A digital hub designed to give young people access to technology and online activities that would include everything from entertainment, music production, setting up in business and creating their own apps, has been put forward as a pilot project proposition for Ballina that could then be rolled out in towns across Mayo - by the youth organisation Foróige.
In a presentation to Ballina MD this week, Megan Depinna, Youth Officer with the Tomar Digital Youth Work Programme and her colleague Ruairi Kelly, outlined to members at the meeting held in the Foróige headquarters on Pearse St, that Ballina would be a pilot and the first such digital hub in Mayo, where the main focus would be to ensure all youth can access technology and avail of learning and training in the evolving digital world. To realise the dream, a dedicated space in the town would be needed, such as the Military Barracks, where plans were already afoot to develop an enterprise centre, she said.
She told Ballina MD members: "We want a young person to walk in and be inspired, and to see potential and think, what if I too can create my own virtual world. This is all about hands-on and doing; moving from Lego to Lego Robotics. With virtual headsets - we already have young people out on the islands connecting with other Foróige members on the mainland. We have a range of programmes ready to run - such as Go Level Up, introducing young people to podcasting, animation, and learning by doing - in a safe way; there are also programmes on songwriting, creating music - through the SoundSurfers programme for 13-18 year-olds, which covers sound engineering, content creation, storytelling, recording and editing audio - and so much more."
Ballina MD members congratulated both Megan Depinna and Ruairi Kelly on the 'high-energy' and 'excellent presentation' and welcomed all the potential and possibilities highlighted, with Cllr Mark Duffy saying it presented a great opportunity for Ballina and North Mayo through Foróige, which already runs 'a number of brilliant outreach programmes' in the area. (More details inside ).
