile
and give to each young person at their awards night. This is the
first time TA has presented the young people with a TA Year
Book, which is a great memento to have and look back on.
A very positive part of the week was the ‘Paired Reading’ our
young people did with the After School Group. A number of our
young people read a story book to a child and then drew a
picture with them afterwards. This was very successful both for
boosting the confidence of our young people and giving the After
Schools Group an opportunity to interact with another
programme in the KDYS.
The main highlight of Literacy Week was our trip to Dublin to see
Willie Russell’s musical Blood Brothers in the Gaiety Theatre.
For most, it was their first time seeing a musical production,
never mind being in a historical theatre like the Gaiety. It was a huge success, a great day out and the
students were delighted with the experience.
Due to unforeseen circumstances Rachael Keogh (author and ex-heroin addict) had to cancel her guest
appearance with our young people on Thursday 9th. Most of our young people have read her book and were
touched by it and were looking forward to meeting her. Thankfully Rachael agreed to reschedule her
appearance for June 28th and this was a huge success.
The end of literacy week involved the young people in a world café style brainstorm and group discussion.
Back in April TA were successful in receiving a NALA grant for €650, this was on condition that our group do a
report on what our local community services (credit unions, banks, libraries, citizens information centres, social
welfare offices and post offices) need to know about people with literacy difficulties. All our young people got
really involved in the process and came up with some very positive and constructive ideas to report back to
NALA. The funding we will receive will contribute greatly to the expenditure TA had in making literacy week a
huge success and a very worthwhile experience for everyone involved.
Ballinrobe Host First Successful Talent Show!
On Tuesday 19th April 2011, the LCA Year 1 class hosted a Talent Show for all the Youthreach
Centres in County Mayo. The show got underway bright and early with the first act on stage at 11
a.m. Much like the X-Factor, contestants were given feedback from three judges after completion of
their act. After much persuasion from the students, some of the teachers even participated in the
show.
By lunch time, it was evident that the Youthreach Centres in Mayo have great and unique talent. The
audience were placing their bets on the winner during the interval where a raffle also took place.
After much deliberation from the judges, they announced three winners from all the contestants who
took part in the show. Youthreach Kiltimagh came in third place with their rendition of Teacher Leave
Them Kids Alone! Heather Collins from the LCA 1 class in Youthreach Ballinrobe came in second
place with her excellent performance of U2’s With or Without You. It was no surprise that the act
Serious Business meant business when they were announced as the overall winners of the talent
show. Their act included much hilarity and imagination as they performed a humorous version of The
Proclaimer’s I will walk 1,000 miles. Using props and characters from the show ‘Little Britain’, they
were without doubt, deserved winners of this year’s show. On behalf of the class, a big thank you is
given to everyone who got involved and supported the show.
Watch out for next year’s talent!!!
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N a t i o n a l A s s o c i a t i o n o f Yo u t h r e a c h C o - o r d i n a t o r s
Ballymun Visit Rome
Ballymun Youthreach recently enjoyed a four day trip to coincide with
their FETAC Level 4. The nine students and three teachers took in the
sights of ancient Rome including the Colosseum, the Forum and
Palatine Hill. The students also toured the Vatican taking in St Peter's
Basilica and the Sistine
Chapel. The students also
enjoyed walks around the
Spanish steps and the Trevi
Fountain in between enjoying
some delicious Italian cuisine.
The students, who raised nearly all the money for the trip themselves
through a fundraising dinner and a busy bag packing weekend,
declared the trip a great success and their only wish was that it was a
longer one. The students would like to thank everyone who attended
their fundraising dinner in May in the centre for their kind support.
Tralee’s Rowena Visits Hong Kong!
In the month of March this year my Youthreach co-ordinator Margaret
Culloty nominated me for a Travel Award to Hong Kong through the
company EIL Intercultural Learning. I had never travelled anywhere abroad
before apart from Britain so it was a huge opportunity for me. The trip was a
youth exchange so we would be hosted by a group of young people from
Hong Kong and then they would come to Ireland when we returned. I had to
write an essay about why I would be worthy for the trip and after I got shortlisted for an interview. There were 10 of us going for interview and everyone
was really great so I wasn’t too confident about my chances of winning the
award, however about 2 weeks later I got a phone call telling me I had been
chosen to go to Hong Kong. I was so excited! A few months later we set off for Hong Kong. I was one of 8 young
people from around Ireland going on the trip. I was really worried about meeting the other people going, in case I
didn’t get on with them, but by the time the 13 hour flight was over we were all great friends! Whilst in Hong Kong we
did a huge amount of activities such as going to museums, theme parks and visiting the famous Hong Kong
landmarks and markets. We stayed in a youth hostel on the outskirts of the city, it was a great hostel and we all loved
staying there. We spent one night in a resort called the Noah’s Ark Resort; this was my favourite night in Hong Kong.
There was a beach at the resort and all of the Irish group and the Hong Kong group stayed on the beach until about
3am playing games and talking. It was such a beautiful experience sitting on the beach and looking across at the
lights of the city, and it was still boiling hot even at that early hour of the morning! Another one of my favourite
experiences was going to visit The Peak, which is a famous building in Hong Kong. We took a tram up to the building
and from there we saw the entire city, the view was amazing and there were lots of shops up there to buy souvenirs.
We had dinner at The Peak that night in a Western style restaurant, which was a nice break from all of the Chinese
food! Before I went to Hong Kong I was expecting a lot of differences between the young people there and the young
people here but after getting to know them I realised that we are not that different at all! We all got on so well, we
shared the same sense of humour and all had ambitions to go to university and start a career. The Hong Kong group
were so welcoming and helped us so much when we were finding things hard. I found the food very challenging as it
was so different from anything I had ever tried but the Hong Kong group were very patient and told me what
everything was and didn’t get offended if I didn’t like something. They were especially patient with us all about the
chop sticks, a lot of us found this very difficult to get the hang of
in the beginning but they helped us a lot and found it all quite
funny! I loved every minute of being in Hong Kong and it has
really made me want to do more travelling and see more of the
world! To other young people reading this, I would really
recommend them to travel at any opportunity. I can truly say
that this has been one of the best experiences of my life and I
am so thankful that I was given such a great opportunity. I have
made great friends that I will remain in contact with both in
Ireland and Hong Kong. It was so sad when we all had to say
goodbye but I am hoping that one day I can go back to Hong
Kong and see everyone again.
