NEWSLETTER
1Q7X28e 1Q7X28e
Autumn 2015 Volume 19 Issue 3 Autumn 2015 Volume 19 Issue 3 A BUZZZZZ IN CRUMLIN! NEWSLETTER of the National Association Of Youthreach Co-Ordinators Your centre wouldnt be the same without it! A Colourful Odyssey in Carlow Sportsreach Complete An Gaisce. Tramore Go On Tour. Miltown Win Xhale Award. STANDING OVATION FOR BALLYFERMOT SLIGO YOUTHREACH PRESENT YEATS POETRY & ART AWARDS 1
- Page 2 and 3: Over the course of the past few wee
- Page 4 and 5: A Leaving Lunch for Ballincollig Yo
- Page 6 and 7: Youthreach Ballinrobe A Year of All
- Page 8 and 9: Youthreach Ballymahon 5km Fun Run O
- Page 10 and 11: Lions, Tigers, Horses and Zebras we
- Page 12 and 13: Crumlins 2014 Graduates Return To
- Page 14 and 15: Enniscorthy Youthreach Winners of t
- Page 16 and 17: All Change In Gortahork New Coordin
- Page 18 and 19: YOUTHREACH LETTERKENNY TO CELEBRATE
- Page 20 and 21: Coffee Morning in Youthreach Mahon
- Page 22 and 23: Our Youthreach Experience In Tramor
- Page 24 and 25: Yeats Poetry & Art Competition Slig
- Page 26 and 27: What It’s Like To Be In LCA 1 My
- Page 28: 28 Kiltimagh Student Suzanne Wins M
Autumn 2015 Volume 19 Issue 3<br />
Autumn 2015 Volume 19 Issue 3 A BUZZZZZ IN CRUMLIN!<br />
<strong>NEWSLETTER</strong><br />
of the<br />
National Association Of Youthreach Co-Ordinators<br />
Your centre wouldnt be the same without it!<br />
A Colourful<br />
Odyssey in<br />
Carlow<br />
Sportsreach Complete<br />
An Gaisce.<br />
Tramore Go<br />
On Tour.<br />
Miltown Win<br />
Xhale Award.<br />
STANDING<br />
OVATION FOR<br />
BALLYFERMOT<br />
SLIGO YOUTHREACH<br />
PRESENT<br />
YEATS POETRY &<br />
ART<br />
AWARDS<br />
1
Over the course of the past few weeks there has been a Novena taking place in the<br />
Edenderry parish. This novena was all organised by Fr. McEvoy himself. Fr. MckEvoy invited<br />
some guest speakers to talk about their experiences/ stories. The guest speaker where:<br />
• Johnny Murtagh<br />
• Joanne O’Riordan<br />
• John Lonergan<br />
• Elma Walsh<br />
As over the past few weeks I have been doing a project on Donal Walsh, I was particularly<br />
interested in Ms. Elma Walsh. Before the novena, I went down to the parish and spoke to<br />
Fr. McEvoy. I wanted to organise a personal interview with Elma Walsh. I was both excited<br />
and nervous to meet with Elma Walsh. The mass started at 7.30, I met my tutor Lorraine<br />
and her family at the mass. The mass was absolutely beautiful, and the choir did amazing<br />
singing. Elma Walsh got up and spoke about her son Donal and how he got the cancer.<br />
She was so brave to get up in front of an audience and speak as clear as she did.<br />
When Elma spoke about Donal, she explained that Donal believed that he having cancer<br />
was like climbing a mountain, she explained the everybody has their mountains / problems they have in life. That there is always a<br />
door open for help. Suicide is not the answer.<br />
Donal’s message: “So please, as a 16 year old who has no say in his death<br />
sentence, who has no choice in the pain he is about to cause and who<br />
would take any chance at even a few more months on this planet, appreciate<br />
what you have, know that there is other options and help is always<br />
there.”<br />
I appreciated the Elma has a long drive back to Kerry, so I allowed her to take my<br />
questionnaire with her and post it back to me whenever she was ready. I also asked<br />
her would she take a picture with me and my tutor for my project. She replied “I would<br />
be delighted to.” The next day I was sitting in youthreach when the photographer came<br />
up to give me the photographs. About a week later my questionnaire from Elma Walsh<br />
returned. Her answers giving were remarkable. She also posted some wrist bands. I<br />
was extremely nervous talking to Elma, what was I was going to say to her? or even<br />
how to start speaking to her but it turns out I was nervous for nothing. She was an<br />
ordinary, friendly woman that I am delighted I have met.<br />
Top Right:<br />
Centre Left:<br />
Bottom Left:<br />
2<br />
Edenderry Student, Tricia Mooney Meets<br />
The Late Donal Walshs Mother Elma<br />
Fr PJ McEvoy, Elma Walsh (Donals Mam), Tricia Mooney Trainee Lorraine O Neill,<br />
Tutor 0f Youthreach Edenderry<br />
Lorraine O Neill (Tutor) , son Ronan & Joanne O Riordan, Guest Speaker at<br />
Edenderry Novena<br />
Fr PJ, Elma & Tricia<br />
After mass I went up to speak to Elma Walsh. She was talking to loads of<br />
people, so she threw me her car keys and asked me to go to her car and get<br />
more memory cards and wrist bands. I couldn’t be more honoured. When<br />
I went back into the church everyone wanted a card, the amount of kind<br />
words people said about Donal was inspirational. Eventually I spoke to Elma<br />
Walsh and she wanted to see my project, when the picture of Donal at the<br />
debs came up she was telling me all about Joanne, the girl Donal brought to<br />
the debs and how she is in college now but it took her a long hard journey<br />
to get there, and she did it.
Wall Of Quotations in Edenderry<br />
Trainees from Youthreach Edenderry as part of their Personal and Interpersonal Skills QQI Levels 3 and 4, each chose their favourite inspirational quote and<br />
they compiled them to create a very impressive wall display.<br />
Presentation Ceremony at<br />
Youthreach Balbriggan<br />
On 24th September Youthreach Balbriggan held their certificate presentation to<br />
recognise students’ achievements in the Bracken Court Hotel. There was a great<br />
atmosphere at the event as past and present students accompanied by family<br />
and friends, fellow students and centre staff came together for the celebration.<br />
At the event, Youthreach students received certificates for courses they completed<br />
during the 2014 / 2015 academic year, including QQI courses, First Aid courses,<br />
a Drug Education programme with Forόige Youth Services and Job seeking<br />
skills workshops with FastTrack to Information Technology (FIT). Some students<br />
were also presented with the President’s Gaisce Bronze Award on the night.<br />
Dublin and Dun Laoghaire Education and Training Board were represented at<br />
the ceremony by Education Officer, Fionnuala Anderson and Regional Youthreach<br />
Co-ordinator Ken Smartt. In her opening address Fionnuala Anderson<br />
congratulated all the students receiving awards. A past student from the Centre,<br />
Iuliu Rostas spoke fondly about his own personal experience of attending Youthreach.<br />
Representatives from local community organisations - Forόige Youth<br />
Services, Balbriggan Tidy Towns and Balbriggan Community Guards - also spoke<br />
on the night about the various projects that they have been involved in with<br />
Youthreach students. One of the highlights of the event was the presentation of<br />
Balbriggan Youthreach’s first ever ‘Student of the Year Award’ which went to Eric<br />
O’Shea, a very popular and deserving former student.<br />
Jacqui Caulfield retires from<br />
Ballymun Youthreach<br />
It is with great sadness that Ballymun Youthreach says goodbye to Jacqui Caulfield. Jacqui<br />
was co-ordinator in Ballymun Youthreach for fifteen years having previously worked here<br />
as the catering teacher. Her drive and vision for the centre has been responsible for many<br />
great additions to the centre, most notably the change in location in 2008 when the Youthreach<br />
moved into the premises vacated by the Senior Comprehensive school here in<br />
Ballymun. She will be sorely missed by students and staff alike, many who have greatly<br />
benefited from her advice and direction over the years. We wish her all the best in her richly<br />
deserved retirement and hope to see her again very soon.<br />
3
A Leaving Lunch for Ballincollig Youthreach<br />
Finishing Students 2015<br />
Ballincollig Youthreach students enjoyed a well-deserved lunch at<br />
Oriel House on completion of QQI Cork Education and Training (Cetb)<br />
Level 4 programmes. On completion of a very busy year students also<br />
composed their own rap with GMC. Please contact our centre for a<br />
copy of our rap Challenges as we believe we have the X Factor! Phone<br />
021 4875432<br />
Magnificent Marathoners<br />
Ballincollig learners’ resolve prevailed in one of the wettest and<br />
windiest Cork City Marathons. The learners youth team finished<br />
eighteenth out of sixty eight teams in the Cork Youth Relay Challenge.<br />
Youth Relay team leader, Breda Dennehy, was thrilled for<br />
the team’s determination, tenacity and belief in their own ability<br />
to finish so well in atrocious weather conditions.<br />
Darren Shanahan, Agnius Dapsys, Thomas Jones, Urla Coomey,<br />
Keith Newman, Linda O’Driscoll and team leader Breda Dennehy<br />
Ballincollig Youthreach Celebration of Completion<br />
Coordinator, Bernie O’Liatháin, presented student, Agnius<br />
Dapsys, his Ballincollig Youthreach Completion Certificate.<br />
Agnius has achieved a QQI Level 4 General Learning Award and<br />
is looking forward to receiving his certificate at the Cork Education<br />
and Training Board (Cetb)QQI Further Education Awards in<br />
November. Presently, Agnius is studying Sport & Recreation Cork.<br />
Ballincollig Youthreach staff are delighted and proud with twelve<br />
students achieving full QQI Level 4 Awards<br />
Ballincollig<br />
Youthreach<br />
Students<br />
try to beat<br />
The Kube<br />
Thomas Jones, Ballincollig Youthreach,<br />
concentates in the Kube (pic 1)<br />
Darren Shanahan smiles as he qualifies<br />
for the next round (pic 2)<br />
4<br />
Robyn O ‘Leary received her Ballincollig Youthreach Completion<br />
Certificate from Coordinator, Bernie O’Liatháin. Robyn has<br />
achieved a QQI Level 4 General Learning Award and is also<br />
looking forward to receiving her certificate at the Cork Education<br />
and Training Board (Cetb) QQI Further Education Awards in<br />
November. Presently Robyn is studing Teaching English as a<br />
Foreign Language (TEFL) with a view to working in China.<br />
Recently, Ballincollig students Thomas<br />
Jones and Darren Shanahan fundraised<br />
for Ballincollig Community<br />
Forum by bravely participating in The<br />
Kube at Oriel House Hotel, Ballincollig.<br />
The Kube Fundraising Event based on<br />
the idea of the popular ITV Gameshow,<br />
The Cube, highly entertained members<br />
and guests while raising funds for a<br />
new Community Centre in Ballincollig.
