Your chance to give something back to community
Catriona guerin Project Co Ordinator Clonmel Community Youth Project, neil Halligan Project Worker, Clonmel Youth Diversion Project, josephine O Connor Project Co Ordinator clonmel Youth Diversion Project
if you have ever thought that you might like to offer something back to the community you live in; if you find your days are less busy than ever before; if you would like to get experience working with younger people, then an event which takes place tonight (February 16) in Clonmel, might just be the thing that you are looking for.
A volunteer information evening will be held in the youth and community centre, located in Wilderness Grove, as two projects that do wonderful work with young people seek new volunteers to join them.
The Clonmel Community Youth Project (CCYP) and the Clonmel Youth Diversion Project (CYDP), both based at the community centre are commencing a volunteer recruitment drive and are hoping that as many people as possible will come along tonight to the information night where they will find out all they need to know. And with funding cuts implemented across the board, both projects need the community’s help to continue the services they offer to the highest standard.
The CCYP, which has been running in Clonmel since 1989, works with young people aged from 10-21 years with the aim of promoting positive personal, social, spiritual and educational development of young people, according to project co-ordinator Catriona Guerin.
“We work with young people in the Wilderness and also in Elm Park, and we encourage them to engage in projects that we do that are educational and positive in many ways.
“We want to help them to take greater control in their lives by empowering them to make active choices and decisions.” The CCYP does this in a myriad of ways, through group work and one-to-one support work as well as through essential programmes including: drugs awareness, personal development, sex education, bullying and crime awareness. Activity-based programmes such as drama, cookery, arts and crafts, hiking and nature walks also feature.
“Both projects the CCYP and the Diversion project work on the needs of young people and aim to create opportunities for them.
The CYDP, the second community project, helps young people move away from a behaviour or a way of life that might get them into trouble, according to Neil Halligan, who is a youth justice worker with CYDP.
“The project helps people to develop a sense of community and develop social skills through various activities with opportunities for education, employment and training,” he said.
There is a referral process in place for the CYDP, the programme is voluntary and it is all about providing options for young people to get involved in a positive activity or an educational programme that they may not have considered before.
Both projects, being community-based, want to open up their doors to the community and get people actively involved. It can offer people a great deal, according to Catriona.
“We would love to tap into the community around us and bring the diversity and dynamism from there into the projects. Local people really know an area and what young people need,” said Catriona.
“Everyone has unique qualities and skills, people do not need any qualifications but if they have them that would be great too.” “Anyone who wants to work with young people, who values young people, and motivated by young people, then we would love to see them, and as Catriona said, if they have skills that would be great,” added Neil.
“We need volunteers on an ongoing basis and because they are community-based projects, they work better with volunteers,” he said.
“Volunteering is really rewarding work,” said Catriona. “When you work with young people, you always gain something, and no day is ever the same.” The open volunteer information night will take place tonight, February 16, from 7.30-9pm and individual meetings with the projects co-ordinators will take place subsequently. You must be aged 18 and over, and must undertake a seven week volunteer induction training course as well as child protection training.
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Weather for Clonmel
Saturday 19 May 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 5 C to 11 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 6 C to 15 C
Wind Speed: 6 mph
Wind direction: South
