NAYC Newsletter May 11

Newsletter of the
National Association of
Youthreach Co-ordinators
Volume 15, Issue 2, May 2011
www.youthreach.ie
Welcome...to the second edition of the NAYC newsletter for 2011.
Inside this issue:
Successful All-Ireland
Soccer Event
4
Cake Baking in Kiltimagh
9
Pat Rabbitte Officially
Opens Priory
16
Health Promotion Week in
Lifford
17
Granard Visit Rome
20
Young Social Innovators in
Wicklow
22
Ballyshannon Hunt for
Happiness
24
Since our last newsletter, we have held our annual conference, this year in
Sligo. All the hard work that went into its organisation paid off as many
commented this year that it was one of the best conferences to date. Some
excellent workshops were provided including useful feedback from the
Inspectorate and brilliant centre presentations.
Centres are currently in full assessment mode with FETAC, Leaving and
Junior Certificates and LCA assessments and exams. This newsletter
highlights the varied work taking place in centres in reaching this
assessment period. They are no doubt looking forward to their summer
programmes afterwards! I hope you enjoy reading through this—the next
edition will be available in early autumn.
Dr Sandra Buchanan, NAYC Newsletter Editor , [email protected]
Successful Annual Conference in Sligo
The NAYC hosted its annual conference in Sligo at the end of February which proved very
successful. The conference theme this year was Promoting Health and Wellbeing, an issue of
enormous and constant relevance to work in centres amongst staff and learners. The conference
opened with an input from learners from the Sligo Youthreach centre (see pictures overleaf). Mr
Shaun Purcell, CEO, Co Sligo VEC then officially opened the conference. Shane Martin from
Moodwatchers was the keynote speaker and set the tone with his talk on ‘Minding Ourselves Through
Challenging Times.’ Excellent centre presentations were provided by Sligo, Buncrana/Glengad
(Inishowen) and Rush, Co Dublin, showcasing the rich variety of centres around the country. This
year workshops were provided on both days looking at a variety of topics including restorative
practices, managing non-pay budgets, new programme developments in FETAC, and programmes
such as wrecked.ie, safe food, boxing in the community and teen coaching. Programme workshops
were supplemented by inputs from MABS on their newly developed Youthreach programme and on
SPHE provision nationally. Assistant Chief
Inspector Pat McSitric and Inspector Anne
O’Sullivan provided much food for thought
through their input on the composite report on
Youthreach evaluations. Many thanks to all for
their inputs and contributions.
Further images from the conference are
available overleaf.
Pictured left from left-right at the 2011 NAYC
Annual Conference: Dr Dermot Strokes, National
Youthreach Co-ordinator; Anne O’Sullivan, DES
Inspectorate; Seamus Hempenstall, Principal
Officer, Further Education Section, DES; Pat
McSitric, Assistant Chief Inspector; Mark O’Sullivan,
NAYC Chairperson.
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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
2011 Annual Conference Takes Place in Sligo
Below are images from this year’s annual conference which took place in Sligo in February.
Below left-right: Learners from Sligo Youthreach opening the conference.
Below left: Shaun Purcell, CEO, Co Sligo VEC, officially opening the conference.
Middle: Representatives of Art Competition winners with Dr Dermot Stokes, National Youthreach Coordinator (left)
and art competition organiser Helena McMahon, Shanagolden (right).
Right: Shane Martin, Moodwatchers speaking about ‘Minding Ourselves in Challenging Times’.
Below left: Dr Dermot Stokes (National Coordinator), Ultan Muvihill (Sligo Coordinator), Theresa McLaughlin
(Letterfrack Coordinator) and Bernadette Reilly (City of Dublin VEC Regional Coordinator) getting into the swing of
the conference!
Below right: The newly elected Executive Committee and Regional Representatives.
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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The Badjao Tribe Visit Clondalkin
On Wednesday the 13th of April Clondalkin Youthreach welcomed Annie
Alterado, Venerva Amil, Edwina Quail and Analie Vista from the Badjao
Tribe in the Philippines. They were visiting Ireland on a partner teacher
visit as part of the Worldwise Development Education Programme.
Worldwise is the Irish Aid Schools Linking and Immersion Scheme. The
Badjao tribe are amongst the most abandoned and vulnerable people in
the Philippines. They are an indigenous tribe with their own culture,
language and customs and they are treated as second and third class
citizens by the Philippine government and the Philippine people in
general. For centuries their main livelihood has been fishing but due to
larger commercial boats, increasing numbers of beach resorts and
increased pollution, it is now very difficult for the Badjao people to earn a
decent living. As a result of this the Tribal Chief approached the Presentation Sisters and asked them to establish a
formal education programme for children, so that they can develop the skills to survive in the modern world. The
intervention began 11 years ago with the establishment of a crèche in the Badjao community which provided
Montessori teaching for children. Our visitors were some of the local women who were trained to become Montessori
teachers which helped increase local ownership of the project. This was the first experience the Badjao Tribe had
with formal education and was vital in giving these children the social skills, self esteem and love of learning which is
crucial for education. Our Philipino guests were very interested to learn how our centre worked, they met and spoke
to all the staff and students and enjoyed looking through samples of students work. They showed us a very moving
DVD which gave us an incredible insight into their daily lives and struggles. The happy smiles on the children’s faces
when they received their first school building, even though they had to sit and write on the floor, helped to put a lot of
our recession blues into perspective. We broke for lunch and our visitors were treated to a lovely meal prepared by
students. In the afternoon we were treated to a sample of the Badjao tribal dance which they learn from the age of
three and they showed us their own set of pearls that they wear when performing this dance. Some of the students
got the opportunity to hold these pearls and they were impressed by the size and weight of them. They hold little
monetary value in their own country yet you could expect to pay up to €1500 in the western world for a set of this
quality! After a very enjoyable day we reluctantly said goodbye as the ladies were travelling to a sheep farm in
Meath. They had never seen sheep before and they were curious to know what they felt like!
Arklow Youthreach Careers Day
On 20 April 2011, Arklow Youthreach attracted large crowds to their
Careers Day, an occasion many weeks in the making. The idea behind
the event was to showcase careers and voluntary activities that
Youthreach students might not have considered. Information desks were
organised at which County Wicklow VEC, East Wicklow Youth Services,
the Community Development Project, FÁS, the VEC’s Adult Guidance
Service, Supported Unemployment Service, and Festine Lente all set up
their stands and explained what they had on offer. There were also a
John Huszar puts the finishing
dancer, sports journalist, an author, a fitness instructor, and hairdresser touches to the catering side of the
on hand to show that the world of work is full of diversity and opportunity.
event.