Rowena Mattock, Tralee Youthreach LCA
N a t i o n a l A s s o c i a t i o n o f Yo u t h r e a c h C o - o r d i n a t o r s
7
Shanagolden Graduation 2011
Graduation day in Shanagolden before the summer was a memorable
occasion. Lesley Power, Samantha Mulcair, Denise Ahern, Niamh McCarthy,
Nora O’Brien and Paula Blanchard all graduated with full FETAC Level 5
certification in Hairdressing and Annie Naughton’s achievement in obtaining a
full FETAC Level 3 certification in General Learning was celebrated. Helena
Mac Mahon Youthreach Co-ordinator, in her welcoming address, commended
the young students on their wonderful achievements and welcomed families,
friends, fellow students and colleagues. She welcomed also the many
agencies who work with the tutors at Youthreach Shanagolden to deliver a
holistic quality education experience to the students present. She said that
she likened the students to ripples in the water swirling around the world
creating waves, in more ways than one, leaving a lasting impression on all
they meet and work with. “It has been our privilege to have spent time with
you here in Youthreach Shanagolden and we salute each one of you “Helena
then invited the students to the podium and they took over the proceedings,
each in turn giving their presentation and introducing the guest speakers, it
was a lovely touch and they made it their own.
Annie Naughton from Loughill told the gathering that “When you come down
here to Youthreach Shanagolden if you’re in a good mood or a bad mood,
you’ll always walk away smiling.” Paula Blanchard from Shanagolden said “I am a new person with confidence
in myself and the knowledge and skills I’ve learned in Youthreach Shanagolden will take me where I want to
go.” Nora O’Brien from Newcastlewest, with a knack for making people laugh said “I wouldn’t have had the
opportunities to experience so much if I had not come down here and even though there really was a lot to
learn we had great help and support from the tutors that made it easy and we had a bit of craic”. Denise Ahern
from Ardagh told the guests that” ‘I used to be shy and have little confidence but the expression “I can’t” is
never accepted here, I was always encouraged to keep trying no matter what; that built up my confidence and I
learned so much.” Lesley Power from Newcastlewest said ”Along with my Hairdressing skills, I have learned
how to be a peer mediator, where I help other students to understand their problems a bit more clearly and
guide them in trying to figure out their resolutions”
Carmel Costelloe, Resource tutor explained that “together we have realised our mission and each of you have
achieved academically and also in terms of personal growth, social skills, emotional development and spiritual
growth”. Cáit Madigan, Hairdressing tutor, reminded the students that they now had a craft in their hands that
would take them anywhere they wanted to go in the world. “Your craft” she said ”is recession proof, you can cut
and colour with the best of them, I’m so proud of ye, so go for it girls!“.
In her address Co. Limerick VEC Adult Education Officer, Eimear Brophy
commented on the fact that some of the students referred to Youthreach
Shanagolden as “their second family” and she said “you do experience that familial
sense here in this centre and today we see how each of the students are
supported by their families who have joined us to celebrate their wonderful
achievements” The AEO further went on to say that the partnership between
family and centre in the education of our young people plays a vital role in their
success. She commended the students on their public speaking skills,
acknowledging how difficult it can be and how very well they do it. Seán Burke
CEO Co Limerick VEC congratulated the students and complimented them on their
achievements, paying tribute to their interest and initiative in undertaking this
course and their commitment for seeing it through successfully. He said he was
really happy to be able to get to Shanagolden for this graduation and in
emphasising the importance and relevance of life-long learning, he encouraged the
students for their future. He referred to their sense of confidence and “can do” and
positive attitudes, their clear career plans and aspirations. He said they
demonstrated energy, enthusiasm and the will to succeed. The CEO paid particular
tribute to the Youthreach Co-ordinator Helena Mac Mahon and the Youthreach
staff team for their vision, dedication to the facilitation of the excellent quality of education provision. He
commended the commitment of all in the Centre to quality assurance. The official part of the ceremony
concluded with the presentation of certificates and a surprise presentation to both CEO and AEO by students
Danielle Harty and Noreen Quilligan of craft work they had produced in their woodwork class. All sat down to a
fine lunch prepared by Youthreach Staff and served by Youthreach students. A great day was had by all it was
agreed; and as we headed for home tired and pleased the Heavens opened!
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N a t i o n a l A s s o c i a t i o n o f Yo u t h r e a c h C o - o r d i n a t o r s
Wicklow Youthreach Centres Hold Sports Day
While years of planning and countless millions have been spent on preparing London for next year’s Olympic
Games, the four Youthreachs of County Wicklow (Arklow, Blessington, Bray and Wicklow) came together with
amazingly little fuss (and even less cost) to compete for honours in the First Annual CWVEC Youthreach
Olympics. Over 60 students and 25 tutors turned up to strut their stuff in track and field events.
The idea came from Wicklow Youthreach, but it was quickly taken
up by the staffs of the other centres and by head office. AEO
Catherine Byrne, co-ordinators Sharon Hughes, Lisa Harvey,
Gillian Clarges, Denise Walsh, and sports tutors William Tyrrell of
Arklow, Ashley Stevens and Yvette Deacon from Wicklow, Laura
from Bray were all heavily involved in the planning.
The venue was the running track at Arklow Sports Centre and the
flame was lit at 10.30 a.m. on Wednesday, 1 June 2011 – okay,
there was no flame, but be like us and imagine there was. While
sporting competition is generally regarded as a very healthy
pursuit, there is always the danger of local loyalty and inter-centre
rivalry spilling over into enthusiastic mayhem – and that’s just
from staff members! The solution, like all good solutions, was
simple. Staff and learners were not representing their own Youthreach, instead competitors were divided into
eight mixed teams, each sporting coloured tee-shirts. The rivalry, therefore, was not between the four
Youthreach’s, but between the eight teams, each of which was composed of members from Arklow,
Blessington, Bray and Wicklow. We are very pleased to state for the record that this strategy worked and the
staff of all four centres behaved themselves impeccably. So did the learners, but that goes without saying.
