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Building on solid foundations of the past in meeting the needs of young people in the future!! Youthreach Trim Quality Centre of Education September 2003 – March 2013
Building on solid foundations of the past in meeting the needs of young
people in the future!!
Youthreach Trim
Quality Centre of Education
September 2003 – March 2013
Presentation Outline
Introduce the panelOverview of CentrePresentations by staff and studentsRound upQuestions and Answers
Where to find us in Ireland?
Our Capital:
Dublin City
Our Capital:
Dublin City
Youthreach Trim is located in Trim, County
Meath
Youthreach Trim is located in Trim, County
Meath
Ireland is divided in 4 provinces with 32
counties in total.
YOUTHREACH TRIMQUALITY CENTRE OF EDUCATION
MS. LIZ LAVERYFORMER CENTRE CO-ORDINATOR / COUNTY CO-ORDINATOR FOR YOUTHREACH SERVICES COUNTY MEATH VEC - IRELAND
Our Centre Overview
What is a Youthreach Centre?
It is a second chance full time Irish education programme for early school leavers aged between 15-20 years old.
With little or no previous qualifications. It is funded by the Irish Government.Our centre has 33 places. Our students can be referred by schools,
outside agencies and supports systems, and by parents.
Our Students- Typical Characteristics
Little or no previous qualifications.History of failed subjects and achievement.No or lack of support from home.High absenteeism rates in mainstream school.Suspended/ Expelled/ ‘Encouraged to leave’Learning and or personal difficulties.Non-conformity to the mainstream system.Use of the 7 Deadly Habits.Square Hole Round Peg Scenario.
Support services and agencies
The following is a list of outside supports and agencies which the centre link in with in order to support our young people: oS.M.A.R.T. (South Meath Area Response to Teenagers)oEducation Welfare Officer (EWO)oProbation Services oSocial Welfare ServiceoLocal Psychologists, Counsellors and PsychotherapistsoChild and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) oYouth Advocate Programme (YAP)oGardaíoSchools oLocal GPs
Youthreach: Facts & Figures
Detentions + Suspensions+ Expulsions = 0Centre Places: 33 LearnersBreakdown:
Boys Girls60% 40%
Age Group:15-16yrs 17-18+ yrs 70% 30%
Declared as Ireland’s First Quality Centre of Education in March 2010
Declaration Day: March 2010
Youthreach Trim very proudly declared itself as ‘Ireland’s First Quality Centre of Education’ in
March 2010.
Former Centre Co-ordinator Ms. Liz Lavery is pictured with both staff and students signing the official Dr. William Glasser document which declared Youthreach Trim as Ireland’s first ‘Quality Centre of Education’
Our Staff Changes
Ms. Liz Lavery (Former Centre Co-ordinator
and Founder of Youthreach Trim Quality
Centre of Education) was recently appointed
as the new County Co-ordinator for
County Meath VEC.
Mr. Brendan Pillion is the new appointed
Acting Co-ordinator of Youthreach in Trim.
Our Staff Team
4 full time staff members and 6 part-time staff
members and 1 trainee teacher on placement
Caitriona Cullen & Kate Geoghegan Resource
Officers (Choice Theory – Certification -July 2011)
Mary Hibbits & Brendan Pillion
(Currently Completing Basic Practicum)
All staff – Basic week done
OUR QUALITY SCHOOL / CENTRE
APPROACH
Youthreach Trim
Why choose Youthreach Trim
Students choose to come to YRT because mainstream school does not meet their personal / academic needs.
They may have become ‘lost’ and ‘disconnected’ from their subject areas and indeed teachers.
They may have needed a different learning environment which meets their needs e.g. practical subjects with hands on experience, project based learning, work experience placement opportunities, a small learning environment, more 1 to 1 supports etc.
What students have chosen:
Morning meetings to discuss daily activities with the students. This is used as an open forum for students and staff to discuss centre issues and make choices.
Informal non school environment – No Miss or Sir. First name basis at all times.
Choice theory language used at all times.Students actively encouraged to self reflect and
evaluate on a daily basis.An environment where they are cared for and
feel happy in.
No Code of Discipline:
Three Rules include;
1.Fire – You must leave the building2.Banned Substances – Strictly prohibited3.Assault - You are not allowed to assault
anyone
Everything else is negotiable!!!
Students take active role:
Volunteering to get involved in days like todayRepresenting their student body at board of
management meetingsRepresenting their centre at county level for
planning the Spraoi na Mi show.Past student returning to help out in centre events
ESSE project January 2013Choosing their own subjects, trips and
programmesChoosing their own future path in life Peer Counselling Programme
The Mediation Process
How we use mediation?