Ballincollig Youthreach<br />
Bedazzles our Bard for 15Oth Birthday Celebration<br />
Recently, Ballincollig Youthreach students took<br />
part in Sligo Youthreach’s W.B. Yeats 150th<br />
Birthday Poetry Competition. Each student had<br />
to compose their own poem using two lines<br />
from a Yeats poem. Teacher, Breda Dennehy,<br />
was ecstatic and in awe of her students<br />
participation, resulting in concise and yet<br />
effective poems.<br />
Lasher Learners<br />
Youthreach is the place to be,<br />
It’s where you get your FETAC 3!<br />
Linda, Aggie, Orin and Robyn,<br />
We’re the ones that do the slaggin.<br />
Two girls in silk kimonos, both<br />
Beautiful, one a gazelle.<br />
Two boys in Armani jeans, both<br />
Lovable, one from Currafell<br />
By Linda O’ Driscoll<br />
Dream Extreme<br />
I have spread my dreams under<br />
your feet;<br />
Tread softly because you tread on<br />
my dreams.<br />
My youthreach days are now<br />
complete,<br />
My dreams are now part of my<br />
schemes.<br />
Caring youthreach has made me<br />
positive & up-beat;<br />
How lucky I am to know this youthreach<br />
team.<br />
I beam and glow on their wisdom<br />
sheet,<br />
Yes, youthreach, taught me to<br />
dream extreme!<br />
By Michael Carmody<br />
Left to right: Robyn O’Leary, Urla Coomey, Linda O’Driscoll,<br />
Jessica Carmody, Agnius Dapsys, Aaron O’Driscoll<br />
and Breda Dennehy with their W.B. Yeats Poetry<br />
competition certificates.<br />
T he Rant<br />
I ranted to the knave and fool,<br />
But outgrew that school.<br />
Youthreach is a new start,<br />
More inclusive with less rule.<br />
Motto: participate and play your part.<br />
It’s not that cruel – new skills with tools,<br />
Maths, Communications and Activities – cool!<br />
Teamwork, Mechanics, Hairdressing and Art,<br />
Catering, IT, PE and swimming pool.<br />
Get fit and earn a Marathon start!<br />
By Robert Murphy<br />
Finishing-folders, movin-on,<br />
Challenges, exciting times<br />
youthreach be brave,<br />
Romantic Ireland’s dead and gone,<br />
It’s with O’Leary in the grave.<br />
Ballincollig Blues<br />
Work experience, summer project &<br />
summer song,<br />
Leaving-learners<br />
staff will cry and wave.<br />
Romantic Ireland’s dead and gone,<br />
It’s with O’Leary in the grave.<br />
Orin, Agee and Robyn – O’ Leary from,<br />
Darren, Thomas, Graham, Beverly and<br />
Jessica – remember and rave.<br />
Romantic Ireland’s dead and gone,<br />
It’s with O’Leary in the grave.<br />
By General Learning, Communications Level 4 Class at Ballincollig Youthreach<br />
5
Youthreach Ballinrobe<br />
A Year of All-Ireland Achievements<br />
This year was a very proud and triumphant<br />
year for students and staff at<br />
Youthreach Ballinrobe. Winning both the<br />
All-Ireland 3D Yeats’ Art Competition and<br />
the All-Ireland boys’ soccer competition,<br />
has led to one of our most successful<br />
years to date!<br />
On 22nd June 2015, at an award ceremony<br />
commemorating the life and works<br />
of W.B. Yeats, one of our LCA year one<br />
students, Ms Veronika Geneviciute, blew<br />
away the adjudicators with her 3D Art<br />
sculpture of Yeats. The awards ceremony<br />
took place in “The Glasshouse”, Sligo.<br />
Another LCA student, Mr Thomas Cleary,<br />
came in third place with his sketch to<br />
accompany the poem The Lake Isle of<br />
Innisfree, by Yeats. Both students did very<br />
well to attain these achievements as the<br />
competition from across the country was<br />
of a very high standard!<br />
On 2 July 2015, the Youthreach Ballinrobe Boys’ Soccer Team went to Athlone to participate in the All-Ireland soccer league. With a<br />
positive attitude, the boys’ team beat five other county teams from around Ireland to become victorious winners of the much coveted<br />
All-Ireland Soccer Title.<br />
6<br />
It truly was an excellent end to a very positive year in Youthreach Ballinrobe. Well done to all students who participated in these<br />
competitions and we look forward to another year of achievements when we return in September.
A Standing Ovation For Ballyfermot Youthreach.<br />
“We are the reckless, we are the wild youth!<br />
In the ruins of an old, derelict church where<br />
young people sometimes go to drink, secrets<br />
and lies strain friendships to breaking point.<br />
During the course of a single night, young<br />
lives and loves may be lost or redeemed,<br />
but all will be changed forever.” Following<br />
on from last year’s Streets and Stories, The<br />
Unknown Theatre, comprised of students<br />
from Ballyfermot Youthreach, and one from<br />
Cabra Youthreach, returned with their first,<br />
full production, If Walls Could Talk, a haunting<br />
and often humorous tale of friendships, failings<br />
and, maybe, just maybe, finding yourself<br />
before it’s too late. Running from July 29th at<br />
The New Theatre, Temple Bar for six performances,<br />
it then transferred to the Civic Centre,<br />
Ballyfermot for one night only due to popular<br />
demand. And the response was phenomenal!<br />
It’s been an amazing twelve months for Unknown<br />
Theatre who last year set out to prove<br />
that a courageous group of young people,<br />
unfamiliar with acting or theatre, could create<br />
something of their own capable of standing<br />
with anything out there. It started with Streets<br />
and Stories at The New Theatre, in July 2014.<br />
Then, in December, cast member Zoe Kelly<br />
won the Olympia Theatre Rising Star Award<br />
2015. Next came the hugely successful, If<br />
Walls Could Talk, a play which follows the lives<br />
of a group of young people over the course of<br />
one night which exceeded everyone’s wildest<br />
expectations.<br />
Described by Anthony Fox, Artistic Director of<br />
The New Theatre as “poignant, refreshingly<br />
bold and brave, very funny,” If Walls Could<br />
Talk pulled no punches and packed them<br />
in. Playing to an appreciative full house,<br />
receiving a standing ovation, with requests<br />
to come back later in the year or early next<br />
year, two of the cast were even invited onto<br />
the Ryan Turbidy Radio Show on 2FM. And<br />
most exciting of all, there’s significant interest<br />
in taking the show to The Edinburgh International<br />
Fringe Festival in 2016. A remarkable<br />
achievement given that most of the cast which<br />
include Terrie Gray, Zoe Kelly, Aishling Hickey,<br />
John McCarthy, Demi O’Reilly,<br />
Chelsea Butterly, Luke Weekes,<br />
Ciara Gavin, Chelsea Graham and<br />
Annmarie Farrell, who range in<br />
ages from 16 to 21, had never set<br />
foot in a theatre before, never<br />
seen a play or attended a drama<br />
class. They just took the chance.<br />
Through regular workshops in<br />
The New Theatre, thanks to the<br />
incredible support of Anthony<br />
Fox, students devised, improvised<br />
and generally had great fun<br />
exploring stories they wanted to<br />
tell, told in their own voice. The<br />
Unknown Theatre is different in<br />
that it’s aware that young people<br />
from backgrounds where theatre<br />
may not at first be appreciated<br />
still have amazing talent and sets about encouraging<br />
that in a way they can connect with.<br />
Two years ago these students took a step into<br />
the unknown. Since then they have delved<br />
even deeper, had some amazing experiences<br />