Interestingly, the hairdresser made the comment that the majority of
people asking her advice on getting into the profession were male. Posters, hand-bills and letters of invitation
were designed and distributed by Youthreach students, sometimes under the
guidance of tutors, but mostly by the trainees themselves. Catering was also
in-house, with food-laden tables looking beautiful. While the day was primarily
designed to show what opportunities there are in the world of work, it was also
Arklow Youthreach’s opportunity to show what Youthreach is all about. Throughout
the day photographs of the range of activities, subjects and outings flashed on a
smart board. Perhaps the greatest success of the day was the atmosphere in the
centre. It wasn’t just the buzz of the crowd, it was the air of co-operation that
Michelle Coffey who
existed between the centre members – trainees and trainers alike. Among those
co-ordinated many of
who called in to see us were members of Wicklow Town Youthreach. No doubt
the day’s activities.
there will be more such occasions.
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O’Connell Avenue Host Successful All-Ireland Indoor Soccer
Event In Limerick
The All-Ireland Youthreach Indoor Soccer Final hosted by Limerick City Adult Education Service’s
Youthreach programme, O’Connell Avenue, took place in Delta Soccer Dome, Ballysimon on Thursday 10
February. The new and innovative purpose-built facility, managed by Darragh Droog, hosted 11 teams
from all over the country who displayed fantastic sportsmanship, over four hours of soccer mania!
Two Limerick teams, Youthreach Hospital and Youthreach O’Connell Avene displayed their skill
prominently. Andrew Duggan defended the goals valiantly, stepping into the role at short notice, while
Michael Kavanagh unleashed several thunder bolts, enabling Darragh Hughes to become top goal scorer
for the city team. Despite their efforts, both teams came up against more
experienced competition and succumbed in the first round robin stage.
The final saw the clash of current champions, North Great George’s Street
(Dublin) and Cork side, Mallow. There was a great display of long distance
shooting, yielding a high scoring game. In the end, the Liffey side was
victorious, taking home the Jacinta Stewart Perpetual Cup.
The event’s co-ordinator, PE teacher Kate Flynn, LCAES O’Connell Ave, was
very pleased with how the tournament played off, “A day like this provides a
great opportunity for Youthreach learners from all over the country to participate
in an event together. We were delighted to host this event here, as Limerick City
has been named European City of Sport 2011”. She added, “It is wonderful to
get such support especially from our sponsors Brian S. Ryan Stationery Supplies
in Dublin, who donated fantastic prizes for the winning team. I am also very
proud of how hard our own team worked in the run-up to the tournament and
how well they did on the day”.
Pictured above Youthreach, O’Connell Ave team members: Back L-R: Christopher Meade, Jack Caffrey, Joshua
Judge, Front L-R: Gary Franklin, Shane Mulready, Michael Kavanagh, Absent from picture: Andrew Duggan,
Darragh Hughes and Jonathan Mackessey.
A Memorable Day for Youthreach North Great George’s Street
The Youthreach All-Ireland Football Competition was held on February 10th with eleven centre’s from
across the country taking part. The games were played in the excellent new facilities at the Delta Soccer
Dome in Limerick where Kate Flynn and her colleagues from Limerick Youthreach did a superb job of
organising the entire day.
After topping their group with wins against Naas, Clondalkin and Limerick, North Great George’s Street
were paired with Harmonstown in an all Dublin semi-final where they ran out 5 – 1 winners. Mallow
overcame Sligo in the other semi-final to set up a Dublin/Cork
final which North Great George’s Street won to retain the
Jacinta Stewart Perpetual Cup and complete a memorable day
for the Dublin north inner city centre.
It is planned to run the Competition in Dublin next year and we
would like to encourage all Youthreach centres to partake in
their area qualifying competitions this summer with a view to
participating in the finals next year. Many thanks to all who
took part in the tournament; in particular to Elizabeth Fitzgerald
(Resource person) for driving the North Great George’s Street
team bus to Limerick and back, and also the competition
sponsors Bryan S. Ryan.
Adrian Fitzpatrick
Pictured above: Back Row left to right - Adrian Fitzpatrick, Sean Tighe, Craig Kavanagh, Darragh Mangan, Adam
O'Toole. Front Row left to right - Ian McDonagh, Marcus Gately, Michael Sattell, Neil Brazil, Christian Meehan.
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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Mallow Youthreach Soccer Success
The Mallow Youthreach soccer team
represented the Southern region in the
National All-Ireland Youthreach Soccer
Tournament in Limerick on the 10th
February 2011.
The team did Mallow proud going all the
way to the final. They were narrowly beaten
in the final by last year’s winners. The photo
shows them proudly showing off their finalist
medals.
Pictured above: Mallow Youthreach Soccer Team who were finalists in the ALL IRELAND Soccer tournament. Team
members were: Ian Carpenter, Stephen Jones, Patrick Campion, Jack Flynn, Patrick O’Gorman, Sean Hayes, Gavin
Reidy, Adam Sheehan. Included are team coaches John Byron and Stephen Nolan and assistant Paul Hennessy
Working Hard in Galway City
The Co-ordinator and Staff of Youthreach Galway City
would like to congratulate Students for working so hard
throughout the year towards their FETAC Levels 3 & 4
Major & Minor Awards.
Some worked so hard they needed fans to cool them
down!
NAYC Art Competition Winners
Twenty-one entries were shortlisted for the final of the NAYC’s 2011 art competition. Those who
made the final twenty-one were: Brian Connolly, Castleblayney; Nicola O’Brien, Shannon;
Christopher Flynn, Athy; Aimee Byrne, Rush; Lee Twomey, Bonnybrook; Freda Berry, Carlow;
Fiona McMonagle, Buncrana; Matthew Doyle, Cabra; Shreen McConville, Athy; Patrick
McDonagh, Letterkenny; Eoghan O’Grady, Cabra; Charlie Cox, Athy; Amber McConville, Athy;
James Ried, Rush; Wanetta Dempsey, Bonnybrook; Seána Conway, Carlow; Nicolle Munson,
Rush; Jane O’Dowd, Bonnybrook; Shannon Tourish, Letterkenny; Francis Forbes, Cabra;
Emma Gray, Castleblayney.
