Galway City Comhairle na nÓg is a youth council for young people aged 12 to 18 living or attending school in Galway city. Each year at the youth council’s AGM more than 100 young people from across the city attend and vote on an issue that is important to young people.
As a result of the 2016 AGM, the issue the youth council worked on in 2017 was Mental Health and Education. The youth council held a positive mental health event in May in the Institute for Life Course and Society, NUIG. At the event students from the city schools got the opportunity to participate in music workshops, laughter yoga, and art workshops, as well as hearing from guest speaker Ginalee Healy on how to deal with anxiety.
This year the committee also wrote, directed, and filmed a short film on mental health and where to look for support. The film was launched at the event in May.
In October the youth council facilitated workshops with the second year professional masters in education students in NUIG on how both students and teachers can deal with stress in the classroom.
Also in October, the youth council held its AGM to decide on the 2018 issue to work on. Two issues emerged — homelessness and discrimination. The council will link with relevant decision makers locally and nationally to work on these issues.
Last week the council attended Dáil na nÓg in Dublin and met with the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Katherine Zappone, and informed her of the topics they will be working on in 2018. For more information, contact Deirdre Bermingham, Youth Work Ireland Galway, 41-43 Prospect Hill, Galway, or email [email protected].
