Tourism, hospitality, and sport management students at Athlone Institute of Technology (AIT ) have raised €2,000 for Console, the national suicide charity, and for the Autism Spectrum Disorder units in Mullingar Educate Together NS.
The students raised the money through planning, organising, and executing an event, entitled Zorb Olympics, which is an integral part of the event management module in their degree programmes.
The AIT students presented the cheques to Sorcha Fenton on behalf of Róisín Nic Tighearnáin, Mullingar Educate Together, and to Gerard Tiernan from Console, the national suicide charity at a presentation ceremony in the institute.
AIT lecturer Dymphna Scanlon, said: “Organising the event develops the students by equipping them with the appropriate knowledge, understanding, and professional management skills necessary to be successful in the exciting and vibrant events industry.”
Console was established in 2002 by Paul Kelly after he had experienced the grief of losing a loved one by suicide. Through his loss, Mr Kelly recognised a need for a dedicated suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention service here in Ireland.
Mullingar Educate Together NS was established by a group of parents in 2004 and has five dedicated Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD ) units.
The AIT students are in the final year of the BBus (Hons ) in Tourism and Hospitality Management and BBus (Hons ) in Management in Tourism and Sport courses.