The winners were 1st Prize (laptop and €500 worth of art
materials for centre) - Emma Gray, Castleblayney; 2nd Prize
(IPod and €300 worth of art materials for centre) - Francis
Forbes, Cabra; 3rd Prize (digital camera and €200 worth of art
materials for centre) - Shannon Tourish, Letterkenny (pictured
left with her art tutor Dolores Dunleavy). Learner prizes were
sponsored by Brian S. Ryan Office Solutions, while centre
prizes were sponsored by the NAYC. Congratulations to all and
thanks to Helena McMahon, Youthreach Coordinator,
Shanagolden for organising it!
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Presentation of Award in Ballinasloe
A presentation of Leaving Certificate Applied Year 1 and FETAC Level 3 Awards was held in the
Youthreach Centre, Cullen’s Yard, Ballinasloe, Co. Galway on Tuesday, 15th March, 2011.
Twelve trainees were presented with Level 3 FETAC Awards and seven trainees received L.C.A.
Year 1 completion certificates. The certificates were presented by Mr. Pat Gilmore, Chairman of
County Galway V.E.C. and by Mr. Jarlath McDonagh, Chairperson of County Galway V.E.C.
Adult Education Board. The award ceremony was also attended by Mr. Michael Mullins,
Chairperson of the County Galway Youthreach B.O.M. and Ms. Eithne Nic Dhonnchadha, Adult
Education Officer, County Galway V.E.C., who were thanked by Mr. Bill Day the Centre Coordinator for their ongoing support and input into the work of the Centre. Others among the
seventy attendees at the Awards Ceremony included the area E.W.O. Ms. Deirdre Swords,
members of local Youth Groups, local Gardaí, Youth Advocacy Service Workers, parents,
trainees and Centre Staff and other members of the local Community.
The Centre Co-ordinator Mr. Bill Day stated that the day was a celebration of the hard work and
achievements of the Centre trainees. He also thanked all of the people present for their support
of the work of the Centre and of the great dedication and teamwork of the Centre staff. The
awards ceremony was followed by an exhibition and Sale of Work of items produced by the
Centre trainees. Refreshments were then served in the Home Economics Room which proved to
be a very tasty end to what was most successful day.
Pictured back row l-r: Garda John Scully, Patrick Ward (trainee), Joe Baiscu (trainee), Declan Moloney (trainee),
Michael Ward (trainee), Bill Day (Youthreach Co-ordinator), Ann Marie Ward (trainee), Garda Hugh Byrne, John
Corcoran (trainee), Martin L. Ward (trainee), Patrick Ward (trainee). Front row l-r: Mirela Achim (trainee), Michael
Mullins (Chairperson Youthreach B.O.M.), Jarlath McDonagh (Chairperson Adult Eduation Board), Pat Gilmore
(Chairperson of County Galway V.E.C.), Eithne Nic Dhonnchadha (A.E.O., County Galway V.E.C.), Sheila Fenton
(Resource Person, Youthreach) and Leah Connell (trainee).
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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Student Returns 20 Years Later to Ballymun Youthreach
This article is from an informal conversation I had with a member of trainee staff in Ballymun
Youthreach. I performed this conversation in the form of a relaxed interview. The interview was
with a woman by the name of Sinead Mc Grath who is volunteering at the Youthreach Centre at
the moment.
I recently got the chance to talk to Sinead Mc Grath who was one of
the very first students to enter Ballymun Youthreach. Sinead has
returned to us 20 years after she was originally here to volunteer as
a kitchen assistant. It is particularly fitting that she has come back
this year to us as we will be celebrating our 20th anniversary.
Some of the things I was keen on finding out about were how much
the centre has progressed and changed since she was last present
here. There were a number of things that was different about the
centre. The first thing she said was that the building she was in was
much smaller, that there was less students, less subjects, different
co-ordinator and that the students were much closer, like one big
family.
Sinead was also impressed with our new kitchen which she
Sinead & Danielle
described as the heart of the centre and enjoyed working there as it
had a lot of traffic passing through it. She also liked the idea that the students get the opportunity
to go abroad on the Annual History Trip to experience the different cultures as the furthest she
ever got was Kilbeggan, Co. Offaly.
I finished up asking Sinead whether she would like to return as a student now. Suddenly she
didn’t seem so keen and with a cheeky grin she said “as much as I like the centre - no because I
never want to be a teenager again”.
Danielle Tyrrell
Tramore Go To Balttle
On Wednesday the 16th February 2010 the LCA year one and two students from Tramore Youthreach
travelled to Strike Force paintballing, a massive 62 acre wonderland located near Enniscorthy. We left
Tramore Youthreach at 09:30 and arrived at Strike Force at 11:00. Safety is always of utmost
importance so when we arrived, special suits with masks and goggles were issued to all players. In
addition to all the safety equipment we were all issued with a semi-automatic paintball gun, as well as
harnesses to carry our paint. Trained instructors demonstrated the equipment and the games were
monitored at all times.
We played four games, in the first two games we were put into teams, the object of the game is to
capture a flag belonging to the enemy and bring it back to your base without getting shot. We
received 200 paintballs each at the beginning; they soon ran out, after that it cost 10 euro for each
cartridge. But they were well worth it. In the last game it was one for all, meaning no teams. It lasted
fifteen minutes; it was the longest fifteen minutes ever.
After the last game we proceeded back to the base, where we kindly received hotdogs and
refreshments. Paintball is an adrenaline pumping, fast paced sport. Although it was only created 30
years ago, there are now 15 million players worldwide and it has become one of the fastest growing
sports worldwide, though many do not know that they only sting like a pinch and the pain goes away
within seconds, and soon you may not even notice! If you are looking for a new sport to get into,
paintball is definitely one to try. It was a truly enjoyable day for all the students and we all are looking
forward to going again. Mark O Neill, LCA 1
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Spraoi na Mí – A National First For County Meath VEC
Meath VEC are no strangers to innovation and excellence in education and on 27 January they claimed
another first with their inaugural Spraoi na Mí held in Kells Theatre. The idea of Spraoi na Mí came from
the CEO of County Meath VEC, Mr Peter Kierans who back in 2010 suggested an evening of
entertainment especially from the Youthreach Centres. A production like this has never happened before
in Ireland so it was indeed a daunting task for County Meath VEC to undertake. But like everything else
that this innovative VEC turns its hand to – it was a complete success! It is expected that other centres
from outside Meath will be invited to participate next year and that in time other counties will have their
own Spraoi na Mí albeit under a different name as ‘Spraoi na Mí’ means ‘Celebration of Meath’.