The emphasis was on FUN! and after the usual reluctance of many to be ‘the first’ to get stuck in, the
atmosphere was fantastic. Within the groups, centre-loyalty was forgotten as the Coloured Teams competed in
fairly normal pursuits such as 100 metre dash, 400 metre relay, and tug-o’-war, but also in less-than-normal
pursuits such as wellie-throwing, wheelbarrow racing (using real wheelbarrows) and cross-country
‘ski-ing’ (yes, ski-ing, in Arklow, on 1st June - it was that kind of day). Halfway through the day, lunch was had in
the Sports Centre, the teams encouraging each other to eat as much as possible. This concern for rivals did
not stem from concern for their nutrition as much as from the fact
that there were still several events to run after lunch, when those
who over-indulged would be at something of a disadvantage. At
the end of the day, gold, silver and bronze medals were presented
to the victorious teams amid a crowd response of 50-50 cheers
and jeers. Some staff members were particularly proud of their
achievement and one Arklow tutor still carries her medal in her
bag on a daily basis. (We will not mention Alison by name).
Overall, it was a really great day. Staffs and members of the
various centres got to know each other; a full day in the fresh air
made a welcome change from the classrooms; and everyone just
had a good time – even if allegations of cheating were flying in all
directions. Just like the real Olympics when you think of it.
The Adventures of Wicklow
The students at Wicklow Youthreach participate actively in a
weekly sports programme including a variety of activities; tag
rugby, soccer, unihoc, athletics, basketball, Olympic handball
and pentaque to name a few. Last year during the winter term
students completed a 10 week swimming and water safety
programme which saw many of them achieve FETAC
certification. In April a group of students and staff set off to
Killary Adventure Centre in Galway for 3 fun filled days of adventure sports, team building and outdoor activities. The
highlight of the trip was without doubt when both the girls and boys teamS completed The All Ireland Schools Turf
Challenge. This involved a high paced race through the Killary bogs tackling a variety of obstacles along the way,
ending in a cliff jump into the Atlantic Sea. Well done to the boy’s team who claimed 5th position in the Intermediate
League tables! Ashley Stephens
National Association of Youthreach Co-ordinators
9
Monaghan Summer Programme 2011
This year in Monaghan Youthreach a very busy Summer Programme was organised for learners, a
special effort was made to ensure that the programme was focused and worthwhile for everyone involved.
In May learners, under the guidance of woodwork tutor Colm Mc
Ardle, designed and constructed a beautiful children’s playhouse
(left) which was built for Teach Na bPaisti, the childcare facility
located at Teach Na nDáoine in Mullaghmatt in Monaghan Town.
This project came about and was funded as part of the Peace III
project. The whole project took just two and a half months to
complete. The project was constructed in the woodwork room at
Monaghan Youthreach and then transported and reassembled at
Teach Na bPaisti: this involved the house being created into six
solid pieces that could be reassembled easily. The total size of
the project was 8ft long and 7½ft high. On Thursday 28 July the
house was presented to the children at Teach Na bPaisti by staff
and trainees at Monaghan Youthreach. We hope the playhouse
is enjoyed by all the children who attend the Crèche for many years to come.
On the 4 and 5 July learners took part in a two day song
writing workshop delivered by Craftzone (right). Learners
wrote and recorded a song around the idea of global
warming. The song was edited and a DVD was produced.
The song, called ‘A Change Would be a Good Thing’, was a
great opportunity for learners to see first hand the processes
involved in writing and recording a song from start to finish.
Well done to all learners involved in this project.
A number of learners were involved in the making of a short
film titled, ‘The Tour’ which was based on a comic look at
everyday life in Monaghan Youthreach. The film was show
cased to guests at our end of year presentation and
received a very positive response from everyone present.
Various art projects were undertaken by students including
self-portraits, batik silk painting and a ‘Youthreach Chronicle’ which
involved printing images of Youthreach activities in 2011 onto
fabric.
Other events included a day trip to Blanchardstown (left), a fun filled
sports day in Belgium Park, a cookery competition in centre and the
production of an interesting and informative newsletter which was
distributed to parents on presentation day.
The culmination of our challenging Summer Programme was our
End of Year Presentation which took place at the Monaghan
Youthreach Centre on Wednesday 27 July. At this event
achievements made by learners in 2010/2011 were highlighted. All
learners were presented with their FETAC Certificates and special
awards were presented by staff members to a number of learners.
Trainee of the Year:
Newcomer of the Year:
Academic Achievement, FETAC Level 4:
Academic Achievement, FETAC Level 3:
Sportsperson of the Year 2011:
Stacey O’ Leary
Scott O’ Leary
Deborah Cawley
Evaldas Mazeika
Darragh Brady
Speakers on the day were Niall Mc Cann, Centre Co-Ordinator and Kathlena Slowey, Resource Person
and a number of learners who gave very articulate accounts of their individual experiences at Monaghan
Youthreach. Refreshments were provided in the centre kitchen. A very pleasant morning was enjoyed by
all.
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N a t i o n a l A s s o c i a t i o n o f Yo u t h r e a c h C o - o r d i n a t o r s
Portumna Update
Pictured below are learners in Portumna taking part in a film-making course in July as part of their summer
programme.
Learners also took part in a sponsored walk in Croagh Patrick in March this year and raised funds to buy
fitness equipment for the centre. They are pictured below left before they set off and right, having a break
half way up!
Pictured right,
left-right;
Gemma Ward,
Shannon Mc
Donald, Karen
Mc
Donagh
and Chelsea
Furey
from
Portumna
Youthreach
presenting
Declan Moran
from the charity ‘Friends of Special Care Baby Unit’ Portiuncula Hospital, with a cheque for €336.08 following a
successful coffee morning and cake sale in June. Thanks to all those who supported the event.
Youthreach O’Connell Avenue Launch “Different Voices”
World famous authors, with over 50 million sales to their name, have joined forces with Limerick city
students to produce a unique literacy and enterprise project. “Different Voices” is a collection of writings,
artwork and photography that was created to highlight the importance of reading and writing for young
people, as well as raising funds to support the work of Barnardo’s children’s charity. The book is a vehicle
for Youthreach students to tell their stories alongside some of Ireland’s most prominent artists and writers.