and achieved something quite remarkable.<br />
The journey continues. If you think you<br />
might be interested in joining us, talk to your<br />
Co-ordinator. This year we were delighted to<br />
have Chelsea Graham, a student from Cabra<br />
Youthreach, join Unknown Theatre. Next year,<br />
it could be you!<br />
7
Youthreach Ballymahon 5km Fun Run<br />
On Wednesday June 17th, Youthreach Ballymahon held its inaugural 5km fun run along the beautiful banks of the Royal canal in<br />
Ballymahon Co. Longford.<br />
This event was organised to honour the memory of staff member Seán Callaghan and to mark the first year since his passing.<br />
The event was well attended with over 100 people turning up to walk or run on the day.<br />
We would like to extend our gratitude to Séan’s family and friends for generously supporting, donating and participating in our<br />
event. We would also like to acknowledge all the Youthreach centres in the Longford and Westmeath ETB for their support and we<br />
would like to thank all the visiting students and staff for taking part and making our fun run a tremendous success,<br />
Many thanks to Smyth’s Super Valu, Fresh Today, Lovell Bros, Thomas Cox, Nally’s Topaz, Ballymahon AFC, Peter Hanley Motors<br />
and Midland Trophies who were kind enough to offer sponsorship for the day. Without this sort of support and community<br />
involvement events like these would not be possible.All monies raised have been donated to the Ballymahon Defibrillator Group.<br />
We are proud to have raised €728 for this worthwhile cause.<br />
Ballyshannon Visit Art Exhibition<br />
In September Ballyshannon learners visited the contemporary art exhibition Magnetism in the old Snia/Saehan factory in Sligo.<br />
The exhibition was presented by Hazelwood House, Sligo. The exhibition was curated by Vaari Claffey and brought large-scale<br />
sculptural works by a group of Irish and international artists together with a video programme, compiled to reflect the history of<br />
the factory at the site where magnetic video tape was manufactured from 1987-2005.<br />
Youthreach<br />
Team Challenge<br />
at Petersburg<br />
Outdoor Activity<br />
Centre.<br />
GRETB Youthreaches took<br />
part in a Team Challenge on<br />
September 30th at Petersburg<br />
Outdoor Activity Centre. A great<br />
day was had by all.<br />
Team Galway City, proud winners of<br />
the Conor Morris Memorial Plaque<br />
8
Bray & North Wicklow Youthreach<br />
Graduation 2015<br />
Bray & North Wicklow Youthreach held their graduation<br />
ceremony in June for all students who completed the two year<br />
programme and achieved their QQI (FETAC) Level 4 Certificate.<br />
The singing group opened the ceremony with a beautiful<br />
performance. Michelle Keating (acting co-ordinator) spoke to<br />
all in attendance and reassured all students that the door will<br />
always be open for advice and guidance as they head out into<br />
this next part of their lives. Student, Ciara Butler was the star<br />
on the day as she received the “Student of the year award”.<br />
This was awarded to Ciara for her commitment, enthusiasm,<br />
and eagerness to learn and for always giving a helping hand in<br />
the centre. The ceremony closed with a photo slideshow of all<br />
the memories and experiences that each and every individual<br />
student contributed to the centre. Light refreshments were<br />
provided before students, staff, family and friends sat down to a<br />
three course meal, beautifully prepared and cooked by the staff<br />
and students themselves. A lot of time and effort went into every<br />
last detail for the event, from decorating the room right through<br />
to the staff waiting on students and their families; something<br />
the students really got a kick out of. All of the students looked<br />
fantastic in their graduation gowns and all of the staff team in<br />
Bray & North Wicklow Youthreach are very proud of the young<br />
adults they have become. The journey wasn’t easy but it was<br />
worth it.<br />
Bray Youthreach Students celebrating their graduation<br />
Leann Mahon, Tara Reilly, Ciara Butler (Student of the Year) and Angela Glynn<br />
Busy Summer Programme in<br />
Buncrana & Glengad!<br />
The Buncrana and Glengad Youthreach centres in Inishowen, Co Donegal had a<br />
very busy and successful summer programme this year. The photos give a small<br />
flavour of what they got up to including MUSO (previously known as Songcraft)<br />
working with the learners to create their own song, having an environmental<br />
clean up in their area, holding their annual open day which included learners<br />
receiving a range of awards, hosting a barbecue in the Glengad centre for special<br />
needs students from the Little Angels school and promoting Youthreach at the<br />
annual Inishowen Agricultural Show.<br />
9
Lions, Tigers, Horses and Zebras<br />
were just a taste of some<br />
of the animals who boarded<br />
‘Noah’s Ark’ and made their<br />
odyssey from Youthreach<br />
Carlow to the Carlow Childcare<br />
Crèche as part of the<br />
Youthreach Carlow summer<br />
programme 2015. As part of<br />
the programme our students<br />
were given the opportunity of<br />
refurbishing some beautiful<br />
murals which had felt the<br />
effects of time over the past<br />
A Colourful Odyssey in Carlow<br />
number of years. Originally<br />
these murals had been created<br />
by the Senior Travelling<br />
Training Centre which had<br />
been a part of the Carlow VEC<br />
educational vista a number of<br />
years previous. The members<br />
of that programme under<br />
the guidance of Seamus O’<br />
Rourke (RIP) created these<br />
beautiful murals depicting<br />
the story of Noah’s Ark.<br />
Youthreach students were<br />
invited by the Crèche to view<br />
the murals and quickly began<br />
to re-imagine ways in which<br />
they could restore the murals<br />
to their former glory. Over the<br />
month of June the students<br />
began to revamp the murals<br />
as all manner of animals,<br />
clouds, etc. were drawn<br />
(with not a Unicorn in sight!).<br />
Throughout the process the<br />
students demonstrated a<br />
vast array of artistic skills,<br />
bundles of commitment and<br />
high levels of motivation to<br />
recreate a wonderful panorama<br />
for the children who<br />
attend the Crèche on the<br />
Kilkenny Road. It really was a<br />
case of remembering the old<br />
rhyme ‘Well there was green<br />
alligators and long necked<br />
geese, some humpty backed<br />
camels and some chimpanzees...’<br />
as the final murals<br />
proved to be amazing. Huge<br />
credit must go to the students<br />
of Youthreach Carlow and<br />
their art teacher Lisa Gordon<br />
who worked tirelessly on this<br />
project. A special mention<br />
must go to the Youthreach<br />
Carlow Centre Co-ordinator<br />
Martina Osborne who had<br />
the foresight and vision to<br />
make this project happen. A<br />
big thanks also to Niall Moran<br />
and the Carlow Childcare<br />
Centre for giving our students<br />
the medium to showcase<br />
and display their talents and<br />
as the title states it sure has<br />
been a colourful odyssey for<br />
all involved with plenty of<br />
rainbows insight.<br />
10<br />
Pictured (left to right): Tina Berney, Chloe Hopkins, Aisling Mannion, Leigh Mannion, Johnny O’Leary and Jamie Moran.