If an incident does arise the centre lead managementteam will engage in the process of mediation and it is usually around the following areas;
Between a student and a tutor e.g. difficulties in class
Between a student and another student e.g. personal clashed on opinions or mistaken information
Between a student and a parent e.g. where perhaps a relationship has broken down and non-judgemental support is required.
OUR KEYS TO SUCCESS
Youthreach Trim
Our Interview Experience
=
We are all equal
Relationships
Fun Friendship Freedom
A YOUTHREACH LEARNING SPACE TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD!!
MS. MARY HIBBITS / CAITRIONA CULLEN RESOURCE OFFICERS
Youthreach Trim
A Quality Learning Approach
Timetabling using the QS model
1. Academics in the morning and choices in the afternoon
2. Specialism weeks: Asking the students what else they would like to do
1. Academics in the morning and choices in the afternoon
2. Specialism weeks: Asking the students what else they would like to do
HOW WE APPROACH LEARNING – THROUGH CREATING GENUINE QUALITY LEARNING
EXPERIENCES??
Project Based Learning
WORK EXPERIENCE PLACEMENT PROGRAMME2013
MS. CAITRIONA CULLEN
RESOURCE OFFICER
Trim Youthreach
Why do Work Experience??
Learners currently complete a one day a week work experience placement in an area of their choice. Our Work Experience Co-ordinator is on hand everyday to encourage and support our learners to find and maintain a placement.
Work Experience is seen as an essential element of our programmes;
It gives learners the opportunity to sample different areas of work and is a taster for real life opportunities. It gives learners the opportunity to possibly discover hidden talents. It helps our learners to develop links with the outside real world work community. It helps to build a learner’s confidence and self esteem. It fosters a climate of maturity and responsibility in finding and maintaining their chosen placement. It encourages the learner to take ownership and responsibility in deciding their future life choices.
Our Work Experience Programme
Types of Work Experience Placements 2013
Barbers Shop Assistants Crèches Pet StoresLeisure Link / Gym Hairdressers Local Hotels Car Mechanics Equestrian Centre Butchers Local IT Software Company
A Staff Story: Stephanie
Ms. Stephanie Cogavin – Trainee Teacher on Teaching Practice
Placement
Stephanie has spent 1 month on teaching
practice in our centre – March 2013. She teaches
Home Economics.
Who am I and why am I here??
Bachelor of Education - Home Economics & Economics
4 year course – St. Angela's College, Sligo, Ireland. Which is course for trainee teachers.
Requirements – 5 Teaching Practice Placements; 1 of which I choose to do in Youthreach Trim
My experience of Youthreach
My experience has demonstrated the need to reform people’s perceptions of Youthreach
Opportunity RelationshipsThe Glasser ModelSkillsFriends
Past Student Involvement
Our Current Students:
A student’s perspective: Megan
My Quality World Story
What Youthreach means to
me??
Student Feedback & Evaluation
Students were recently asked what they liked about Youthreach and the following is what was said; ( County Survey February 2013) You develop a relationship with staff and you have real conversations with them. Everyone is treated equally. Family environment. I feel like I am cared for, listened to, supported and encouraged now. People ask me am I ok now too? Classes are smaller and easier to manage. You don’t have to call teachers sir or miss. I feel like I am respected now – treated like an adult and everything in now my own choosing. You are asked and not made do anything. You develop a relationship with staff and you have real conversations with them. You actually want to do your work. You get to experience more things. The smaller group size means I get more 1 to 1 help. It feels more like a home than school. I do feel like I am cared for here and I can turn to people for help. It is not as stressful and a more calming atmosphere. Your work is more manageable and not as stressful. I get to try more things here than I did in school. I have made friends here and I never thought I would.
‘CHANGE IS A JOURNEY NOT A BLUEPRINT’ –
(FULLAN,1993:24)
Where do we go from here……
Ms. Caitriona CullenResource Officer
What the future holds?
Like so many other wonderful schools and centres like ours – we are work in progress.
Constantly striving to reinforce what we have achieved to date and use this to reach our students of the future.
Be true to ourselves….and remember everything is negotiable!!
Our Wonderful Students
Where to find us?
OR
www.meathvec.ie
Contact Us
Ms. Elizabeth Lavery [email protected]. Brendan Pillion [email protected] Ms. Caitriona Cullen [email protected]. Mary Hibbits [email protected]. Kate Geoghegan [email protected]
Address: Youthreach Trim Quality Centre of EducationOld Vocational SchoolNew Haggard RoadTrimCo. MeathIreland
Phone: 046-9461203Fax: 046-9437465
CLOSING STATEMENT & THANK YOU
Youthreach Trim Quality Centre of Education 2013
Ms. Liz Lavery Former Centre Co-ordinator / Principal &
County Co-ordinator for Youthreach Services - County Meath VEC - Ireland