There were 17 different acts to enjoy in Spraoi na Mí. The talent on show included solo musical
performances, Irish dancing, dramatic and artistic performances, rapping and drumming. The centres
involved were Navan Youthreach, Trim Youthreach, Kells Youthreach, HIway Progression Youthreach,
Ashbourne Youthreach and Laytown/Bettystown Youthreach. Kells Theatre was packed for the occasion
with proud parents, students and distinguished guests which included members of the VEC Committee.
This is certainly a night that will be remembered for a long time. There are almost one hundred young
people involved in the production. There were also 11 teachers who got the stage bug and supported their
students throughout.
Meath VEC are well used to hosting musical and dramatic events and for the last four years having
produced the hugely successful Musical Extravaganza in the Solstice Arts Centre. Spraoi na Mí proves
that the VEC can turn its hand to other musical endeavours. It was a resounding success and will now be
staged on an annual basis.
The event was hosted by Christy Duffy and Elma McMahon. Christy Duffy works with all the Youthreach
Centres and spoke of his pride in all the centres for cooperating to bring this production to fruition. Elma
Mc Mahon is the Youth Officer for the county who also undertakes the arduous task of hosting and
promoting the Musical Extravaganza. Ken O Keefe from Kells Youthreach was Stage Manager and also
participated in two of the acts.
Chairman of County Meath VEC, Mr Tommie Grimes spoke of his pride in the students; he welcomed all
the parents and staff and thanked them for the work they are doing. He said that the students were a
credit to their parents. The CEO of County Meath VEC Peter Kierans thanked all those involved in the
production and made particular mention to the high level of cooperation between centres in this venture.
He assured everybody that the Sproai na Mí would become an annual event in the VEC calendar.
Pictured clockwise from left:
Progression Youthreach: Thriller;
Trim Youthreach: Chris Leonard;
Kells Youthreach Riverdancers: Kelly Smith, Helen
Kenealy, Helen Ship, Megan Royal;
Ashbourne Youthreach: MC Ree & Zivila & Amma.
National Association of Youthreach Co-ordinators
9
Tramore Reptile’s Village Trip
After a recently extremely enjoyable day at paintballing, Tramore
Youthreach organised yet another enjoyable trip for the students.
The LCA year one and two students travelled to Kilkenny to visit
Ireland’s only reptile zoo. We browsed trough almost 6,000 square
feet of reptiles. They had over 120 animals and 50 different species
on display from alligators to rattlesnakes and geckos to pythons.
The students got the chance to get up close and personal with the
animals in the walk trough tropical enclosure. All interactions with
animals are supervised using safe, vetted species. We all got the
chance to hold a snake on our shoulders, which was a very
enjoyable and scary experience for many of the students. We
learned a lot about reptiles from this trip,
for example we learned that an American
crocodile is only fed two times a year.
Reptile village was opened in 2006; it took
18 months to complete. Reptile village is
an ideal location for class trips and I would
strongly recommend a visit.
When we were finished in reptile Zoo, we
proceeded to Kilkenny city, where we
received lunch in Pizza Hut. We all had a
wonderful day and thoroughly enjoyed the
experience.
Mark O’Neill, LCA 1
Tramore Strasbourg Trip
Congratulations to Neal Allen, an LCA 2 Student in Tramore Youthreach, who entered the
Michael Sweetman Trust LCA competition and won a trip to Strasbourg. Neal is one of the lucky
25 Leaving Certificate Applied students who will be on the trip. Neal did his contemporary issue
task on the Millennium Development Goals. The Millennium Development Goals deal with the
eradication of world poverty and aim to increase education in the developing world. All of the
countries of the developed world agreed to give 0.7% of their GDP to the aid fund. It is believed
that we are the first generation of people that have the power to stamp out world hunger.
Neal’s trip to Strasbourg will take place over a four-day period. Day one consists of a meeting in
the European Parliament office, Dublin before travelling on to Germany. Day two will consist of
Neal preparing for the day in the European Parliament, followed by some sightseeing in
Strasbourg. On day three Neal will meet and work with European peers in the European
Parliament. On the last day he will be sightseeing in Hiedelberg, Germany, followed by a return
flight to Dublin. Congratulation’s to Neal from all at Tramore Youthreach. We look forward to
hearing about the trip on your return. Mark O’Neill, LCA 1
Cake Baking in Kiltimagh
The students at Youthreach Kiltimagh over the years
are very creative in designing Christmas Cakes - this
year a student called Claire King designed and
made a Christmas cake that was raffled off for meals
on wheels among other prizes. This was a task
overseen by the English teacher Fiona Farragher.
€260 was collected in total.
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Western Youthreach Centre’s Reeking
Climbing Croagh Patrick is annual event for most of the
Youthreach Centres in the West of Ireland. This year
however they did it with a difference. Instead of each
Centre climbing alone, ten Centres combined forces, and
on March 24th 2011, approximately 120 Youthreach
students headed for
the Reek.
Had weather been
ordered, the ideal of
warm sunshine with a
cooling breeze would
have been asked for. And on the day the budding
Youthreach mountaineers got exactly that. The sun split the
sky, the wind gently chilled and the mist rose to reveal the
most spectacular view of Clew Bay.
Athy Participate in St Patrick’s Day Parade
Trainees from Athy Youthreach participated in the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Our theme
was Alice in Wonderland. This was a joint
venture by trainees and staff. All materials are
recycled — for example the cards were made
from old blinds and costumes from old dresses
with alterations to suit each character. There was
a great buzz in the centre leading up to the
parade and it was all hands on deck to ensure we
were ready for the day. The tasks included brain
storming, designing costumes, cutting, sewing,
painting, make up and face painting on the day.
All the hard work paid off as we had a great day,
the weather was good and everyone was in great
form and looking forward to next year!!
Congratulations to Kiltimagh’s
Thomas!
Well done to Thomas Conroy who became champion of the
National Youth 2 Finals for the IABA (Irish Amateur Boxing
Association). Thomas is from Ballyhaunis and is currently studying
for his Junior Certificate in Youthreach Kiltimagh. The final was held
at the National Stadium in Dublin on Saturday 12th of March 2011
and was well attended. Thomas was in the 91+ KG weight
category. In the semi-final Thomas won in the first round when the
referee stopped the contest. The final was so impressive with
Thomas winning by a staggering 11 points to 1. Nathan Cahill from
Paulstown was his opponent. This is the biggest winning margin of
the championship. We would like to wish him all the best in his
future boxing career and his upcoming exams.