“Paws for a Moment” ECO-Unesco Winners!<br />
Congratulations to Youthreach Carlow students who participated in the<br />
ECO-Unesco Awards 2015, winning an award in the Senior Eco Health<br />
& Wellbeing category. Our students decided to tackle the issue of ‘dog<br />
fouling’ in Carlow town and the harmful impacts that this problem has<br />
upon Carlow Town and the wider community. The students carried out<br />
an awareness campaign about the potential harmful impacts dog fouling<br />
can cause. As part of this action project the students created displays,<br />
wrote newspaper articles, produced a video and also held awareness<br />
workshops in local Primary Schools. The students thoroughly enjoyed the<br />
experience and look forward to the Young Environmentalist Awards 2016.<br />
Belfast Trip 2015<br />
On Tuesday the 31st of March 2015 our<br />
students and teachers left the Youthreach<br />
Carlow Centre for Belfast at 8:00am. The<br />
bus arrived in Belfast at 12:00pm and the<br />
students were shown around Belfast City<br />
Centre followed by lunch. Students and<br />
teachers then participated in a community<br />
circus school workshop. In the workshop<br />
students and teachers learned new skills<br />
such as juggling, tightrope walking, acrobatics,<br />
etc. Students and teachers learned<br />
how to work together as a team whilst also<br />
learning and developing their communication<br />
skills. The group finished the Circus<br />
School at 5pm and returned to the hostel.<br />
The group then went to Nandos for a nice<br />
meal whilst subsequently returning to the<br />
hostel. The following morning the group<br />
left the hostel and went to the Titanic<br />
Museum in Belfast where they participated<br />
in a very informative guided tour. The<br />
students then partook in a history workshop<br />
where they looked at and examined<br />
different sources on the topic of Titanic<br />
and the value of history. After a quick<br />
lunch the group visited the ‘dry dock’ and<br />
pump house where Titanic was fitted out<br />
and learned some more interesting facts<br />
about Titanic. Overall the trip was a huge<br />
success and both staff and students look<br />
forward to our next adventure!<br />
News From Castleblayney<br />
Castleblayney Youthreach held a careers week for Youthreach students in County Monaghan. Students attended presentations<br />
from Solas, Monaghan Institute and Cavan Institute on the wide range of further education and training courses available locally.<br />
This included apprenticeships along with short and long term courses.<br />
Careers week at Castleblayney Youthreach Drugs Education Programme Mental Health Workshop<br />
Students attended many centre workshops throughout June<br />
and July. This included Breathe workshop (look after your<br />
mental health), Smoking cessation programme, 4 workshops<br />
around risk and drug use focusing on clockwork orange and<br />
other synthetic cannabinoids with a visit to Coolmine – a<br />
treatment and rehabilitation programme for alcohol and<br />
drug abuse based in Dublin.<br />
As part of the QQI Level 4 Communications module students<br />
participated in mock interviews organised by the Adult<br />
Guidance Officer within the CMETB and the Monaghan<br />
Supported Employment Agency.<br />
11
Crumlins 2014 Graduates Return<br />
To ‘Get Connected’.<br />
Nine of our former students graduated the Level 4 Full Award in July<br />
2015. Of these: two went on to full time employment; one plans to<br />
go to night school; and the rest have gone on to various PLC courses<br />
in a number of CDETB College. The broad range of progression routes<br />
followed by our students is testament to the value of the Level 4 Major<br />
Award in General Learning. Our students have progressed to courses<br />
such as: Music Management (Ballyfermot) Security Studies (Crumlin<br />
College), Business Administration (Rathmines), Game Design (Ballyfermot)<br />
and Pre-University Law (Dunboyne).<br />
Above you can see that they recently returned to the centre to participate<br />
in a ‘Get Connected’ workshop that was designed to help students<br />
make the most of their time in college, plan their budgets, develop<br />
their study skills and gave tips on how to manage their time. The workshop<br />
was delivered by Maurice Murphy who is employed by the Canals<br />
Community Partnership. Maurice will continue to offer support and<br />
guidance in the coming months should it be required and of course<br />
they know they can return to Crumlin Youthreach as our staff team is<br />
more than delighted to help out should they need it. We all wish them<br />
the very best of luck.<br />
Beekeeping Causing Quite A Buzzzzz In Crumlin!<br />
Crumlin Youthreach has a new subject on the timetable this year and it's<br />
causing quite a buzzzzz. Some students were nervous to start but majority<br />
were quite happy to try QQI L5 Beekeeping. Students spent time on the<br />
summer programme researching designs for- and helping to building<br />
hives in the woodwork room and for the new apiary at the back of our<br />
premises. The apiary itself is a joint venture between WALK (an organisation<br />
that works with adults with intellectual disabilities), Scoil Colm<br />
(the local Primary School) and ourselves here at Crumlin Youthreach. It's<br />
a great way of bringing people together in a community project and of<br />
course, it's good for the environment. In this photo you can see Conor<br />
Quinn on the left and Stephen Byrne in the middle who is being helped<br />
by fellow student Lee Mulraney and teacher Dave Mulvaney who is overseeing<br />
them as they get 'suited and booted' for their first trip to the Apiary.<br />
No students, teachers or wildlife were harmed in this photo-shoot!!<br />
12
Donegal Youthreach Holds<br />
First County Summer Games!<br />
On 30 June, all six of the centres in Co Donegal (Ballyshannon, Buncrana, Glengad, Gortahork, Letterkenny and Lifford) came together<br />
to hold our first annual summer games at Gartan OETC. We wanted to provide our learners with their own 'sports day'. Teams had to<br />
complete a variety of tasks which culminated in a raft building competition and race. The winners, based on their overall participation<br />
and attitude were Team Ballyshannon. We're looking forward to next year's games already!<br />
13
Enniscorthy Youthreach Winners of the X-Hale<br />
Youth Awards Film Competition 2015<br />
The Annual Irish Cancer Society Annual X-Hale Awards took place on Thursday, 2nd July, 2015 in The Light House Cinema in Smithfield,<br />
Dublin 7 with Enniscorthy Youthreach taking two top Awards. They won the overall at Senior Level and also the Award for most hits on<br />
Youtube with over 72,000 views. There were 41 entries in this year’s competition from all over the country.<br />
The Irish Cancer Society through the X-Hale Youth Awards want Youth Organisations to play their part in helping to prevent young<br />
people in our community from starting to smoke. Currently in Ireland about 12% of school aged young people are reported to smoke<br />
with rates as high as 25% of 15/17 year old girls in some areas.<br />
Enniscorthy Youthreach students with assistance of their Teacher Mr. Hugh John Dunne set about creating an anti-smoking video<br />
which they entered into the competition. The script was written, the sets made and the overall production took place and it depicts a<br />
young girl being pressurised into smoking. This was achieved by introducing some similar scenes from horror movies acted out by the<br />
cast from Youthreach.<br />
“When this video was put on Youtube by the Irish Cancer Society and within hours it went viral.”<br />
The message being portrayed by this short film is to prevent young people from starting to smoke.<br />
Digital Media was introduced as an extra Curricular Module at Enniscorthy Youthreach in 2014/2015. The students had to carry out a<br />
lot of research regarding the topic and then make sure they had the correct equipment. The checklist included the following - script,<br />
rehearsals, camera, microphones, locations, props and make –up.<br />
14<br />
Learners and Hugh Dunne with representatives from Irish Cancer Society.<br />
John Brennan, Youthreach Co-ordinator and Teacher Hugh Dunne<br />
Amber Flag for Ballincollig Youthreach<br />
Recently Ballincollig Youthreach learners and<br />
staff were presented with The Amber Flag by<br />
Alan Quinlan, former Munster and Irish Rugby<br />
player. Suicide Aware launched the Amber Flag<br />
Initiative in 2013. The flag was launched to promote<br />
positive mental health in schools, colleges,<br />
clubs and societies who abide by Suicide Aware<br />
criteria for positive mental health. Ballincollig<br />
Youthreach eagerly engaged in this programme<br />
L-R: Alan Quinlan, Linda O’Driscoll, Aaron<br />
O’Driscoll, Thomas Jones, Adrian O’Connell and<br />
Robert Rohu<br />
demystifying issues around mental health and<br />
encouraging young people to be more open in<br />
talking about their own concerns.<br />
Proud Ballincollig Youthreach learners with their<br />
Amber Flag
The Glen Youthreach & UCC Connection<br />
The Glen Youthreach Soccer Team visited the UCC MARDYKE Sports a Complex on Friday 25th January. While they were there, they<br />
played a full FUTSOL game and received an extensive tour of all the facilities and all the training methods used by the UCC Teams.<br />
Afterwards they met the President, Chairman and Team Manager of the UCC Soccer Club and talked about the UCC PLUS PRO-<br />
GRAMME. This was an excellent opportunity to see the different training methods used by the teams and to see the world class<br />
facilities available in the UCC Mardyke complex. The Glen Youthreach would also like to thank Hughie O Donovan who is on work<br />
placement from UCC in the Youthreach for his help in organising this.<br />
The Glen Goes<br />
Abroad<br />
Two Glen students Dylan O Keeffe and Paul Corcoran<br />
who travelled to Strasbourg thanks to their Contemporary<br />
Issues Task. This trip would not be possible without the<br />
funding and support of the Michael Sweetman Trust.<br />
UCC Plus Programme<br />
Working with linked schools, the UCC PLUS+ Programme (formerly<br />
Access<br />
Programme) seeks to target students and to provide motivational and<br />
educational assistance to them throughout their secondary schooling to<br />
enhance their ability to compete for third level places. Currently there<br />
are a number of schools and colleges of further educations linked to the<br />
Programme for this purpose.<br />
Having achieved entry to the University UCC PLUS+ enables students to<br />