It features contributions from writers Maeve Binchy and Darren Shan, artists, John Shinnors, Una Heaton,
Sean Curtin and a host of Limerick based personalities in the world of the Arts. Writer Darren Shan said
that a project like this “gives young writers a taste of
what it’s like to take a story all the way to print. Writing
is all about confidence, about believing you can share
your voice with the world”. He went on to say that
Different Voices proves that “it is an achievable goal
for those involved and this confidence-boost will help
take these young authors a long way”. As well as a
good read (for charity!), the book also serves an
excellent literacy resource and can be purchased
through
Gerry
Cusack,
Enterprise
Teacher,
Youthreach, O’Connell Avenue, Limerick on 061445700.
Roisin Cleary, Literacy Co-ordinator, Youthreach,
O’Connell Avenue
N a t i o n a l A s s o c i a t i o n o f Yo u t h r e a c h C o - o r d i n a t o r s
11
Northside Publishes 2011 Yearbook
This publication celebrates another successful year at Northside
Youthreach, which is located at Watch-House Cross, Moyross in
Limerick City. It details the work carried out by learners as part of the
Junior Certificate and FETAC programmes. It also highlights the
extracurricular activities completed during the year.
Well done to all involved in the production of the yearbook,
particularly Noel Kearney who managed the creation and production
process involved. Along with yearbooks from previous years, this
publication can be viewed at the publications link on
www.limerickcityaes.ie.
Technology is a new subject this
year at Northside. In Technology
we get to go into the workshop and
make stuff out of Metal, Plastics
and Wood. We have made
Keyrings, Coat Hooks, Toy cars/
trucks, and get to put electronics
into them so that they have flashing
lights and motors, so the trucks can
really drive. I am looking forward to
doing a Junior Certificate project
next year.
Debbie Kelly, Northside Learner
12
N a t i o n a l A s s o c i a t i o n o f Yo u t h r e a c h C o - o r d i n a t o r s
Youthreach Centres Reaping the
Benefits of YSI’s Social Innovation
Programme
Over 35,000 young people have taken part in Young Social Innovators so far and this number is
growing each year. In 2010/2011 a number of Youthreach Centres took part in our Social
Innovation Programme, producing some fantastic projects completed with passion and insight.
Their projects focused on such diverse issues such as alcohol abuse, child abuse and improving
local facilites for all members of the community. We have even more Youthreach Centres
participating in YSI this year from Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal and Clara Co. Offaly to Ashbourne
Co. Meath and a number of Centres in Wicklow.
So what’s YSI? Young people work in teams (5 - 25) on a
social issue that concerns them, research the subject and
come up with an innovative response or solution to improve
the situation. YSI teams can tackle any social issue they feel
passionately about such as local community concerns, the
environment, human rights, integration, poverty, mental and
physical health, justice or the developing world. YSI Guides
(teachers/tutors/youth leaders) motivate, facilitate and
encourage young people’s work, supporting, guiding and
advising where necessary, while allowing the YSI team to be
as youth led as possible.
Navan Youthreach YSI Project
Young people learn about issues that affect themselves and their community; they learn how to
work as part of a team; they build skills and gain confidence in their abilities to organise,
communicate, research and lead. There is something for everyone in Young Social Innovators.
YSI allows young people to engage in their communities in a positive way and enables them to
establish and recognise their role as active and valuable members of society.
YSI teams attend regional events, called “YSI Speak Outs”, which gives young people an
opportunity to advocate on their social issue and explain their project to their peers, invited
guests and a YSI Panel. They also submit a project report on their project to YSI in March
(submitted in writing or on CD). Feedback is given to all teams who present at a Speak Out and
submit a project report.
YSI’s Social Innovation Programme can be a stand alone subject on the timetable or it can be
easily incorporated into FETAC modules such as Personal Development, Communications and
Preparation for Work. It can also be integrated into the Social Education module in the Leaving
Cert Applied.
Approximately 60 projects are showcased at the prestigious Annual Showcase which usually
takes place each year in Dublin. This gives a flavour of the variety and scope of YSI projects all
around Ireland. In 2010/2011, two Youthreach projects were chosen from 300 projects to
showcase their achievements at the Annual Showcase.
We are looking forward to working with more and more Youthreach Centres around the country in
the future and anticipate lots of exciting and innovative projects on a variety of social issues. If
your Youthreach Centre would like to get involved or requires additional information, you can
speak to a member of the YSI Education Team on 01 6458030, email us
[email protected] or log on to our website www.youngsocialinnovators.org.
National Association of Youthreach Co-ordinators
13
Effectively Addressing the Problem of
Bullying in Youthreach Centres
If a student in your Centre were being bullied s/he may by now:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Feel isolated, lonely, miserable and possibly fearful at school,
Spend break times alone, going home to have lunch or hiding somewhere "safe" to have it,
Wake up every morning with an overwhelming sinking feeling of dread at the prospect of another school
day,
Have very little self-confidence and declining self-esteem,
Cause trouble in class varying between withdrawal from participation, lack of cooperation and angry
outbursts,
Have a "second chance" at education steadily reduced to "little chance" or even "no chance,"
Deny that "there is anything wrong" and in particular that there is any bullying going on, if asked by
teachers,
Deny the bullying even to self to protect teetering self-esteem.
The resulting self-imposed silence, while ongoing bullying compounds growing misery, could have catastrophic
consequences and urgently needs intervention.
Sadly, in your Centre - where you stand in loco parentis and passionately seek to fulfil your duty of care - there
may be students whose lives are badly affected by bullying as well as others who are earlier on the same
spectrum of unhappiness. This is true of virtually every second level school in Ireland. Recent research
indicates that 30% of students are bullied in any half-term period with nearly 25% of students admitting carrying
out the bullying (Anti-Bullying Research and Resource Centre, Trinity College, 2008).
Usually students know about bullying but remain silent, while you and your teachers do not know because of
the covert nature of bullying and so are prevented from dealing with it. Even if you did know, would you feel
confident that you could handle a bullying situation without making matters even worse for a bullied student?
