Single mums in Bray on way to third level

 
Bray Youthreach Young Mothers With Paddy Robinson, Coordinator 

Bray Youthreach’s innovative programme allows lone parents to continue their education and avail of free childcare thus providing a pathway onto exciting third-level courses. Jessica Scanlon (21) and Laura Dicker (20) this summer will finish the Young Mothers Educational course at Bray and North Wicklow Youthreach. Jessica has just accepted a place on the Bray Institute of Further Education’s diploma course in stenography and Laura in September will be staring a two-year diploma course in Public Relations in Dun Laoghaire College of Further Education.

Jessica had been in school until sixth year when she left before doing her Leaving Cert. ‘I really hated school and I hardly even attended classes for fifth and sixth year. I left school in January of sixth year and had my son Stephen a few months after. Obviously, I couldn’t go to college without a crèche for Stephen,’ Jessica said.

Through Youthreach Jessica got her Leaving Certificate in Maths and English and she admits that she would never have considered doing third-level were it not for Youthreach.

‘The crèche facilities made all the difference because it enabled me to complete the course in the full knowledge that Stephen was being well looked after,’ she said.

In September, Jessica will enrol in St. Thomas’ on a stenography course. The Bray College is one of the few locations in the country where you can study stenography. All going well, within two years Jessica will be a qualified stenographer.

Laura has been studying in Youthreach for the last three years.

Laura describes Youthreach as making the world of difference to her educational aspirations.

‘I wanted to have a chance of furthering my education and Youthreach has given me the chance to grow up a little bit. The crèche is fantastic. It’s really well run and is up to Eastern Health Board standards. The crèche has been vital in getting me through the course; she said.

A further trainee who has gone on to further education is Ms. Jennifer Moloney to a two-year diploma course in Beauty Therapy with Dun Laoghaire College of Further Education. Ms. Joanne Bartley and Ms. Lisa Quinn along with Ms. Vicky Rogers, now on her second year, are on the Leaving Certificate Applied Course with the Holy Child Community School, Sallynoggin. Mr. Andrew Dicker and Mr. Martin Byrne have also commenced a one-year programme, the FIT PC Maintenance course with Choices Adult Learning Centre in Shankhill.

Places on the Bray Young Mothers course are limited and every year there is always a waiting list. According to Co-ordinator Paddy Robinson the unique nature of combining crèche facilities with courses means that there will always be a high demand for the course.

In Whose Best Interests?
Working with Young People at Risk

The 3rd Annual Breaking Through Conference takes place the 12th and 13th of March in Westport, Co. Mayo. The conference entitled in ‘Whose Best Interests’ will be attended by David Smith, Assistant Principal Officer, Child Care Policy Unit, Department of Health and Children, who will provide an overview and implications of the Children’s Act 2001. Key Note Speaker to the conference is Chief Commissioner of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, Mr. Brice Dickson.

For further information contact The Breaking Through Office at

Breaking Through
Westside Centre,
51 Main Street,
Leixlip,
Co. Kildare.
Telephone (01) 6060858
Fax (01) 6104417
email: info@breakingthrough.org

The Presidents Award - GAISCE

This is a National Challenge Award from the President of Ireland to Young People between 15 and 25 years of age.

Participation in this Award beings once the participant has agreed to a challenge in writing with a President’s Award Leader and at the same time sends the entry form to the Award Office. A record book is then sent in which the times of participation are logged. A wide range of clubs, schools and colleges participate in the Award.

How to Earn an Award

To earn an award you must first agree a suitable challenge with an Award Leader and once you achieve this you earn your reward.

There are different types of reward - Bronze, Silver and Gold. You can earn Bronze in 6 to 9 months. Silver will take approximately 15 months to earn. Gold is a demanding challenge over approximately to years.

There are four different areas of activity in the Award.

They are:-

• Community Development
• Personal Skills
• Physical Recreation
• An Adventurous Activity

Participation in each of the four sections is essential to earn either a Bronze, Silver or Gold Award.

For more information contact:-
The President’s Award Office - Gaisce,
The State Apartments,
Dublin Castle,
Dublin, 2.

Tel: 01 4758746 Fax 01 4758749
E-mail: mail@p-award.net

Website: www.p-award.net

New Initiatives in Adult Education, 2002

The Minister of State for Adult Education, Mr. Willie O’Dea T.D. announced on the 16th January a number of major initiatives in adult education, the following of which are of relevance to Youthreach:-

The establishment of National Adult Learning Council (NALC) as an executive agency of the Department of Education and Science. The Council will be resourced and staffed to act as an important catalyst for change and development in adult education. It will represent education, training, social partner, community and voluntary sector and learner interests to ensure a co-ordinated strategy in the provision of adult learning. The Council will advise on policy, promote co-ordination and liaison, engage in research and staff development, and support international co-operation. It will also have a specific remit to progress such issues as workplace learning, community education, an equality strategy, and to establish an advisory group on the integration of people with physical and learning disabilities into adult education.

