Issue 34: November 2001 - Youth Work Ireland

On Wednesday 3 October 2001, the Minister forEducation & Science, Dr. Michael Woods officiallylaunched the Good Practice Guides to supportPlanning and Implementing Education Initiatives toaddress educational disadvantage, at Jury's Hotel,Ballsbridge.Produced and published by Area DevelopmentManagement Ltd., these guides are a series of fourdocuments which aim to assist with the planning andimplementation of initiatives that respond toeducational disadvantage.• General Planning• Further and Third Level Education Supports• Achievement and Access Supports• After-School Education and Yo uth SupportsThe information provided is based on valuablelearning gained from practical experience at locallevel by Partnership Companies and ADMCommunity Groups. The documents should be auseful resource to people setting up initiatives toaddress disadvantage.unsurprising reading as to the extent of underagedrinking and echoes other recent reports, whichillustrate that the position has worsened significantlyin the last year or two. The report makes a series ofrecommendations in relation to tackling the problemincluding:• The introduction of a mandatory national age card• The abolition of the £5 charge for Garcia ID Cards• The adoption of local bylaws making alcoholconsumption in public places an offence• The need for local Co-ordinating Group under theaegis of the council to ensure a cohesive approachto the problemThere is an Appendix in the report that should be ofparticular interest topeople andthose working with younglooking to tackle the problem. TheAppendix briefly outlines fourmajor preventionprojects from the USA that have been rigorouslyevaluated and proved to be extremely successful intackling underage drinking and associatedproblems .Copies of the report are available from:Cider Industry Council,27 Sydney Parade Avenue,Dublin 4.Tel: 01 /2830088Fax: 01/2830119.Further Information:Area Development Management LtdHolbrook HouseHolles StreetDublin 2Tel: (01 ) 240 0700Fax: (01 ) 661 0411E-mail: enquiries@adm.ieWebsite: www.adm.ieOn 1 November 2001 the Minister for Finance MrCharlie McCreevy, T. D., launched a new report fromthe National Youth Council of Ireland titled "Takingthe Initiative". The report calls for all agencies inboth the statutory and voluntary sector, to encourageyoung people to take a more active part in variousorganisations, at both local and national level. TheMinister also launched the NYCl's new websitewww.youth.ie.GOn 16 November a new report on the problem ofunderage drinking in the Bray area was launched.The report which is sponsored by the Cider IndustryCouncil is titled "Underage Drinking in Ireland: AStudy of Bray, A Representative Area" and waswritten by Dr. Mark Morgan, a social psychologistfrom St. Patrick's College, Drumcondra. The resultsof a year-long study makes depressing ifCopies of the report are available from:National Youth Council of Ireland,3 Montague Street,Dublin 2.Tel: 01/4784122Irish YouthWork Scene•November 2001