Such considerations can act as obstacles to an effective response.
Yet, responsibility for dealing with the problem of bullying in any school lies firmly with the adults. To meet this
responsibility some schools organise one-off interventions like an annual "anti-bullying week" each year while
others bring in "experts" to talk to students about bullying. These interventions may be valuable but their
message is soon forgotten in the rollercoaster of student consciousness. Other schools rely on the sections of
SPHE, CSPE and Religious Education courses that emphasise respect and equality but clearly these have
limited effectiveness since the problem of bullying continues. A different approach is needed firstly to change
student attitudes so bullying is less likely to happen in the first place and secondly to deal effectively with
bullying when it does happen.
The good news is that a comprehensive programme that deals effectively with the problem of bullying has been
developed and is already implemented in some Irish secondary schools. Following the death by suicide in
2007 of Leanne Wolfe, who had endured several years of unreported bullying, this programme was made
available free of charge to all Irish secondary schools at www.antibullyingcampaign.ie. It is based on up-todate national and international research and fully complies with the aims in the D.E.S. Guidelines on
Countering Bullying Behaviour. It deals with bullying incidents in a humane way that offers a "win-win"
outcome to targeted students, perpetrators and observers while avoiding negative repercussions for all
concerned. In addition, it works to change the culture in schools to one where bullying is Recognised for what
it is, Rejected for what it does and Reported so it can be effectively dealt with. As a result the amount and the
intensity of bullying diminish significantly.
In practice, a group of teachers in your Youthreach Centre, identifying itself as the Anti-Bullying Team, could
implement most of this ready-made programme using some "time-neutral" class-swapping between teachers to
carry out specific anti-bullying classroom exercises from our website. Additional time for coordinating the
programme and interviewing students alleged to be involved in bullying, while often provided voluntarily by
teachers, could be linked to a post of responsibility and this could be prioritised when reviewing the "needs" of
the Centre for post purposes.
For further details including our contact details and to get access to the free resources we offer, please register
on our website, www.antibullyingcampaign.ie. The need was never more urgent. The time was never more
opportune.
Mary Kent & Seán Fallon.
14
N a t i o n a l A s s o c i a t i o n o f Yo u t h r e a c h C o - o r d i n a t o r s
Blanchardstown Focus on Healthy Body & Mind
Students in Blanchardstown Youthreach focused on healthy
bodies and minds in June as part of their summer
programme. Below are some images from the programme.
Pictured
left—
Students complete
their
healthy
eating
programme.
Below
right—
s t u d e n t
relaxation
classes.
Below—Student gardening project.
Below—going sailing, going to [the] Extreme and sports day.
Mallow Graduations
Pictured are trainees from Mallow Youthreach with their
teachers: thirteen graduated from Mallow Youthreach and
Leaving
Certificate
Applied. Successful
trainees are: Dolores
O’Driscoll,
AnneMarie Cremin, Jack
Flynn, Ian Carpenter,
Katie
Walkden,
Anthony
O’Brien,
Jason Wray, Richard
Butler, Paddy O’Gorman, Jayleigh Kerr, Jonathan O’Driscoll, TJ
Lehane, Danny McSweeney.
N a t i o n a l A s s o c i a t i o n o f Yo u t h r e a c h C o - o r d i n a t o r s
15
Buncrana Open Day
The Buncrana and Glengad Youthreach centres held their annual open day in June. Pictured below are
learners who received various certificates of achievement on the day. At bottom left is Paddy Long
receiving his award from Crona Gallagher, AEO for the highest achievement award for completing 17
FETAC folders at Levels 3 and 4.
A Dream Come True in Blessington
My name is Lee Daniels. I never thought that I would ever get a chance
to travel abroad until one day I was notified that I had been nominated
for an EIL (Exchange Intercultural Learning) competition. I was sitting in
a communications class one day and my mentor John Shelton walked
in. He called me from the class into another room and said “would you
like to go to Hong Kong?” My face just dropped and I said “yes!” He
said it was a competition and that I had been nominated by the staff of
West Wicklow Youthreach Blessington to enter it.
I had to attend a meeting a couple of days later in Trinity College to get
to know the people from EIL and tell them a little something about
myself and we all got along great. A couple of months later I got a phone call saying I won the trip and I was
gob smacked. I had to attend a meeting in Cork after that for the winners preparation work.
Then the day came, 09 August 2011, the day the winners departed. When we landed in Hong Kong we waited
for our bags, then we had to go to the immigration desk to get our passports stamped. I was very proud of
myself when we landed in Hong Kong because flying was something I was very nervous about! We met up
with our Hong Kong group leader and her name was Toby Cat. She took us to our hotels for the night. The next
day we met the rest of the Hong Kong delegates (pictured above right) and they are some of the nicest people I
had ever met.
We did so many great things together like sightseeing and museum visits and we went to water parks and late
night shopping. We got so close we were like family and I gave an emotional speech from the heart that made
some people cry and I had more to say but it wouldn’t come out. My Hong Kong friend Chris said “Lee you
should be proud of yourself because of who you are. It is why you are here”. That made me feel like an
individual and like I was someone. I really felt like I belonged. So if you do good in life you get it all back and it
all pays off. I would like to thank all of the people from EIL and YMCA Hong Kong for giving me such an
amazing opportunity. I will never forget it!
16
N a t i o n a l A s s o c i a t i o n o f Yo u t h r e a c h C o - o r d i n a t o r s
Crumlin Update
Earlier this year, students in Dublin did a Boxing programme with the Boxing Development Team from
Dublin City Council, which ended with a big showcase at the National Stadium. Students in Crumlin
Youthreach supported their athletes and they came together in a team effort to make a banner to support
Craig McCabe.
Students in Crumlin have developed a great interest in baking since the Easter Cake Competition earlier
this year between the City of Dublin Youthreach centres. They continue to 'practice' for the next
competition!!
Also
pictured
(left) is a day
out
to
the
G r a v i t y
Adventure
Centre
in
Courtown,
County Wexford
when students
were able to try
out the high
ropes
course
a n d
t h e
zip-wire.