The implementation of a Back to Education Initiative, providing some 4000 extra part-time places under PLC, Youthreach, Traveller, and VTOS programmes, including part time senior cycle or equivalent options, principally aimed at young people and adults in the population with less than upper secondary education. There will be a further 2000 places from September/October. Information packs on the initiative will be issued at an early date to all interested parties. 10% of all expansion will be earmarked exclusively for community education providers, and discussions with the relevant interest groups will be initiated shortly to adapt the scheme to cater for this sector.

"These initiatives" Minister O’Dea said, "will help to progress the White Paper agenda and put in place a strategic framework for lifelong learning. It will take the sustained commitment and partnership of all -- Government, education and training providers, business, trade unions, communities, voluntary organisations and individuals - to meet the challenge of bringing this concept to reality."
 

Edenderry Youthreach on the Move

During the last year Youthreach Edenderry has moved premises. The move began in January 2001 and was completed a short while before Christmas. After months of living with builders, painters and every other sort of tradesmen the building was finally ready. The new centre with its extra space has made a huge difference to both staff and trainees alike. The new facilities has enabled staff to increase the options available for their young people.

Both staff and young people of Edenderry Youthreach hope to have an official opening later in the year and will post the dates in the Youthreach Newsletter nearer the time.

Edenderry Youthreach can be contacted at:

Further Education Centre,
St. Mary’s Road,
Edenderry, Co. Offaly.

Tel: (0405) 32091

Integrating Literacy Training for Staff

In co-operation with NALA and NUI Maynooth a second NUI Certificate Course in Integrating Literacy is being run this year.

This course aims to equip vocational skills instructors/tutors with the skills and knowledge necessary to integrate literacy/numeracy development into their training programmes.

It will be run over 8 x two-day blocks (Wednesday/Thursday) between March and October 2002. The venue will be either Clonmel or Dublin, depending on the preference of the majority of applicants.

Further information about the course is available from the National Adult Literacy Agency. Phone Blathnaid at 01-809 9190, or e-mail bnichinneide@nala.ie.

Ballinasloe Fund Raiser a Great Success

A Golf Classic ran in Ballinasloe Golf Club in September to raise funds to support Adrian McEvoy who was seriously injured in a car accident was a great success. Adrian McEvoy, trainee of Ballinasloe Youthreach is wheelchair bound as a result of the accident.

£4,536.00 was raised through the fund-raising classic. The money went towards computer equipment and furniture for the required extension to Adrian’s family home.

The staff and young people of Ballinasloe Youthreach would like to thank most sincerely all who supported this worthy cause.

Young Mothers’ Film Premiered in Galway

"Being a lone parent in Ireland today" a film produced by a group of young mothers from Ballinasloe Youthreach, premiered in the Galway Town Hall on Sunday 20th January. This film was the culmination of work by trainees Sharon Daly, Helen Ryan, Carlene Duffy, Emma Kelly and Donna Leahy on the experiences of being a young mother in Ireland in the twenty first century. The project was supported by the Galway Film Centre, which gave funding in the region of £10,000.00. Over six months a professional film producer worked with the group to produce their documentary.

This great achievement was just one of the projects developed by Ballinasloe Youthreach in partnership with Loughrea and Galway Youth Federation. Other programmes developed included interior design, arts and crafts and child development education and training.

Well done to all young people involved.

A poignant poem from Gordon O’Reilly, trainee from Wexford Youthreach

AMERICA
Here’s a country wild and free, the young are brave, and the old are free.
Standing tall, and nothing to hide, their heads held up with a lot of pride.
But all of a sudden something goes wrong, ground shakes they think it’s a bomb.
Two metal birds way up high. Hit two buildings in the sky.
When the buildings collapse with fear, everyone’s shocked with a tear
Thousands dead, Thousands hurt, and the army are put on alert.
Beneath the rubble, beneath the dirt, We fear for family, and we hurt.
You can start a war, you can start a fight, and Bush thinks that’s alright
Your causing pain, your causing hurt, your causing the end of the
EARTH
 

Gortahork Youthreach in Donegal gives a helping hand to their local national school.

As part of their involvement in a National Environmental Competition, the local National school requested the assistance of Gortnahork Youthreach, under the supervision of Art Tutor, Micky McFadden, to create four murals, each depicting a season of the year. The project was jointly researched and carried out by Youthreach trainees and the young national school pupils.

Another community based arts project which Gortahork Youthreach have been involved in, displaying their crafts at a local Craft Fayre. Young people displayed Christmas cards, decorative logs and stained glass creations.

 
Gortahorc mural 

New FETAC/NCVA Modules at Foundation Level

Language modules at Foundation and Level 1 are now available to Foundation centres, in addition there is a new module at Level 1, Cultural Studies, which has been designed to complement the Level 1 Language module. The NCVA Support Service are currently planning support for tutors delivering these modules, the format of which will be decided upon, following feedback from centres.

The Language Modules are generic modules, which cover a range of languages.

Further information is available from the FETAC Support Service.