Transition Year students from across the city convened a meeting of TY students this week in a bid to encourage them to join a campaign to raise public awareness of the threat to the Children At Risk Programme at the Fr McGrath Centre.
Rachael Hoyne and Sarah Hennessy of the Loreto school represented the Transition Year class and they met with members of TY classes from other schools across the county to inform them of their plans to try and save the centre’s childrens’ programmes.
Many of the second level students have been involved as tutors with the 'From Three -To University' programme for children falling behind in school, which is now at risk of being scrapped as a result of the withdrawal of State funding. The programme is helping children to keep up and improve at school.
“All of the students in our TY class are tutors for the children who come to do their homework after school. The childrens’ faces light up when we come in and they get out their homework and we get started. They also get a meal there and they can play when they are finished their work — it is such a beneficial programme for these children,” said Rachael.
The students are seeking to highlight the impact the scrapping of the Children at Risk Programme will have on the young people involved.
The TY students have organised a petition and they will be at the Town Hall on Februrary 11, next in a bid to get signiatures from the public to support their cause.
We want to get at least 1,000 signiatures and then we will present the petition to the minister. We have already met with members of the Oireachtas including MInister Barry Andrews, and local TDs John McGuinness, Bobby Aylward and Phil Hogan. They were very positive about our cause and we are hoping that these influential politicians will be able to help this very important cause,” said Sarah Hennessy also of Loreto TY.
“Our class feels very strongly about this situation and we hope that we can make a difference by bringing this petition to the people in authority,” she added.
The students will also be selling raffle tickets at the Town Hall with all proceeds going to the Fr Mc Grath Centre. They thanked the local businesses who have come forward and offered great prizes for the fundraiser.
