Over 50 Derry secondary school students achieve OCN success

Over fifty pupils from St Cecilia’s College in Derry received awards at a special prize giving ceremony last week as part of the Bogside & Brandywell Health Forum’s OCN accredited programmes. 

Training and Development Worker from the Health Forum, Orlath Robson, said that the prize giving event was a ‘fantastic opportunity’ to recognise the girls’ achievement and celebrate their success at the time when many of them have just completed their school exams. 

Pupils from the college successfully completed their OCN programmes: Level 1 qualification in ‘Healthy Living,’ as well as Entry Level 3 qualifications in Personal Success & Well-being.

Orlagh said: “All the qualifications focussed on the girls’ wellbeing and lifestyles, looking at things like nutrition, mental health, exercise, and importantly, how all of these aspects combined can feed into a healthier lifestyle and improve their mental health

“We have a long established partnership with St Cecilia’s College, working closely with the school staff to provide health and well- being programmes in the form of recognised qualifications that are a response both to the needs of the school and the local community.

“Particularly after Covid-19, we’ve seen the need to establish greater resilience and educate people about their mental health and that we are also trying to implement the approach of how to help a friend, which we feel is very important for young people.”

Kevin O’Connor, a senior teacher at St Cecilia’s College said that as a school, they were ‘very proud’ of the community partnership that exists with the Bogside & Brandywell Health Forum and the Open College Network (OCN).

The Mayor, Patricia Logue and Danny Quigley presenting OCN Certificates to students from Class 8511 at St. Cecilia’s College. Included in photo are Karen Wilson, Yvonne Morgan, Orlagh Robson, BBHF and Maoliosa McCabe, St. Cecilia’s College.

Mr O’Connor also said that: “We are offering our girls additional qualifications and experiences through BBHF and OCN and the girls are really benefitting from it.

“We are a proud community school where we celebrate the success of each and every one of our girls and as our motto says ‘Aspire, Endeavour, Achieve,’ and that is the aspiration for have for each of our girls.”

The Mayor, Patricia Logue and Danny Quigley presenting OCN Certificates to students from Class 8514 at St. Cecilia’s College. Included in photo are from left, Aileen McGuinness, Yvonne Morgan, BBHF, Mr. Lafferty, Mr. Kevin O’Connor, St. Cecilia’s, Orlagh Robson, Karen Wilson, BBHF and Mrs. Mary Jo Carolan, Principal, St. Cecilia’s College. (Photos: Jim McCafferty Photography)

The Bogside & Brandywell Health Forum offer a range of OCN accredited qualifications for both schools and community groups.