Exam Success in Youthreach O’Connell Avenue
We are very proud of all our learners who received fantastic results in their Leaving Cert, Junior
Cert, LCA Year 1 exams and FETAC Level 3 Awards. Well done to all!
National Association of Youthreach Co-ordinators
17
Archery in City of Galway
Archery is held in Lough Atalia, on the outskirts
of Galway City every Wednesday afternoon.
We learn step by step how to set up the
targets, safety net, assemble the bow and put
on the strings. How to place and hold an arrow
in the bow, how to stand properly, take aim and
fire the arrow. Also how to collect the arrows:
push, twist and pull. It’s exciting and
challenging as well. A great buzz!!
Gary Mongan
Health Related
Fitness in Clondalkin
Pictured right are learners and staff
from Clondalkin who recently
undertook some water-based
activities as part of health related
fitness programme in the centre.
Transforum Alley Activity Centre Week 3-10 June 2011
The first Annual Transforum Alley Active Centre Week took place from Friday the 3rd of June until Friday
the 10th of June. This initiative was introduced as part of Transforum Alleys bid to work towards achieving
the Active Centre Flag status. The main focus of the week was the “TA Step Challenge”. This proved to be
a motivational and fun tool to get both staff and young people more active during the week. Pedometers
were hired from the HSE and distributed to staff and young people every morning when signing in and
were handed back in at the end of each day. The challenge was to aim for 10,000 steps a day. Twentyfour people took part in the challenge, with a combined total of 675,168 steps, a distance of 562 Km over
five days. The distance travelled is similar to walking from
Tralee to Donegal via Dublin. The average number of
kilometres per person was 23km. The top two in the
challenge were Mergita Isufi and Tony O’ Brien who
walked 36km each over the five days.
Other activities during the active week included a dodge
ball, bench ball and kwik cricket tournament in the hall,
Pitch and Putt, Sand Sculpture in Youghal, a
photography treasure hunt around Tralee, a pool
tournament, a walk around the Maharees peninsula, a
trip to Waterworld in Castlegregory, the gym in the IT,
circuits and a boxing fitness class.
18
National Association of Youthreach Co-ordinators
Gortahork’s Aine Wins
Young Driver Award
Pictured right is Aine Doohan, the overall winner of the
Young Driver’s Cross-Border event 2011, being
presented with her award at the Gortahork Presentation
of Awards day by Harry Rutherford, Chairperson of the
Northern Ireland Road Safety Council and Eamonn
Brown, Donegal County Council Road Safety Officer.
Aine also won Student of the Year at Gortahork’s Annual
Presentation of Awards held in June in recognition of her
academic achievements.
Michael Quilligan Tells Us What its Like to be a Student in
Transforum Alley Youthreach
My name is Michael Quilligan and I am 15 years old. I started Transforum Alley in September 2010. I find
it 100 times better than school. You get a lot of help with your work, the teachers treat you with respect
and I have no problem doing my work for them. Sometimes you think of the teachers more as friends
rather than teachers because they treat us well.
There are lots of differences between Transforum Alley and school. Transforum Alley is more informal
than school because you don’t get homework, you don’t have to wear a uniform and you don’t have to
bring a school bag with you. In Transforum Alley, we mix with students from different countries a lot more;
in school you only hang out with the people you know or with people who are involved in the same stuff as
you. There are only twenty-five young people in Transforum Alley and we all get along well together.
So far this year there have been many highlights and these were going to Bowling Buddies, Rock
Climbing in Dingle and our trip to Cappanalea. Every Thursday if the weather is good we go on a walk for
over five miles as part of the Outdoors Module. This helps us keep fit and it’s a break from writing so we
enjoy it.
At the moment we are all working very hard to finish our FETAC Level 3 Modules. We do loads of
different modules like communications, maths, computers, health related fitness, food and cookery, art,
living in a diverse society and personal and interpersonal skills. They are all really good subjects. If I pass
my FETAC I hope to move to Leaving Cert Applied and then go to college after that.
Blessington Summer Programme
This year after a long hard year of work we had the summer programme, which was
very relaxed and easy going. We started summer with two weeks of work
experience and a few trips. Some of the trips we went on include Russborough
House which is in the middle of Baltinglass and Blessington on the N81. We went
there twice; the first time we went we had a look around the gardens and went into
the big maze. The second time we went into the house and it was amazing to see
how big and well done up it was. The history was brilliant and educational. We also
went on a trip to Collins Barracks in Dublin. We had a great day in which we saw
the museum and all the old Irish guns and read about the rebellion and seen real
pictures and letters from that time. Another time we went to Kilmainham jail (Lee, James & Eileen pictured in it) and
that was very interesting to see the difference between modern prisons and prisons back then. We also went on a
trip to the zoo in Dublin and we seen all different type of animals my favourite was the monkeys they were great
crack. Then towards the end of summer we had a gladiator bouncy castle it was a great laugh we all just were doing
flips and everyone was excited about Oxygen the next day it was a funny and exciting summer programme this year
and we all had a great time. We also had two people come in and they were called Song Craft. We wrote and
performed our own song, called “It’s a Chain Reaction”. Another man come in called Lar and he did a mural with us,
based on the theme positivity and it is on display in the centre. Then we also designed our own lamp shades. And
we all just had a great time in the summer programme. James Murray
N a t i o n a l A s s o c i a t i o n o f Yo u t h r e a c h C o - o r d i n a t o r s
19
Drogheda Review the Year
Lifford Attend Road Safety Event
th
On the 26 May 2011, a group of learners from Lifford Youthreach attended the Young Driver’s
Cross-Border Event in Bready, Co Tyrone. When we got to it, all learners had to register. If you
had a licence, you were able to take part in the practical driving completion outside. A few of our
learners took part in this. After registration, we completed a road safety quiz and then everyone
got to use the simulators where you have to drive a car on a computer. We then went outside to
have a look around the police jeep and other vehicles and examined the cars and took pictures.