National Association of Youthreach Co-ordinators
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Ballyshannon Youthreach Climb to New Heights!
Whilst some of the learners were out on Work Experience recently,
other learners were climbing to new heights at the Donegal Adventure
Centre in Bundoran.
Activities
undertaken included wall climbing,
abseiling, balancing beams and high
wires…(to name but a few)!
It proved to be a fantastic team
building experience for all those who
partook in activities.
Céim Eile Templemore Graduates 2010
The graduation ceremony took place on Friday 5th November in the Templemore Arms. The
ceremony was well attended but unfortunately not all past students could attend due to work
and other commitments. Those that attended were David Chapman, Noreen Dooley and
Rachel McCarthy. All three looked well and were accompanied by their proud parents and
family members. Well done to all!
Pictured above: David with his Mum,
Nan and Aunt.
Pictured above: Noreen
with her daughter Laura.
Pictured above: Rachel with her
family.
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Co Donegal Football
On Thursday 31st of March, learners from Lifford,
Ballyshannon,
Gortahork
and
Buncrana
Youthreach Centres met in the Aura Leisure
Centre, Letterkenny to compete against one
another for the right to represent their county in
the Western region’s soccer tournament taking
place in Sligo in May. The tournament was set out
in a league
format with each team playing each
other once and
after some very
close
and
competitive matches that saw fine displays and good
sportsmanship from all centres. It was Gortahork that
succeeded over the rest of the group with an undefeated run
of games to take home the trophy. Best wishes go to
Gortahork from the rest of the county and we hope they can
reproduce their fine form in Sligo in the coming weeks to take
another trophy home to the Gaeltacht!
Pictured top left: Trainees that took part in the football competition. Pictured bottom left: Winners of football
competition, Gortahork Youthreach who will now go forward to represent Donegal against Western Region centres.
A Leader in the Making in O’Connell Avenue, Limerick
I have been selected to take part in the Active Leadership Award
programme run by Limerick Sports Partnership. The purpose of this award
is to establish a network of leaders to take charge of groups and introduce
them to fun and safe activities.
The training will increase my understanding of leadership and help me to
develop skills in that area. I will be working with young people mainly aged
between 8 and 14 years old from youth clubs in the Regeneration areas.
This will be a good think because I will get a chance to get to know others
working in this area. I believe that the Active Leadership Award will be an
enjoyable and rewarding experience.
Darragh Hughes
(Pictured centre with team-mates Christopher Meade (L) and Shane Mulready (R)).
Shauna’s New ‘Circle of Friends’!
Well done to Shauna O’Connor (Youthreach O’Connell
Avenue, Limerick) who received a very gracious ‘Thank You’
letter in the post from none other than world renowned author,
Maeve Binchy. Through a series of very fortunate events,
Maeve got an opportunity to read Shauna’s review of her book
“Circle of Friends” in our 2010 yearbook, and was so impressed
by Shauna’s “kind words” that she felt the need to thank her.
Maeve said that the piece was very well written and
encouraged Shauna to “write more”. We’re very proud of
Shauna and no doubt, she will have her name in lights very
soon!
National Association of Youthreach Co-ordinators
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Ashbourne Awards
th
On December 13 the students and staff of Ashbourne Youthreach gathered in the Marriot Hotel
for their Awards of 2010. All the learners spent the afternoon in the centre getting prepared for
this special evening and when we went to the hotel we were joined by the parents and friends
who came to support each one and share in the achievement of the students who did so well in
2010. We were privileged to have the C.E.O. of Co. Meath V.E.C. Peter Kierans and the A.E.O.
of Co. Meath V.E.C. Christy Duffy who presented the certificates to the learners. We were also
joined by members of the B.O.M. who share in the joy of the young people who have worked well
on their respective courses and have made strides to achieve their goals through effort during the
academic year.
Ashbourne Exhibition of Photographic Portraits
Over the past year LCA students from Youthreach Ashbourne
have been working on a Portraits Project as part of there LCA
Art and Design Course. Recently this work was exhibited in an
Exhibition which opened in the Library in Ashbourne town
centre. The exhibition was organised by the 6th Year LCA
class as part of their Vocational Preparation Guidance module
of their LCA Programme. Fifteen portraits taken by students of
each other went on display. Along with the portraits which
were made using up to the minute digital cameras and
software student had all made Pinhole Camera’s using old
sweet tins and the tin boxes which geometry sets come in.
These cameras and some of the photographic prints made
using traditional methods in the darkroom are also displayed
as part of the exhibition. The exhibition was opened by two 6th
year LCA students from the centre, Victoria Clarke and Cheryl
Peavoy, who made a
short presentation to
all that attended the
opening on the 13th of
January. Some of the
portraits
displayed
were by past LCA
students. It was great
to see so many of
them and their parents again. The exhibition will continue in
Ashbourne for most of February. It then planned that it will travel to
Libraries in Dunboyne and Dunshaughlin.
Pictured above, l-r: Cheryl Peavoy &
Victoria Clarke 6th Year LCA Students
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Green Learning in Carlow Youthreach….Is Carlow the
Cleanest Town in Ireland?
The group from Carlow Youthreach decided to tackle the issue of litter and waste within their
community under the theme ‘Green Learning’ during the Adult Education Week. Their project aimed
to raise awareness of Carlow's recent "Tidiest Town" award from a whole community point of view.
The aim of the project was for students to reflect on the award and decide whether they thought it
was a deserved one or if it only reflected certain
areas of Carlow. Students had to pick areas which
they believed 'won' Carlow the award and areas
which need to be improved. They wanted to compare
the two and show the community the differences.
They created a scrapbook, DVD and wall-hanging to
raise awareness on the issue of litter and waste in
Carlow. They also carried out a lot of action within
their Youthreach centre including clearing up the
Youthreach yard, carrying out a litter pick and
creating a garden by planting bulbs. The students
have represented themselves at the Eco UNESCO
‘Leinster Dens’ and are awaiting on a result to see if
they reach the national finals.
For the Love of Books...in Galway City
Youthreach Galway City Students recently received a BIG thank
you from the children and parents association of Kilcoona National
School for making many of the fabulous wall decorations for their
Valentine’s Disco. The Valentine’s Disco was
organised by the schools parent association
to raise funds to host a major event on World
Book Day. Both events were a great success
and authors and story tellers visited the
school World Book Day, the theme of which
was Animal Stories. The children came
dressed as an animal from their favourite
story, made animal sculptures in a arts class
and a great day was had by all.