participate fully in student life and reach their full potential.<br />
http://www.ucc.ie/en/uccplus/prospective/HEAR/<br />
Last Year UCC Plus Office had a Soccer Camp for UCC linked secondary<br />
schools to encourage young soccer players to attend UCC Plus Elite<br />
Soccer Camp To target elite soccer players (Male and Female) from UCC<br />
Plus linked schools and Identify potential soccer scholarship players for<br />
UCC Experience the life of a UCC soccer scholarship player.<br />
See what life is like as a UCC student athlete,<br />
Experience top class facilities, top class coaching and top<br />
class education during the one day camp in UCC.<br />
UCC is where you will want to be<br />
The Glen Youthreach<br />
& Cork Penny Dinners<br />
The LCA1 class volunteered their services for one day to<br />
help out in preparing, cooking and serving the meals. All<br />
of the students really enjoyed this day and it helped to<br />
change some of the mindset of some of the students in<br />
working with people in need. We will be returning for one<br />
more day before the end of term.<br />
15
All Change In Gortahork<br />
New Coordinator In Gortahork!<br />
Donegal Youthreach is delighted to welcome Ciaran O Brien as<br />
the new Coordinator of the Gortahork Youthreach centre! Ciaran<br />
was born and reared in Sligo, where he was involved in sports<br />
education from a very young age.<br />
He started his professional career working with Gartan Outdoor<br />
Education and Training Centre, where he was an instructor for a<br />
number of years: “All this experience was, in the main, working<br />
with young people. The nature of adventure sports forces you as<br />
the instructor to have the ability to engage and build relationships<br />
with groups quickly. You must also be flexible and creative. All key<br />
attributes to working in Youthreach.”<br />
A number of years ago Ciaran took a career break from Gartan<br />
to work with young people in care which led to him returning to<br />
college to re-skill. He returned to Gartan after almost three years<br />
and the majority of his time was spent working on the Outdoor<br />
Instructor Traineeship Course (QQI Level 5).<br />
Ciaran is looking forward to building a relationship with young<br />
people and staff in Youthreach Gortahork and “trying to figure<br />
out how we, as a team, can have the most impact in providing<br />
education and training for our learners.” He feels the Youthreach<br />
Programme gives learners a chance to improve their confidence,<br />
challenge themselves, overcome hurdles and hopefully leave wanting<br />
to learn more.<br />
We wish Ciaran every success in his new role. For more information<br />
on the Youthreach programme in Gortahork, contact Ciaran on<br />
0749135218.<br />
Pat Morgan Retires from<br />
Gortahork Youthreach<br />
Pat Morgan retired from his position as the Gortahork Youthreach<br />
Centre Coordinator on Friday 04 September after managing<br />
the centre for over fifteen years. Originally from Belfast, Pat<br />
has been with the centre since it first opened its doors in 2000<br />
and has overseen the development of the programme in the<br />
Gortahork Adult Education and Training Centre from the start.<br />
In that time he has witnessed much change from the centre<br />
starting out as a twenty-five place centre and eventually becoming<br />
a thirty-one place centre, starting with a small staff team<br />
of three to a team of nine today, changing education provision<br />
from NICVA to FETAC to QQI accreditation, management changes<br />
from Co Donegal VEC to Donegal ETB, funding changes from the<br />
Department of Education to SOLAS, introduction of inspections<br />
to Youthreach (including the completion of a successful centre<br />
inspection), not to mention the transformation of the centre from<br />
the ‘old tech’ to one of Donegal ETB’s eight Adult Education and<br />
Training Centres today, including the addition of a state of the art<br />
crèche and an extension to the building a number of years ago.<br />
He has taken all of this change in his stride with his own brand<br />
of Northern humour! More importantly, Pat has supported so<br />
many young people who attended the programme since it first<br />
opened. Gortahork Youthreach is a 31 place centre but because<br />
Youthreach operates a continuous intake policy all year around,<br />
this has mean that around 400 early school leavers have passed<br />
through its doors in Pat’s time. As the programme Maths tutor,<br />
Pat was innovative and creative in his teaching of a subject that<br />
many of the Gortahork learners struggled with in school.<br />
The staff of Gortahork Youthreach and staff and Coordinators<br />
from Youthreach across the county wish Pat all the best with his<br />
retirement.<br />
16
Embracing the Summer Programme 2015<br />
Kilbeggan Youthreach<br />
Eating Challenge<br />
Whitewater Tubing<br />
Team Games<br />
Paintballing<br />
Eating Challenge<br />
Eating Challenge<br />
Dublin Zoo<br />
Even though the weather was<br />
unpredictable it didn’t stop our<br />
students engaging in the summer<br />
programme. There were activities<br />
organised which challenged<br />
students, from investigating crime<br />
scenes to competing to gain<br />
the title of MasterChef 2015 to<br />
Eating Challenges & dissecting, all<br />
student senses were challenged.<br />
All students worked together to<br />
embrace the experience. A wide<br />
range activities took place which<br />
physically & mentally stimulated<br />
students. Clutching each other<br />
for support & encouragement they<br />
worked together building new<br />
relationships & team spirit. Until<br />
summer 2016!!!! We can’t wait!!!<br />
17
YOUTHREACH LETTERKENNY TO CELEBRATE 25th YEAR!<br />
The much acclaimed Youthreach Programme, Letterkenny, is gearing up to celebrate it's 25 years in existence.<br />
With re-painting and re-furbishing of the building underway, the students decided that they would design and produce the artwork of<br />
the name of 'Youthreach' for the outside of the building. Pictured below are the students with class tutors,l-r; Gillian Kennedy, programme<br />
Coordinator,Thomas Cullen, Mary Levis, Dolores Dunleavy, Priya Mendes-Mc Menamin, Deirdre Gallagher and Andy Dowds.<br />
With Celebration Week due to start on Tuesday 20th October, a week-long programme of events has been scheduled which will<br />
involve students and staff, past and present, in celebrating Youthreach Letterkenny, Ireland's education and training programme for<br />
early school leavers<br />
Lifford's Busy Summer Programme<br />
Lifford Youthreach had a very busy summer programme this year which included a range of health and fitness activities including<br />
bubble football, first aid training (in the sunshine!), cycling and hillwalking, as you can see from the photos.<br />
18
Busy Days In Longford Youthreach<br />
Longford Youthreach had a very active period after the QQI deadlines and the Easter<br />
break. One of our students entered the Yeats Poetry competition which was expertly<br />
organised by Ultan and Sligo Youthreach. While she did not win a prize Chantelle gained<br />
enormously from her participation in the competition and the brilliant day both she and<br />
her peers in the Centre enjoyed at the awards Ceremony in Sligo in June. While Chantelle<br />
Lawrence was writing poetry, Noel was going through the pain barrier when he decided<br />
to climb Croagh Patrick in his barefeet. Most of us struggled to get to the top with the<br />
appropriate footwear but Noel showed no signs of wilting and actually managed to make<br />
it to the peak before some of his “better heeled” colleagues and staff. Avril Tighe also won<br />
the Ladies Ballmahon 5K Run organised by Ballymahon Youthreach to commemorate the<br />
untimely passing of our colleage Seán Callaghan one year ago. Rivermania, Zipit, Drive 4<br />
Life, Swimming, Bubble Ball, Spinning, Pitch & Putt, Snooker and Bowling all played their<br />
part during a hectic summer programme. 12 of our female students also availed of a 4<br />
day on site training programme facilitated on the premises of a very busy local Hair Salon<br />
– experiencing the facilities, demands, professionalism and skills of a fully functioning<br />
commercial operation. Mary Gordon also attended a SEN ICE day which was facilitated by<br />
Ann Marie Beattie. The month of July was dedicated to work experience and the majority<br />
of our students were the recipients of some high praise from many of the local employers.<br />
When August finally came around, the Centre closed it’s doors for a well-earned break and<br />
an end to our first year in operation in the town of Longford. It will all start again in less<br />
than 4 weeks and it will be comforting to know that the Department of Education & Skills<br />
will not be paying a visit, as we already had that privilege a few months ago!!<br />
You left us too young<br />
You were full of laughter<br />
And full of fun.<br />
My eyes fill with tears,<br />
My heart aches with pain,<br />
And up the hill,<br />
That’s when I knew I’d never see again<br />
We had our ups and downs,<br />
But at the end of it all<br />
You always had my back<br />
Even when I acted the clown.<br />
Poem To My Brother<br />
Loved & Missed Pj xx By:Kirstin McQuaid<br />
I would do anything to have you here<br />
With your family, it’s where you belong<br />
You said your goodbyes,<br />
Which should have been enough<br />
But for me it’s still very tough.<br />
Eventually it will hit us,<br />
That you’re in a better place<br />
But until the day God calls me<br />
There will always be an empty space<br />
In my heart that will never be replaced.<br />
19
Coffee Morning in Youthreach Mahon<br />
The students in Youthreach Mahon<br />
held a very successful coffee morning in<br />
Ringmahon House recently. It was in aid<br />
of Marymount Hospice and was part of<br />
the national campaign ‘Ireland’s biggest<br />
coffee morning’.<br />
The students worked during the week to<br />
make the house into a warm and welcoming<br />
place and gave classrooms a homely<br />
feel. Flowers were put on tables and the<br />
students happily served teas, coffees,<br />
cakes and scones.<br />
Parents and friends came to the event and<br />
the students were particularly pleased<br />
with local residents who have no connection<br />
to Youthreach coming in for the morning.<br />
The posters advertising the event had<br />
been spotted in the local community centre,<br />
shops and doctor’s surgeries. People<br />
who had never been in the house before<br />
were delighted to tour the building and<br />
hear the history of it. Ringmahon House<br />
was originally built in 1822 by James<br />