12.303.dinner time. We got lovely stew for our dinner and apple tart for dessert. After dinner, I
volunteered to be a passenger in a car crash reconstruction. I had to play an injured person in
the car (right). The paramedics came and examined me to make sure I was ok. He put oxygen
on me to help my breathing. I had a neck brace fitted to keep my neck in place. The driver of the
car got arrested and was taken away by the police. The passenger in the back of the car died
due to not wearing their seatbelt. After the doors and the roof were cut off the car by the
firemen, the paramedics put me on a stretcher and carried me out and placed me on a trolley
and secured me on the bed. When in the ambulance, I was given more oxygen. They untied me. I waited until the
police spoke to me in the ambulance and told him everything stage by stage what happened. The day trip was boring
to start of but when I was in the car I really enjoyed it. I have learned such a lot about wearing seatbelts and drink
driving from being that injured person in the car. Finally, we had presentations for the prize winners that had won
prizes in the different competitions. Lee Mc Crabbe, a learner in Lifford Youthreach came 2nd in the practical driving
competition (pictured left). Mark Lynch, Lifford Youthreach
20
N a t i o n a l A s s o c i a t i o n o f Yo u t h r e a c h C o - o r d i n a t o r s
Trim Back to Work after Summer Break
Students and Staff at Youthreach Trim are delighted to be back to work after the
summer break with plenty of FETAC level three and four subjects to be completed for
the new academic year.
The year began with an Induction and Welcome week for all students which
commenced on the 5th of September to gently introduce students and staff back into
the centre routine. In the coming months students will complete subjects at FETAC
Level 3 and 4 in areas such as
Communications,
Maths,
Personal
Effectiveness
and
Computers.
Other
subjects
on
the
curriculum
include
Occupational First Aid, E.C.D.L., Art, F.A.I.
Kick-start and Childcare. This year will also see the introduction of the
new FETAC Level 3 programme which will be primarily project based
in its delivery. Recreational subjects will also be completed such as
Inter-culturalism, Debating, Sports, Beauty Therapy and students will
also be working towards achieving a Gaisce award. If you wish to find
out more about Youthreach Trim, contact Elizabeth Lavery on 046
9431203 or find us on facebook.
Ulster Bank Proudly Sponsoring the
Local Community & Cabra Youthreach
In March 2011 Cabra Youthreach applied to the Ulster Bank
Community Support Fund. The centre was trying to raise funds towards
the purchase of a new mini-bus to transport students and staff to and
from various locations during
the summer programme in
addition to day trips throughout
the academic year. In June 2011 we were notified that our
application was successful and the centre was awarded €5,000
towards the cost of the mini-bus. The cheque was presented to the
centre by Ulster Bank staff when they came to “Give A Day” to help
with a spring clean of the garden area within the centre grounds. It
was a fun day for all concerned. Cabra Youthreach staff and
students would like to especially thank the following Ulster Bank
staff members; Jessica Kenny, David Patton, Lynsey Clemenger
and Brendan Moylan.
Ballyshannon Summer Programme
With FETAC submissions successfully over, Ballyshannon Youthreach geared up for a great summer
programme (despite wet weather conditions!) Learners put relaxation techniques into practice with Pilates once
a week. The Pilates techniques proved useful after a trip to the new activity centre in Lough Key Forest Park –
ZipIt. Learners climbed high into the trees on zip linesDa lot of them
conquering fears! (pictured right). After all that high flying – we came
back down to earth with First Aid training; 10 of the learners and 4
tutors took part in the training and successfully achieved FETAC Level
5 Occupational First Aid. Everyone then got to see how important First
Aid can be at the Young Driver’s Cross-Border Event where there was
a demonstration of what actually happens at the scene of an accident.
Next up was a trip to Donegal Manor for a day of cookery skills
including how to set a table and clean up after a meal. Amongst the
culinary delights were scones, chicken, stuffing, cranberry sauce and
chocolate pudding. Keeping to the ‘culture’ theme, we also headed off
to Sligo IT for an art exhibition of students work.
National Association of Youthreach Co-ordinators
21
A Dream Come True in Ennis
My name is Daniel Hassett and I am currently taking part in a pre-third level preparation
programme at Ennis Youthreach in Ennis, Co. Clare. Last March my coordinator, Eddie Keane
told me and the rest of the students that there was an opportunity coming up for us to participate
in a student exchange programme to Hong Kong. We were encouraged to write an essay to
apply for the opportunity to take part this programme.
My jaw dropped when I received the letter saying
my essay application had been short listed. I had to
travel to Dublin for an interview, while waiting for the
interview I met some of the other people who were
going through the same process as I was and we
were all eager to gain a place on the trip. I cannot
put into words the excitement I felt when I received
a phone call to say I was picked and that I would be
going to Hong Kong—imagine being told that your
first experience on an aeroplane would be a trip to
Hong Kong.
I will be forever grateful for the opportunity given to me by
ELI Ireland, which is an intercultural learning organisation,
one of the many programmes they run every year is an
Ireland / Hong Kong youth exchange, this is run in
association with the Hong Kong Commission On Youth.
On the 9th August I began a truly a life changing
experience that I will never forget. I had never seen a
place like Hong Kong before, buildings where so close
and all seemed to be high-rise, they seem to reach the
sky and go on for miles and miles into the air.
When we left the airport it felt unreal we were hit with a
blast of hot humid air, and for myself being from Barefield, a small rainy part of Clare, this was
the most incredible feeling I have ever experienced, it brought new meaning to the saying ‘Some
like it hot’. Life in the city centre was unforgettable, everything seemed to come to life because of
all the neon, the smells, and the sounds which were all totally new to me. The streets were
constantly teeming with people. Hong Kong never seems to close for the night, with most shops
and markets staying open until at least midnight. I can say the food I ate in Hong Kong has the
best food that I have ever tried. The variety, scale, had
to be seen to be believed.
I wasn’t too disappointed to come home as I knew that
shortly after I arrived, ten Chinese students would arrive
in Ireland for our leg of the exchange and that I would be
involved in showing them around Ireland. I really
enjoyed this section of the experience, and I hope the
Chinese students enjoy Ireland as much as I enjoyed
Hong Kong.