Thank You Youthreach !!!!
Putting the FUN in Fundraising at Roscrea Youthreach
A second year Leaving Certificate Applied student, Darren Walsh,
came up with a great idea to raise some money to help purchase a
new pool table for the centre. He very bravely had his legs waxed in
order to raise the necessary funds. The Student Council helped
with organising the collection in their classes and with the raffle.
Students and staff donated money for the spectacle and also took
part in the raffle. The fundraiser certainly generated many laughs as
well as raising the necessary funds. The event is a great example
of young people taking initiative and putting in the hard work
themselves. Roscrea Education Centre would like to thank Sinead
from Sinead’s Beauty Salon in Roscrea for coming to the centre
and donating her services for the fundraiser.
National Association of Youthreach Co-ordinators
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Minister Rabbitte Opens Priory Youthreach
Centre Tallaght as First Official Function
The Minister for Communications, Energy & Natural Resources, Pat Rabbitte, T.D., officially
opened Priory Youthreach on Tuesday 15th March 2011. The occasion was Minister Rabbitte’s
first official function following his appointment to the Cabinet.
Situated in Tallaght village on the site of County Dublin VEC’s former administrative offices,
Priory Youthreach commenced its programme in October 2008. The offices have been adapted
to suit the needs of Youthreach students with two full-time members of staff and four part-time
tutors. Priory Youthreach caters for 25 students, 16-20 years of age. All current students reside in
the Tallaght area. Priory Youthreach offers full certification at both FETAC level 3 and 4 with one
group doing FETAC level 3 and another doing level 4.
Coordinator Paul Curtis said, “I’m delighted to say that Priory Youthreach is now helping to serve
the young people of Tallaght who need a second chance in education. In the current economic
climate such a service has never been more necessary”.
Kiltimagh Participate in St Patrick’s Day Parade
Learners from Kiltimagh
came second in the
community category of
the local St Patrick’s Day
Parade. Below are some
images from the day.
National Association of Youthreach Co-ordinators
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Lifford’s Health Promotion Fortnight
My name is Debra McGinley and I am a trainee at Lifford
Youthreach. We did a health promotion fortnight from Thursday the
7th of April to Wednesday the 20th of April. It was all about keeping
fit and eating healthy foods. It wasn’t just about general health, but
mental, physical and emotional health too. The centre put on a
range of activities for the trainees. These are all supposed to make
you think about your health and how you can improve your life style
outside of the centre in your own time
in a fun and enjoyable way. We went
on a walk every morning around
Lifford or into Strabane. We got points for taking part in activities. The
more we took part in the more points we got. The more points we got
the bigger chance we had to get prizes. Thursday 7th we watched a
Promoting Positivity DVD called The Secret. It was all about thinking
positively and how you could have a bad day if you are in a bad mood
when you wake up, but if you’re in a good
mood when you wake up, you have a
much nicer day. Friday 8th we went to Ards Forest Park, to do
orienteering. It was hard enough but great fun. Monday 11th we had
relaxation techniques which were all about relaxing. We listened to a
relaxation CD and we had to close our eyes and think we were on a
cloud and our worries and bad thoughts disappeared. After break we
did a LGBT work shop. In the afternoon we watched a DVD about fast
food and where the meat comes from. I think it definitely affected the
way we think about fast food now. On Tuesday 12th we did Reflexology which was about relaxation
and we had a choice of getting a hand, foot or head massage. It was so relaxing some of the trainees
nearly fell asleep. Then we had Relaxation Techniques where we gave each other hand massages.
In the afternoon the girls went swimming. On Wednesday 13th the
boys played football then in the afternoon they went swimming. We
also had a tennis competition on the Wii which was good crack. David
Gardner was the winner. In the afternoon the girls attended a talk in
the women’s Centre in Letterkenny and the boys went to the Loft to
play pool. On Friday 15th all of Youthreach trainees climbed Mount
Errigal. This is the highest mountain in Donegal. It was a sponsored
walk for Lifford hospital. We raised €300. It was a nice day to do it as
it was not too warm and there was a
nice breeze in the air. It was very hard
and sore in the chest but most of us
made it. Monday 18th we went for a walk around Lifford, then in the
afternoon we watched a DVD called Inconvenient Truth. Tuesday 19th
we did a Self Harm work
shop. In the afternoon the
girls went swimming. On
Wednesday 20th the boys
had sport and the whole
group did an information session with HURT about Drugs
and Alcohol. In the afternoon we had a Health Promotion
Awards ceremony.
Overall I thought it was great and a successful Health
Promotion fortnight. We learned a lot about lifestyle. It
influenced me and others to keep fit and stop smoking and
eat more healthy foods.
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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
Teacher of the Year Award for Youthreach O’Connell Avenue
Big congratulations to Gerard Cusack of
Youthreach, O’Connell Avenue, Limerick who
has been selected by the Network for Teaching
Entrepreneurship (NFTE) to represent NFTE
and Foróige, as a 2011 Teacher of the Year
Ireland winner. Gerry will be honoured at
NFTE’S annual celebration, the Dare to Dream
Awards Dinner at the Marriot Marquis Hotel in
New York City in April.
Gerry has been teaching the programme for
the last three years and believes the reasons
why NFTE is so successful is that it works from the outset at helping learners overcome the
challenges they face. The course is paramount to confidence building “Learners are expected to take
responsibility for their own learning from the inception of a business idea to completing a business
plan which culminates in a Dragon Den scenario which gives our learners a platform to express
themselves through communication, innovation and presentation skills”. In addition to this confidence
building and sense of responsibility, NFTE also teaches very practical business and money
management skills which will stand to the learners on a daily basis throughout their adult lives.
Gerry would like to thank all his colleagues for their assistance with the running of the NFTE
programme.
Blessington Learner About to Embark on a New Adventure
Lee Daniels from West Wicklow Youthreach Blessington, has been chosen as one of four
young people who will avail of the fully funded bursary to participate in a trip of a lifetime to
Hong Kong in August, as part of The Hong Kong / Ireland Youth Exchange 2011. This
exchange provides an opportunity for Lee to meet with young people in Hong Kong and Ireland
and to exchange ideas and experiences. Lee has also studied Hong Kong / China as part of
his Cultural Studies, so he sees this experience as the “icing on the cake”.
The group will spend nine days in Hong Kong and four days with the group when they visit
Ireland. During his time there, Lee will visit universities, schools, attend meetings and
participate in different activities with local young people. He will also attend official visits to the
Government and its relative agencies
and meet with local community services.