Murphy brewing and distilling fame. The<br />
last family to live in the house was that of<br />
Ben Dunne senior of retailing fame. Ben<br />
Dunne junior and his sister Margaret have<br />
both visited the house throughout the<br />
years and spoke of their great memories<br />
of their childhood years surrounded by<br />
acres of green space. In the 1980s most<br />
of their land was bought by the then Cork<br />
Corporation the massive housing scheme<br />
that was built and now forms Mahon.<br />
The house was restored to it’s full glory<br />
and officially opened in September 2008.<br />
Youthreach have been running their<br />
centre of education in these beautiful<br />
surroundings since January 2009.<br />
Marymount Hospice benefitted from the<br />
morning as everybody made a donation.<br />
One young student remarked that it was<br />
‘mostly paper’ going into the collection<br />
boxes. A total of more than €340 was<br />
raised. The students would like to thank<br />
everybody who attended for making it<br />
such a successful event.<br />
Six students from Youthreach Mahon<br />
have recently returned from an international<br />
exchange in Cappanalea Outdoor<br />
Education Centre, Co Kerry. They were<br />
joined by six young people from Scotland<br />
and five from France. The theme<br />
of the week was promoting positive<br />
mental health and building resilience.<br />
The young people linked with the Jigsaw<br />
service in Tralee while exploring the top<br />
ten activities that promote good mental<br />
health. They met with both staff and the<br />
Mind EUr Mental Health<br />
members of the Youth Advisory Panel<br />
and shared ideas on the subject. There<br />
is currently no Jigsaw project in Cork<br />
but hopes loom large that this will soon<br />
change and Youthreach Mahon’s students<br />
will be eager to become involved.<br />
The young people negotiated their<br />
way through the ten areas in life that<br />
promote well-being . As they passed<br />
through each ‘state’ they received visa<br />
stickers in their own positivity passport<br />
which they made themselves with small<br />
artist’s notebook. They all wrote warm<br />
words in each other’s passports on the<br />
last night and brought the good feelings<br />
home with them.<br />
Four of the Irish participants completed<br />
their bronze level Gaisce award as part<br />
of the week’s hiking and three Scottish<br />
young people completed their Duke of<br />
Edinburgh award challenge. These four<br />
will take up the silver challenge now and<br />
work towards that award.<br />
20
Youthreach Mahon teamed<br />
up with ‘Mind The Gap’ facilitator<br />
Arran Tower in a series<br />
of art workshops over the last<br />
six months. The young people<br />
worked through the effect of<br />
education on young people as<br />
they grow to adulthood and<br />
towards employment. They<br />
produced wonderful artwork<br />
while exploring the educational<br />
experiences and living<br />
World Wise Global Schools<br />
conditions of young people<br />
around the world. They took<br />
part in lively discussions<br />
and looked at their world<br />
versus other worlds. Student<br />
Adam Johnson said after<br />
the sessions “ I feel lucky to<br />
be getting my education in<br />
Ireland” Youthreach Mahon<br />
offers level 4 QQI Certification<br />
which is delivered in a<br />
modular fashion.<br />
The group of students who<br />
were involved in the project<br />
travelled to the Aviva Stadium<br />
in Dublin on Tuesday 21st<br />
April to showcase their work.<br />
They were the only representatives<br />
from a Youthreach<br />
centre in attendance and<br />
groups had travelled from all<br />
around Ireland to showcase<br />
their work. ‘It was a great<br />
day out’ said Ciarán Kelleher.<br />
Arran brought the workshops<br />
to Mahon on a pilot basis<br />
and is hoping that ‘Mind The<br />
Gap’ will work with other<br />
Youthreach centres in the<br />
future while keeping links<br />
with Mahon and developing<br />
their involvement with World<br />
Wise Global Schools.<br />
In June two Sportsreach staff and eleven<br />
Learners set off in the mini bus to West Clare.<br />
The An Gaisce tour would last for 3 days and<br />
2 nights. The group stayed in the Burren<br />
Outdoor Education Centre and we found the<br />
accommodation to be an ideal facility and<br />
location. Soon after arrival, and with the sun<br />
splitting the limestone on the Burren, we went<br />
kayaking on the Dooneen Lake accompanied<br />
by two of the BOEC staff. During this activity<br />
the group played some fun team games and<br />
also were visited by a group of seals probably<br />
wondering what all the fuss was about in their<br />
peaceful lake!!! Later that evening we travelled<br />
Sportsreach Complete An Gaisce<br />
to Liscannor to view the breath-taking Cliffs<br />
of Moher. The Learners took a lot of “selfies”<br />
while in awe of this stunning landmark.<br />
On the second day, after a healthy breakfast,<br />
we set off to visit The Ailwee Caves. The caves<br />
are located in The Burren and the guided<br />
tour lasted 1 hour. Here the Learners learned<br />
about the caves discovery in 1944 and saw<br />
remains of bears while walking 980 feet into<br />
the cave. After the tour we visited The Bird<br />
of Prey and Educational Centre. A home to<br />
Eagles, Hawks, Falcons and Owls from all over<br />
the world the group were able to interact and<br />
get up close and personal with the birds. Our<br />
day was completed with a swim at Doonbeg<br />
beach and a walk in The Burren.<br />
On the last day, we vacated our BOEC<br />
dwellings and set off on our journey home to<br />
Dublin. Along the way we stopped in Shannon<br />
to visit the Bunratty castle and Folk Park. Here<br />
the learners explored the 15th century Bunratty<br />
castle and the 19th century Folk Park. While<br />
walking through the Folk Park the learners<br />
got to enjoy the sights, sounds and taste of<br />
the charming village. The learners were very<br />
positive about the trip and it gave them an<br />
opportunity to experience things they would<br />
otherwise not have enjoyed.<br />
21
Our Youthreach Experience In Tramore 2013 - 2015<br />
Over the past two years in our time in Tramore Youthreach we<br />
have learnt a lot, from inside the classrooms to things we’ve<br />
picked up ourselves along the way. Our class has really enjoyed<br />
our time here; it was a big change for all of us coming from<br />
other schools. It was much easier to get along with people. In<br />
Youthreach, we were given the freedom of free speech to say<br />
how we think and feel about things, we learnt a lot, about what is<br />
going on in the world. As part of one of our key assignments, we<br />
even registered to vote! Our teacher Ciara is pretty great. She told<br />
us to write that.<br />
We have went on many trip’s such as Dunmore East Adventure<br />
Centre, Sheilbaggin, Kilkenny Adventure Centre, Dunbrody Ship,<br />
Paintballing in Bray, Reginald’s Tower and the Viking triangle<br />
in Waterford, and the Cinema. We also did some activities like<br />
Kayaking, Horse Riding, Tag Rugby and Laser Blast, Rounder’s,<br />
Football, Gym, Gaelic Football, Basketball and Hurling.<br />
We will really miss coming into Youthreach to see Gerry with<br />
a smile on his face. We have learnt a lot from Youthreach and<br />
we’re sure our tutors have learnt a lot from us!!<br />
Peace out<br />
horribly. They were all squashed together on bunks, each family<br />
had one bunk. There was a lot of sickness and death on the ship.<br />
The ship was actually a cargo ship designed for storing and transporting<br />
materials such as wood, gravel and stone. However they<br />
transformed the lower deck into bunks on the voyage to America<br />
and dismantled the bunks for the return voyage. This is the only<br />
chance the Irish people had at the time so they changed it.<br />
This Trip was a great experience and bonding trip as a group.<br />
Especially as year two were leaving Youthreach and starting their<br />
Leaving Certificate shortly after this.<br />
22<br />
Thousands die…<br />
Dunbrody Ship!<br />
As a class we visited the historic Dunbrody Famine Ship. During<br />
this visit we had a tour of the ship and discovered many interesting<br />
facts about the tragic times.<br />
We found out why people emigrated and how much it was for<br />
the trip to America. It was £3:10 for one person to travel and for<br />
8 people it was £20. We also learned about how the different<br />
classes were treated. The rich people would be in the upper<br />
class section. They had their own cabins and were treated a lot<br />
better than the other passengers. The working class were treated
Tramore Students Visit Kilkenny Adventure Centre<br />
We went to Kilkenny Adventure Centre with L.C.A 1 and L.C.A<br />
2 as a group. This was our second time going to the adventure<br />
centre this year. Since we had such a great time. We bonded<br />
very well and learned some new skills to work in a group.<br />
The first activity that we did was bubble soccer. Bubble Soccer Is<br />
playing football in a bubble, it protects your whole body so you<br />
can’t get hurt. It was great fun, we all enjoyed our self’s. We got<br />
a quick shower of rain but that did not ruin the day. It was more<br />
fun as the ground got more slippy and muddy.<br />
We jumped straight into the obstacle course. We were Split<br />
into two groups. We bonded together and communicated to<br />
complete the obstacle course.<br />
The main objective of the course was to communicate with our<br />
team mates. Take our time, listen and follow instructions was<br />
the key to winning. The most enjoyable part of the course was<br />
when we had to run jump and climb obstacles. That lead to<br />
a small jump into mucky water it was easy to run through. At<br />
the end of the course there was a water slide. The water slide<br />
was very fun. We then got a group photo all together. We then<br />
headed back to get changed and then got on the bus and went<br />
home. We really enjoyed ourselves, especially as Year Two were<br />
leaving Youthreach to start their Leaving Certificate soon. It was<br />
great to do some bonding with them before they left and we all<br />
finished for summer. We would recommend this as a great fun<br />
activity for families or groups of friends.<br />
Transforum Alley Youthreach<br />
The Transforum Alley (TA) Youthreach Sports Council met before the<br />
summer programme started to discuss the things that would be fun to do<br />
during Active Centre Week. Lots of ideas were talked about and these ideas<br />
were brought to our P.E. teacher Ciara, who decided what was realistic and<br />