22
National Association of Youthreach Co-ordinators
Ennis Summer Programme—Climbing Croagh Patrick
Our teachers in Youthreach asked us what we
would like to do during our summer
programme. One of the suggestions we gave
was an overnight trip, also some of the group
wanted to climb Croagh Patrick. We were
delighted a few days later when we were told
the teachers had organised a trip that would
cover both and more. We were happy to be
doing something and also to be spending time
away from the centre.
We had to be at the centre at 9 o’clock on a
Monday morning. We went up to Mayo and we
were all ready to climb Croagh Patrick. When
Nearly there...
we arrived in Mayo we got something small to
eat and we then headed to the mountain. When we got to the mountain we were shocked
because of the height although we saw pictures and read about it on the Internet, we were still
surprised at it.
We began to climb it soon after we arrived there. It took
us over two hours to climb up and two hours to get down.
Once we reached the top we had fantastic views of the
countryside for miles around, we also saw St. Patrick’s
bed. Unfortunately by the time some of our climbers got
to the top the church was closed. We were disappointed
at the fact that it was closed but we were also delighted
that we finally got to the top.
We spent the night in a hotel and were glad of the leisure
centre and comfortable beds to help recover from the
View from the top...
climb. The next day, having had a good breakfast we
went on a bike ride (pictured below) along the Newport – Mulranny Greenway which is an 18
kilometre cycling and walking route along an old railway line. Everyone did the cycle even though
we were tired from the climb the day before.
All of us, teachers and students,
enjoyed this trip to Croagh Patrick and
plan to make it an annual event. Some
of the students who did the climb and
the cycle, did so as part of their Gaisce
Awards.
Anne Cauley
N a t i o n a l A s s o c i a t i o n o f Yo u t h r e a c h C o - o r d i n a t o r s
23
Transition Centre, Dublin City Update
We began our 20th Anniversary
Celebrations in March with a
tree planting ceremony. Dublin
City Council Parks Department
kindly supplied us with an oak
tree and allowed us to plant our
tree in Mountjoy Square Park.
Although it was a rainy March
day, students and staff
attended. Co-ordinator Chris
Heffernan planted our tree
(right) watched by all students
and staff of the Transition
Centre.
We held a drumming workshop in our centre in May. Pictured
are Tom Crilly and Buddy Boland.
Our LCA students and our FIT
Programme students attended a
graduation in our centre in June.
Pictured on the right are LCA students:
Michael O’Neill, Celine Mumbley, Jamie
Keogh, Amy Doherty, Stacie English,
Paul Bradley, Stephen McBride,
Timothy O’Brien, Nathan Kiely, Daniel
Kearns & Gary Trimble. Pictured below
right are FIT Programme students: April
Martin, Daryl O’Brien, Darren Dunne, Natasha Corrigan,
Catherine Doyle, David McGuinness, Madeline Trimble (FIT
Co-ordinator), Ricky Comerford & Ray McMahon.
Our music teacher Buddy Boland
retired in July. He very kindly
entertained us on his last day, with the
assistance of some staff members
and our Co-ordinator (see bottom left
corner).
Youthreach Transition Centre, North
Great Georges Street & Sherrard
Street students completed the first
phase of a project to clean, repair and
enhance facilities in St Brigids Creche and Day Nursery, Mountjoy Square.
Pictured below are staff and students of Transition Centre, North Great Georges
Street and Sherrard Street with staff and children of St Brigids Creche which was
funded by JP Morgan.
24
N a t i o n a l A s s o c i a t i o n o f Yo u t h r e a c h C o - o r d i n a t o r s
Learner Jan Kosina writes about Transforum Alley
My name is Jan Kosina. I am 18 years old and I am originally from the Czech Republic. I came
to Ireland 6 years ago with my family. I was a little scared moving to Ireland but I was looking
forward to the new experience.
I joined Transforum Alley (TA) in September 2009, from the day I joined TA I felt very welcome
on the programme. Even though I was from a different country I was treated the same as
everybody else. Everyone is equal in TA no matter where they come from. I have a lot of support
from the staff in TA. My English is getting better every day. I get a lot of 1:1 support with my
English and TEFL and this has been great for my confidence. Another great support in TA is
WebWheel. I meet my Key Worker once a week and we talk about different things that are going
on for me. WebWheel has been a big highlight for me because it is nice to know that I can talk to
someone and know that my Key Worker is always there for me.
Since joining TA there have been many highlights for me, the main one was doing the 24 hours
Soccer Marathon for Haiti. All the staff and students worked hard to make this event successful.
I really enjoyed the summer programme last year; we did some really interesting things like the
climbing wall in Dingle, a trip to Dublin, walks in Killarney National Park and barbecues on the
beach. I have matured a lot since joining TA. I am
hoping to pass my FETAC Level 3 in May and after that
I hope to go to Leaving Cert Applied or go back to the
Czech Republic and study Mechanics. I will miss TA, I
learned a lot here and have made some really good
friends.
Pictured left is the Transforum Alley Soccer Team. Back
row from left, Tommy Coffey, Jan Kosina, Michael
Quilligan & Oisín Shanahan Front row from left, Mateusz
Maciag, Damien Coffey & Tony O’ Brien.
Induction in Blessington
On my arrival of my first day of West Wicklow Youthreach Blessington (WWYRB), I was kindly
greeted by the mentors into a warm positive learning environment. During the first 2 weeks,
everyone at the centre kindly got to know each other through various different activities like
sports, outdoor education, trips. We were shown around the centre and introduced to the
management team and other tutors of Blessington FEC. We were also made aware of the centre
rules and policies.
As it is the start of a new term, we also got to enjoy the luxury of the Avon Ri gym and swimming
pool facilities, thanks to the ideas put forward by last years’ Student Council. I found that the
sports at the end of the week are like a bonus for us to completing the week and it makes our
time in the centre worthwhile. We were also brought to the outdoor educational facility in
Baltinglass as part if a yearly bonding tour. I really enjoyed this as did a lot of my other
colleagues. We did rock climbing, abseiling, high ropes, orienteering, canoeing and archery.
Overall the induction process is a great way to get inducted in the Youthreach programme, the
expectation of the centre and staff, to know the policies and to also have fun in an encouraging
way. I now look forward to my remaining years at West Wicklow Youthreach Blessington.
Sean Halpin (new student, 2011)