Each
bursary covers
all
flight,
accommodation,
insurance
and
programme costs. The smile on Lee’s
face when he took the call said it all. “I
can’t believe it, I am so happy. It will be
an experience of a lifetime.” Now all I
have to do, is make sure my passport is
in order”.
All here at West Wicklow Youthreach
Blessington are delighted for Lee and
wish him a great trip and to bring back
lots of photos! Well done Lee!
National Association of Youthreach Co-ordinators
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Ennis Youthreach: I Let a Four Year Old Make This Hoodie!
This term, the Ennis Youthreach Group, devised a video to raise
awareness of fair trade in the fashion industry. We approached
this global issue through art and drama and group research. We
learned that children and women get exploited by big
corporations. They receive less than €1 a day for a long day’s
work in terrible conditions. It’s not just the cheaper retailers that
are guilty of exploiting their workers, big brand companies are
equally as guilty AND they charge more! We learned that fair trade
can actually make a huge difference to children’s lives.
We made a short film to promote our ideas on fair trade through
brain storming sessions and improvisation. We went around to the
different shops in Ennis to gather information on the clothes we
wear and buy. We took pictures and made enquires and shot
some video. We found that shop managers were reluctant to
discuss where their clothes actually come from, repeatedly asking
us to “contact head office”. We were even asked politely to take
the camera out of one of the shops we visited! We persisted and
even wore hoodies with our own logos written on the back. Some
of these read "I let a four year old make this hoodie" "Imagine it
was your life-no life", "Need more kids, running out of hoodies" we
all
created
collaged images from
the photos. We took
them to the printers
and had them enlarged and laminated. We were armed and
off to Thomond Park to the Fair Trade Conference - we had a
story to tell about the exploitation of children in the clothing
industry. Most of us did not know a lot about fair trade and
what it means. This whole process has really raised our
awareness about how fair trade can affect people’s lives and
though we may not change our shopping habits, we will
definitely stop and think before we buy.
Road Safety at Dundalk Youthreach
Pictured on the left are some of
the learners from Dundalk
Youthreach who recently
attended a talk on Road Safety
given at the centre by Garda
Jim McAllister from the Garda
National Traffic Bureau
accompanied by Dundalk
Juvenile Liaison Officer Garda
John Brady.
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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
Granard Youthreach Visits Rome
As part of the personal development programme in the Granard Youthreach Centre 17 students visited the
Eternal city of Rome in early April. The itinerary included the Colosseum, The Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s
Basilica and the ancient city port of Rome - Ostia Antica.
The visit also included a Seria A match Roma V
Juventus and an under 19 soccer challenge
match which saw Granard Youthreach play local
side Vigir Melis in a floodlight game on a pitch
overlooking St. Peter’s Square. The game
ended in a 3-0 victory to the Italians whose
superior fitness saw them excel in the second
half. However great credit goes to all 12
Granard lads who played their part on the night
and were afforded the wonderful opportunity of
representing Co. Longford in such magical surroundings. The Italians were coached by an ex-Lazio player
and he was very impressed with the performance of the Youthreach boys, singling 2 players out for
particular mention.
When asked afterwards to identify their tour highlight many
cited the Vatican as their personal highlight with the body of
Pope John XXIII on display in his embalmed state in St.
Peter’s, and also the Ceiling of the Sistine Chapel generating
great interest. However the Colosseum at nightime, both
football matches and the day at the beach were cited as
memorable experiences as well.
It was also a trip tinged
with sadness for 9 of our
students who will be
leaving the Centre this
summer on completion of
their Leaving Certificate
Applied Examinations. Most of these students have spent 2/3 very
productive years in the Centre and are now about to embrace the
challenging educational/employment environment of post-Celtic
Tiger Ireland. I have no doubt that they are better equipped to face
these challenges through the holistic approach of the Granard
Youthreach centre where they are constantly encouraged to leave the BED (Blame, Excuses & Denial)
and embrace the OAR (Ownership, Accountability & Responsibility) by becoming positive and productive
members of their own communities. Hopefully, the 24 students taking State exams in the Centre in June of
this year will acquit themselves well and do justice to their hard work during their placements with us.
Cultural Awareness Day at Dundalk
Learners from Dundalk
Youthreach
recently
organised an Intercultural
Day as part of their
Vocational Preparation &
Guidance Task. The
event was very successf ul
and
ever ybody
involved
had
an
extremely enjoyable and
memorable day.
Visitors examine traditional
Pakistani costumes.
National Association of Youthreach Co-ordinators
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Zoltan Zinn–Collis Visits Clondalkin
The afternoon of March 30th 2011 will be a date that students, staff and visitors who gathered in
Clondalkin Youthreach will remember. Their weeks of hard work and preparation had led them to
this moment where they would meet a man who claims that he is not extraordinary in any way, he
just happened to survive an extraordinary experience. This man, Zoltan Zinn – Collis is a
Holocaust survivor.
The students first became interested in this era of history after reading and completing a book
review on, “The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas” by John Boyne, for their Communications module.
Another requirement of the module is to research and write a report on a topic of choice. As a
result of the students’ incredible reactions and interest, they have chosen the Holocaust as their
theme. Zoltan’s inspirational opening lines were to remind those present “that you only get one
chance in life, don’t waste it, put it to good use, and live your life.” His presentation continued to a
rapt audience, giving an insight into what it is to be a displaced person, a refugee, a survivor of
what was called the Final Solution.
In the days that followed Zoltan’s visit the students asked if they could write to thank him for
allowing them to be part of his extraordinary journey. We would like to share one of these letters
with you, as an example of the impact of Zoltan’s visit to Clondalkin Youthreach.
To Zoltan Zinn-Collis,
I am writing to thank you for taking the time out to tell us your story on Wednesday 30th of March at Clondalkin
Youthreach. I was very interested in your story I have always been interested in World War 2 and I feel very
privileged to meet a real survivor of the Holocaust. I feel your story was the most amazing story I have ever heard.
What hurt me the most was that you lost everyone you loved. When we watched that movie about all the bodies
being moved and you said one of them could be your Mam that made me so sad. You said you didn’t deserve to
survive but I think you did because if you had died I would have never heard your amazing story. I will never forget
you or your story and I thought you were very funny even after all that!
p.s. loved the tie ha!
Aaron O’Keeffe
Left: Zoltan
Zinn – Collis
meets Charlene Brady
and Orla Higgins.