affordable. The week was a huge success and these are a few of the best<br />
things we did that week.<br />
• Scuba Diving in Castlegregory<br />
• Open water trampling<br />
• Surfing with Splashsports<br />
• Boxing classes with Tralee Boxing Club<br />
• A Pool tournament for the TA students<br />
During the year, a big part of the TA Sports Council was to organise fitness<br />
testing for the entire group. From the start of the year until the end of the<br />
year, fitness tests were done regularly so everyone could see their progress.<br />
Transforum Alley has a fitness testing hall of fame for the past 9 years. It is<br />
very hard to get on it but if you do it is a great achievement. Sport is a big<br />
part of our programme and all the students really enjoyed and benefited<br />
from it.<br />
As part of our Sports programme TA take part in a Mile Challenge throughout<br />
the year. This involves being timed to sprint, run, jog or walk really fast<br />
a mile. We have started up again this year and everyone is looking forward<br />
to beating their time.<br />
The sports council have met as a team and have decided what new things<br />
we can include on our programme this year.<br />
23
Yeats Poetry & Art Competition<br />
Sligo Youthreach<br />
On Wednesday 24th June,<br />
Youthreach Sligo was delighted<br />
to meet the prize-winners of<br />
the Yeats 2015 poetry and art<br />
competition in the Glasshouse<br />
hotel Sligo.<br />
There were 3 categories to the<br />
competition: Poetry, Art and<br />
3D model/sculpture. Students<br />
were asked to write their own<br />
original poem but had to<br />
include a line from any of the<br />
Yeats poetry collection.<br />
Suzanne Doolan from Youthreach<br />
Kiltimagh read her<br />
very powerful winning poem<br />
“Everyone’s Best Friend”<br />
before accepting her 1st prize<br />
of an IPad.<br />
Adam Finane, Dean Fogarty<br />
and Alan Higgins from Youthreach<br />
Cabra came second<br />
with their poem “My Giants<br />
Causeway”. Tommy Jordan<br />
from Dundalk Youthreach<br />
claimed third prize with his<br />
poem “Foot to the Floor”.<br />
Youthreach Kiltimagh had two<br />
winners in the art section of<br />
the competition. Anthony Mulvenna<br />
came first, Ellen Collins<br />
came second and Thomas<br />
Cleary from Youthreach Ballinrobe<br />
came third.<br />
Youthreach Ballinrobe had<br />
another proud moment when<br />
Vronika Geneviclute took home<br />
first prize in the 3D section.<br />
Sapphire and Jasmine Fitch<br />
who travelled all the way from<br />
Youthreach Roscrea came<br />
second and Celina Harty also<br />
from Roscrea came third.<br />
Youthreach Sligo would like to<br />
congratulate the winners but<br />
also each young person who<br />
participated in the competition<br />
and made it such a huge<br />
success. Many thanks also to<br />
the tutors who encouraged<br />
and assisted their students.<br />
Every entry has been included<br />
in a booklet which will be<br />
distributed to Youthreach centres<br />
nationwide. Youthreach<br />
Sligo would like to thank Nigel<br />
Reape Office Supplies and<br />
Print based in Knockmore,<br />
Ballina for his professional<br />
advice in putting this book<br />
together.<br />
We would also like to say a<br />
big thank you to Colm Keegan<br />
from Poetry Ireland who<br />
travelled from Dublin to hold<br />
a highly entertaining creative<br />
writing workshop with the<br />
group. Colm had a captive audience,<br />
when he read extracts<br />
from his gritty and moving<br />
book “Don’t go there”. A word<br />
of thanks also to E.O of Mayo,<br />
Sligo, Leitrim E.T.B, Mary<br />
Madden who took the time to<br />
address the group and meet<br />
the participants. Finally a word<br />
of appreciation to Sligo Credit<br />
Union and Irma Mulvihill for<br />
their generous sponsorship of<br />
the competition.<br />
Well done everybody, we look<br />
forward to doing it all again<br />
next year..!!!!<br />
24<br />
Students and Staff from Kiltimagh and Ballinrobe Youthreach Centres who were prize winners in the Yeats Poetry & Art Competitions
The Monaghan Youthreach End of Year<br />
Presentation was recently held in the centre<br />
at Knockaconny. The Resource Person<br />
Kathlena Slowey welcomed students,<br />
parents and guardians, invited guests,<br />
members of the Board of Management<br />
and staff to the event.<br />
A number of students addressed the<br />
guests giving personal accounts of their<br />
experience of Youthreach. The Chairperson<br />
of the Youthreach Board of Management,<br />
Councillor Clifford Kelly complimented<br />
staff and students on their work<br />
Monaghan Youthreach End of Year<br />
Presentation, July 23rd 2015<br />
in the centre and encouraged students to<br />
continue learning, emphasizing the great<br />
personal benefits of education. Learners<br />
were presented with their QQI and Safefood<br />
Certificates on the day. Well done to<br />
all our students, especially Corie O’ Leary,<br />
Rosie Mc Ginley, Richard Heffernan and<br />
Keith Heffernan who successfully achieved<br />
their QQI Level 4 General Learning Certificates.<br />
Special achievement awards were<br />
also presented to a number of Learners.<br />
The staff and students at Youthreach<br />
would like to thank Councillor Clifford Kelly,<br />
Councillor Colm Carthy and Ms. Margaret<br />
Flack, members of the Youthreach<br />
Board of Management who attended on<br />
the day and supported the event.<br />
Woodwork pieces created by Students<br />
at Monaghan Youthreach are displayed<br />
in the window of the CMETB Administration<br />
Centre in Market Street, Monaghan<br />
we invite everyone to view some of the<br />
unique craft items made by students at<br />
Monaghan Youthreach.<br />
Michael Prochazka is presented with the Student<br />
of the Year Award by Kathlena Slowey, Reource<br />
Person at Monaghan Youthreach<br />
Rosie Mc Ginley is presented with an Academic<br />
Achievement Award by Fiona Mc Caffrey, Tutor at<br />
Monaghan Youthreach<br />
Tyrone Mc Cann is presented with his QQI<br />
Component Certificate by Councillor Colm Carthy.<br />
Youthreach Roscrea Celebrates Summer With<br />
Well-Being Themed Events<br />
The summer programme of Roscrea Education Centre<br />
Youthreach was themed around well-being this year.<br />
Students did fun activities like a Bogathon, Surfing,<br />
Kickboxing, Laser Shooting and a table tennis tournament.<br />
We also did educational events: students went to the<br />
Wax museum in Dublin, did Cookery and Fashion Design,<br />
First Aid, Road Safety, Drug Awareness and went to see<br />
the play ‘If Walls could Talk’ in Dublin. We also did a<br />
fund raising walk to Monaincha for the ‘Laugh Out Loud’<br />
community event. One of the highlights were the prizes<br />
Surfing in Lahinch<br />
our students won in a Yeats commemoration event and<br />
the visit to Coole Park that we organised. Well done to all<br />
involved for organising all of these events, for participating<br />
and for the fun and learning we shared. A special<br />
mention needs to be made of the craft work that students<br />
did over the summer. We have two beautiful art pieces as<br />
a result: a wall hanging of an ‘arpillera’ (a Chilean inspired<br />
wall hanging) and the beautiful stone bird bath on our<br />
front lawn. Thank you to Tipperary ETB, Tipperary County<br />
Some of the dolls that Youthreach students<br />
Council, NALA and the MWDAF for funding these activities. made for the wall hanging.<br />
Sapphire and Jasmine Ffitch<br />
receiving their prizes in Sligo<br />
The new bird bath designed and made by<br />
Youthreach students<br />
25
What It’s Like To Be<br />
In LCA 1<br />
My first day in LCA was at the start of September,<br />
I was so nervous, my hands and<br />
legs shaking, I was exited though, but<br />
mostly I was just scared that I wouldn’t get<br />
a place, and that they might not like me.<br />
When they introduced themselves, I was<br />
thinking ,…… “ Why was I scared” , I didn’t<br />
know why I was before, because they were<br />
so nice and acceptable , that I almost felt<br />
guilty for being scared of them.<br />
Being in LCA is a lot different, from school;<br />
it’s something new to me, very new actually.<br />
Even though there are some subjects<br />
that are same just like in school such as<br />
Maths and English, it’s still a lot more different<br />
than school and I really like it so far.<br />
So far my favourite subject is ICT, because I<br />
didn’t have a class on computers ,<br />
Here in LCA students and teachers are<br />
treated the same which in my opinion is<br />
awesome, the best thing is that we call<br />
teachers by their name, I really like it, but<br />
sometimes I do get mixed up and call a<br />
teacher Mrs, she laughed at me haha . I<br />
feel really appreciated, part of the group,<br />
and mostly good. I don’t have a favourite<br />
teacher, because all of them are nice and<br />
amazing, and so helpful.<br />
I got to know the LCA 2’s and I get along<br />
with all of them. They’re really welcoming,<br />
helpful and friendly. I think we’ll all just get<br />
along great if we keep going and getting on<br />
the way we are. So yeah so far I’m in love<br />
with LCA and everything about it<br />
Tralee Youthreach<br />
Students Experiences Of the LCA<br />
Teambuilding Day<br />
By Shannon O’Shea<br />
During my first month of Leaving Cert<br />
Applied on Friday 18th of September, I<br />
attended a teambuilding day in An Riacht<br />
in Castleisland. There, we did a series<br />
of tasks to make us work as a team. The<br />
best task we did was the minefield game,<br />
in this game, there were two teams, each<br />
team had to draw out a minefield for the<br />
other team. Once it is made, they then<br />
had to try cross the minefield without<br />
standing on a bomb. Although most of<br />
the games were quite fun, I did not enjoy<br />
the blindfolded game. In this task you<br />
were required to collect a puzzle piece<br />
while blindfolded, I found this difficult<br />
as it was difficult for me to hear what my<br />
teammates were saying and it made me<br />
feel very uneasy as I am not comfortable<br />
enough yet. Surprisingly, I really enjoyed<br />
the day. I’m still adjusting to LCA but I felt<br />
more comfortable as the day went on<br />
and I’m glad I attended this day out.<br />
Work Experience<br />
By Hayden Whelan<br />
During July I worked with a delivery<br />
company named Nightline for my LCA<br />
work experience. My first day of work was<br />
hard. I had to get up at 6am and be at<br />
work by 7am. My boss would collect me at<br />
my home and drive me to work. When we<br />
