Limerick groups who champion youth support projects win big at national awards
Two projects won groups awards at national ceremony, which took place for the second year
SOME Limerick groups have celebrated big wins at the annual Tusla Child and Youth Participation Awards.
Limerick schools and groups were honoured at the national awards ceremony for two projects, which are going "from strength to strength" since their inception.
One of those projects was ‘The Buddy Reading Programme’, which was developed as a Tusla seed funding project in 2020, in response to Covid-19. It is currently facilitated in four schools in Limerick city, coordinated by two school completion projects, STEPS and SSTAY.
The initial programme had two key objectives: Support and encourage primary school children with their reading and social development and provide opportunities for transition year students to participate in meaningful social placement and contribute to their community.
This academic year, 73 young people participated in the programme. At its core is the mentoring relationship between transition year students and students from primary schools Colaiste Mhichíl CBS, Coláiste Nano Nagle, Scoil Iosagáin CBS and Our Lady of Lourdes National School, respectively.
The second Limerick-based project that won was ‘The Gaggle Podcast’. This is produced and developed by young people of the Foroige West Limerick Youth Initiative.
To date, four episodes have been recorded and plans are in place to ensure it continues to establish a podcast that would reflect their generation and to leave a legacy and testament to their time spent at the hub.
The annual Tusla Child and Youth Participation Awards took place in the Lighthouse Cinema in Smithfield, Dublin. This is the second year of the awards.
Speaking at the ceremony, Kate Duggan, CEO of Tusla, said: “These awards really demonstrate the importance of participation, where children and young people have a voice in decisions that affect them, where they are actively listened to and where they know that what they say has an impact or can lead to change.
“Hearing the detail of some of these projects is something that really inspires me as CEO and serves as a reminder to us all why we do the work we do. On behalf of Tusla, I would like to congratulate all of those who are nominated for their excellent and innovative work.”
More than 200 young people and adults attended the awards ceremony. Tusla partners with Gaisce, the Children’s Rights Alliance, the Office of the Children’s Ombudsman, Hub na nÓg, and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration, and Youth for the awards.
Niall Muldoon, Ombudsman for Children, said: “From our point of view, children’s voices being heard is so important, and it is a crucial part of democracy. These awards today are a great way to achieve this.”
Avril Ryan, CEO of Gaisce – The President’s Award, said: “This partnership with Tusla, the Ombudsman for Children, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, and the Children’s Rights Alliance is a testament to our shared commitment to placing young people at the heart of what we do by recognising the opportunities so many organisations provide for young people to flourish and be heard.
“Congratulations to all of Child and Youth Participation Awardees who make child and youth participation a priority with exemplary, inclusive, and meaningful actions.”