Right: Amy
Collins, Zoltan
Zinn – Collis
and Karen
McGuirk
Calling All Youthreach Centres!
Clondalkin Youthreach is looking to take a trip to other centres around the country on an
exchange basis. The plan is to host a number of students from another centre, and then visit that
centre at another time. The visit could be a day trip or an overnight stay. The specific details and
costs would be decided between participating centres. One plan is that the hosts provide
refreshments and activities for the guests, who in turn will organise the travel.
If any centre is interested in visiting our centre or hosting a number of our students, please
contact Graham or Marcella at Clondalkin Youthreach (Tel: 01-4593750, Email:
[email protected]).
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Wicklow Young Social Innovators 2011
Young social innovators is a social awareness programme designed for young people who wish to speak
out and take action against social issues that concern them. This is the third year Wicklow Youthreach
have taken part in Young Social Innovators. We had such great sucess last year with our project ‘Life’s a
trip... Drugs destroy’, we couldn’t wait to start again.
A group of students in Wicklow Youthreach undertook this project and after much deliberation and
brainstorming we came up with the social issue we feel affects so many people in Ireland today that is the
serious issue of binge drinking and excessive alcohol consumption. Our aim in this project is to highlight
all the negative effects of binge drinking such as liver damage, hangovers, making bad decisions under
the influence and the consequences that can arise from them, temporary memory loss to name but a few.
We hope to create a series of short programmes which show all the side effects and negative impact of
drinking to excess. We came up with the project title ‘Alchol... The Great Fall’.
In March 2011 we tackled the first part of our
project which was the YSI Speakout Fora
(pictured right) in the Green Isle Hotel,
Clondalkin, this fora provides a platform for
Young poeple to speak out about their social
injustice and present their projects on stage to a
panel of judges. We got to work script writing,
rehearsing, and making props. However
confident some may have felt on the bus up to
Clondalkin, this all changed once we arrived and
saw the hundreds of teenagers gathered in the
hotel lobby, all preparing to get their messages
out there, suddenly the nerves kicked in. We
didn’t have much time to worry, as luck would
have it we were the fourth to go on, the
adreneline was pumping as we hit the stage and
presented our project. We did this through narration and mime, we highlighted the downside of drinking by
telling the tale of a young lad who’s life was impacted by binge drinking and all the negative consequences
he suffered as a result. We came off the stage delighted with ourselves, everything went even better than
we hoped. We got to relax then and watch the other acts; some very powerful messages were delivered.
For the next stage of our project we were one of the 30 groups picked to pitch our ideas of making the
short series to the Den. The den is based around the idea of the ‘Dragons Den’ on TV, were we present
our project to a panel of judges and ask for advice whether it be financial, advice or mentoring. Three of
the students attended this and were awarded €500 towards our project—we also recieved very positive
feedback and advice from the ‘dragons’. We were delighted with the outcome.
We recently received the great news that we have been
selected to perform again at the national showcase in
May in the Red Cow Hotel. After this the next stage of
our project is to get working on creating our DVDs.
Pictured left: Louise Kelly, Kerri Byrne and Shauna Kelly with
the cheque from ‘The Den’.
National Association of Youthreach Co-ordinators
23
Blanchardstown Graduates
Pictured left in the group photograph are
FETAC Level 3 and 4 Graduates from
Blanchardstown Youthreach centre.
Pictured below are Level 5 Business and
Special Needs Assistance graduates 2011.
Top l-r: Charlene Keegan, Donna
Morgan.
Middle l-r: Shauna Malone, Amy
Landers, Sinead Murray, Niamh
Walsh.
Bottom l-r:
Lyndsey Edmonds,
Shane Lynch, Marc Mc Loughlin.
Ennis Youthreach Horticulture Programme
Here at Ennis Youthreach it was our first time doing FETAC certified
horticulture modules as part of our Educational Programme. This was very
exciting and interesting for us as it provided us with an opportunity to become
involved in the whole process of growing and caring for plants, vegetables and
flowers. We did our written work in the class room and did the practical work at
a local allotment which is rented for use by Co Clare VEC Adult Education
Service. Because of the fact we enjoyed this so
much we have decided to turn it into an
enterprise money making project to fund our
2011 Summer Programme. We are going to
sow plants and flowers and when they are
ready we will replant them into window boxes which will be made through our
woodwork programme. We are then going to put these window boxes up for sale to
all staff and students in Co Clare VEC Adult Education Service, at a profit of
course! The money we make from this enterprise project will be used to fund an
overnight trip to Westport in Co Mayo where we hope to climb Croagh Patrick and
take part in a 40km cycle.
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Ballyshannon Hunt for Happiness!
Ballyshannon Youthreach recently had a “Hunt for Happiness” week! The aim of the week was
to promote positive mental health in the centre, about doing nice things and being kind.
In preparation for the week, learners and staff looked at
what made them happy and little things that could be
done to make each day a happier one. Giant sunflowers
were designed and created by students and were
displayed in the kitchen. The rules of the week were
simple – smile, give compliments and be happy!
Amongst the activities organised were yoga, a healthy
(and tasty) menu, walks, cooking, soccer matches, trips
to Lustybeg Adventure Centre and the cinema. On the
cooking trip, the group learned knife skills, cooked lunch and baked and decorated cupcakes.
The yoga helped everyone feel relaxed and energised. A
soccer match was scheduled
with Sligo Youthreach, which
made the boys particularly
happy! The sun was shining
so the girls headed off for a
beautiful walk in Rosses
Point. The week was a huge
success and everyone in the
centre learned something
about what makes them happy. It’s the little things that count!
Ballinasloe Visit Petersburg OEC
On Wednesday, 20th April, 2011 a group of trainees from Youthreach, Ballinasloe visited the Outdoor
Education Centre at Petersburg, County Galway. It was an early start at 7.30 a.m. and a long but
enjoyable day with the bus not getting back to Ballinasloe until 7.00p.m., that evening. The group spent
the morning kayaking over to the island where they then took part in an obstacle course which proved to
be tough going but the total participation of all those involved made it a good start to the day. After lunch
the group went gorge walking which proved to be an experience that many trainees wanted to repeat
again as soon as possible. Some trainee comments included: “Exciting and a great buzz”; “Deadly”;
“Challenging but difficult”; “Petersburg was brilliant”; “Something I want to do again”. The day proved to
be so successful that the centre is planning to go to Petersburg again during their Summer Programme
in June.