got to the depo he gave me a crash course<br />
on what to do. We first took the packages<br />
off the palates and then put them in order<br />
respectively to where they were being<br />
delivered to. I found this hard cause my<br />
supervisor had a pattern that changed<br />
and I found it very hard to pick up on the<br />
pattern for the order where the packages<br />
go. Once the packages were in order they<br />
get d.i.p scan (package in depo). Once all<br />
packages were scanned, we then put the<br />
packages in the van in order of the delivery<br />
route. As the packages are put in the van<br />
they are given a v.o.p scan (package on<br />
van), these scans are made so both the<br />
manager and customers can keep track of<br />
delivery van.<br />
After the packages were loaded up, we<br />
start making deliveries. Before we delivered<br />
a package to a customer the package<br />
must be scanned again to say it is delivered.<br />
The day was long and I met a lot of<br />
people in my first week. After a while I was<br />
given the duty of making home deliveries.<br />
I would grab the package from the back<br />
of the van and go to the costumers house<br />
and get them the sign for it and given<br />
them the package.<br />
I did enjoy working there but the hours<br />
were tough but I did learn quite a lot<br />
while on the job. My people skills have<br />
improved quite a bit and my idea of what<br />
it is to work has improved.<br />
26<br />
Adriana Godlova
Youthreach Miltown Malbay wins X-HALE Youth<br />
Award for Best Tobacco Industry message<br />
Youthreach Miltown Malbay<br />
have been announced Overall<br />
Winner for the best tobacco<br />
industry message at the Irish<br />
Cancer Society Youth Awards<br />
2015. The students from<br />
Youthreach Miltown Malbay<br />
scooped the award for their<br />
film project called “project X”<br />
which was showcased at the<br />
recent event in the Lighthouse<br />
Cinema in Smithfield.<br />
Over 41 youth groups from<br />
Ireland’s first smoke-free generation<br />
competed in the Irish<br />
Cancer Society’s X-HALE Youth<br />
Awards 2015. Calling themselves<br />
#theXgeneration, the<br />
youth groups showcased films<br />
and community action projects<br />
which they created on the<br />
issue of smoking. The X-HALE<br />
Youth Awards is an initiative<br />
of the Irish Cancer Society<br />
which aims to empower young<br />
people to create awareness<br />
around the issue of smoking in<br />
their own communities.<br />
Youthreach Miltown Malbay<br />
was awarded the title of<br />
Overall Winner of the best<br />
tobacco industry message<br />
for their film “Project X”. The<br />
groups involved competed<br />
under various categories<br />
with winners selected by an<br />
independent judging panel<br />
comprising of people from<br />
the entertainment, film and<br />
healthcare industries.<br />
In line with the messages highlighted<br />
by the young people<br />
taking part in X-HALE, youth<br />
smoking rates in Ireland have<br />
continued to decline in recent<br />
years, giving this generation<br />
of young people the power<br />
and the opportunity to make<br />
sure that they are Ireland’s first<br />
tobacco free generation.<br />
They decided to take on smoking<br />
in their own communities<br />
and the results are extremely<br />
powerful. The film which they<br />
have developed shows that<br />
#theXgeneration is here to<br />
stay. They can be Ireland’s<br />
first smoke-free generation<br />
and they are telling us in their<br />
own way that the time is up<br />
Tralee Students Visit to AHAR<br />
for the tobacco industry in this<br />
country.<br />
Congratulations to Youthreach<br />
Miltown Malbay for taking<br />
part and for making a positive<br />
impact on their health and<br />
that of their peers. We need<br />
to look at what the Youthreach<br />
Miltown Malbay students and<br />
the rest of the #theXgeneration<br />
are saying. They are educated<br />
on the issue of smoking and<br />
are refusing to let their health<br />
be affected by tobacco.<br />
AHAR is an Animal Rescue service in Castleisland. They rehome and rescue<br />
animals that need help. When I went there I enjoyed it a lot. I was<br />
walking a dog that was put in there, because its owner was an older lady<br />
who had hurt herself and was unable to look after the dog anymore. I<br />
found this very sad and I felt like the woman was very lucky to be able<br />
to trust AHAR to look after her dog until she was well enough to take<br />
him back. The dog seemed happy and comfortable with the staff which<br />
was a good thing to see. He didn’t seem nervous or anything while I was<br />
walking him either, he was well looked after by the looks of it. The one<br />
thing I least enjoyed while being there was seeing this horse who had an eye<br />
infection that looked so painful. But when we were talking to the staff about it,<br />
she said the horse was in no pain what so ever and it just looked worse than<br />
it was. The horse had been rescued from a field and was in an awful condition<br />
when the AHAR staff found him. But luckily for him they cleaned him up<br />
and made him better, but<br />
unfortunately wasn’t able<br />
to heal the infection, but<br />
they treat it every day with<br />
cream for pain relief so he’s comfortable and well looked after. I really<br />
enjoyed spending time with the animals and know that it is so important<br />
to take care of your pets.<br />
Shauna Russell<br />
27
28<br />
Kiltimagh Student Suzanne Wins Much More<br />
Than Sligo Poetry Competition<br />
A Winning Tribute.<br />
To me, self expression is everything. It’s<br />
what helps you to release emotions,<br />
but it also makes you the individual that<br />
you are. Everyone expresses themselves<br />
in different ways, for me, it was always<br />
writing raps and poetry. The very first<br />
time I ever wrote a rap, in that moment,<br />
something completely changed in me.<br />
I was finally free from all the problems<br />
that were once weighing me down,<br />
because I left them on that page. It’s not<br />
just a hobby, but a means of survival. It’s<br />
being able to turn something so tragic,<br />
into something so beautiful... all through<br />
the power of words. I<br />
was on a train to Dublin<br />
with my favourite<br />
English teacher, Fiona,<br />
destination being the<br />
national Library for an<br />
award ceremony on<br />
National poetry day.<br />
Weeks previously, the<br />
best Co- Ordinator<br />
in Pat Howley, told<br />
me about a William<br />
Butler Yeats poetry<br />
competition that Sligo<br />
Youthreach were hosting.<br />
Pat encouraged<br />
me to enter a poem I<br />
had once read to him,<br />
a tribute I wrote for my friend Danielle's<br />
18th birthday, so I entered, not thinking<br />
I’d even be shortlisted. Until one day Pat<br />
called me into his office and told me my<br />
poem was picked out of 3 contenders,<br />
winner being announced in Dublin the<br />
following day (which was a total lie!)<br />
Turns out I had won first place all along,<br />
but Fiona and Pat kept it a secret right<br />
up until a was in the National library.<br />
Colm Keegan the famous Dublin poet<br />
who judged the competition was the<br />
one to tell me. I could never come close<br />
to explaining how much that moment<br />
meant to me, but its truly something I<br />
will never forget. I'm so grateful Fiona<br />
and Pat kept it a secret cause it really<br />
helped me to appreciate the moment<br />
even more. Colm Keegan read out an<br />
introduction and next thing I was walking<br />
up to the stage to read out my poem in<br />
front of a room full people. If the grim<br />
reaper, your one from the exorcist and<br />
the clown from It all teamed up to wake<br />
me up in the middle of the night... nothing<br />
would compare to how terrified I was<br />
when I reached that stage, but I read out<br />
that poem with strength and pride in my<br />
voice because although I was reading it<br />
for Danielle, I was reading it for everyone<br />
in that room that had ever lost someone<br />
they loved, with a message behind the<br />
words... You never really have to say<br />
goodbye to someone you lose, because<br />
they're always with you, waiting for the<br />
day you meet again. The ceremony in<br />
the national library wasn't the actual<br />
award ceremony for the William Butler<br />
Yeats competition. During the summer<br />
Anthony and I along with a bus from<br />
ballinrobe attended it in Sligo with most<br />
of the teachers from all youthreaches<br />
across Connacht. I really enjoyed this day<br />
because we got to see all the winners<br />
from all the different parts to the competition,<br />
the drawings, 3D sculptures and<br />
all the entry's for the poetry competition.<br />
Everyone that entered had unbelievable<br />
talent. Colm Keegan hosted a poetry<br />
workshop for everyone there which I<br />
really got a lot out of, his main tip when<br />
it comes to writing poetry, is to use as<br />
much emotion as you possibly can. I also<br />
got to read out my poem again and to<br />
collect first prize of an iPad mini, which<br />
I've got so much benefit from. After<br />
the ceremony I was interviewed by the<br />
voice of the travellers about my poem<br />
which was a great experience. After the<br />
ceremony in the national Library Colm<br />
asked me to perform my Poem at a poetry<br />
festival the weekend after and again<br />
for culture night in September, both<br />
gigs went very... (I didn't collapsed into<br />
a seizure on the stage so that's well for<br />
me) but above all I got the opportunity to<br />
do what I love doing and to experience<br />
a whole new thing.<br />
I've since become<br />
good friends with<br />
Colm and whenever<br />
there's poetry festivals<br />
or workshops<br />
on he always invites<br />
me up for them.<br />
It's a great comfort<br />
to know I could<br />
seriously consider<br />
pursuing writing<br />
poetry as a career<br />
someday. I'd like to<br />
say a big thank you<br />
to Pat for telling me<br />
to enter my Poem in<br />
the first place cause none of this would<br />
of happened without his encouragement<br />
and also to Fiona for her support and<br />
encouragement and for bringing me all<br />
the way up to the national library and<br />
back, I am very very grateful to you both.<br />
As for my poem... it was always so much<br />
more then a poem. It was a story of the<br />
legacy of the most beautiful person, with<br />
the most beautiful soul... And I'd already<br />
won first prize before this competition,<br />
by getting the chance to know her.<br />
By Suzanne Doolan.