Tag Archives: Clare Youth Service

CLARE Youth Service recently hosted its first online information session for parents/guardians on the topic of LGBTI+ awareness. The event was run in conjunction with GOSHH (Gender, Orientation, Sexual Health, HIV) and, in response to demand, there will be an additional session on November 3. Brian McManus of CYS said the level of enquiries and social media sharing about the first session led to the organisation of an additional event. “Feedback from participants indicated that the information and format along with the friendly and non-judgemental style of facilitation had been much appreciated by participants,” said Brian. “One parent indicated that they felt relieved after attending the session, realising that other parents had experienced similar feelings and reactions. Another felt it clarified terms that they had heard used by their teenager and their friends.” The presentation included topics such as terminology associated with the LGBTI+ community, background information on issues and challenges for young LGBTI+ people, how to support a young …

MORE hands are needed to help Clare Youth Service pack shoeboxes in their efforts to contribute to Team Hope’s shoebox appeal that assists vulnerable young people in Africa and Eastern Europe this Christmas. The shoeboxes will be filled with items for personal use such as toothbrushes and toothpaste, soap and hairbrushes as well clothing items such as socks, gloves and hats. Boxes will be specifically designed for different age groups. The young people will be putting the shoeboxes together on Friday, October 29 at 2pm in the Ennis Youth Centre on Carmody Street. If you can lend a hand to help wrap some shoeboxes, get in contact with youth worker Jorien on 085 804 1633 or csprojects@clareyouthservice.org. and help spread the joy.

FOR many years, Clare Youth Service has been using the ‘Natural Highs’ approach to promote positive mental health and self-esteem through exercise and outdoor activity. Now, the Drugs Education and Prevention Project (DEPP) at CYS has teamed up with Ezra Zane Fitness to provide beginner calisthenics programmes for young people in Ennis. An integral part of the DEPP is to promote healthier lifestyle choices and provide young people with the opportunity to engage in physical exercise. Calisthenics is a form of bodyweight resistance training that focuses on strength, balance and flexibility and it is the most recent addition to the activities on offer at CYS. A new programme will start on October 21 and Eve Wood Hennessy of Clare Youth Service is encouraging young people to give it a try. “Ezra will works closely with a group of young people and youth workers, teaching them the basics of calisthenics,” said Eve. “Throughout the programme, the group will practice fundamental movement …

A HANDBALL alley in West Clare might not seem like the obvious place to showcase artistic talent, however this weekend at Querrin Pier the local sports facility will play host to a visual workshop for teenagers. The workshop with artist Ruth Wood is just one of many events taking place in the county as part of this year’s Call & Response youth music and arts festival presented by Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board’s Local Creative Youth Partnership. The festival, which kicks off on Culture Night in Clare, will bring a host of free creative events to the young people of the county including the launch of a new pilot theatre project in Kilkee. Monica Spencer, Creative Youth Partnership Co-ordinator with the Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board tells us that Call & Response is all about encouraging and engaging youth voices. “The name of the festival came from the call and response term in music, but really …

CLARE Youth Service is offering young people the opportunity to put the best face on things with its new online course. The service in conjunction with the Creative Youth Partnership, is offering a new online make-up course for young people aged 15-17, starting Tuesday, September 14 and running for six weeks. This is an opportunity for young people who might be interested in make-up artistry as a career to gain some experience and meet some new people. Through Zoom, young people will meet a qualified LCETB make-up tutor, who will take them through a different aspect of make-up application and skin care each week. This is also a chance to take part in the wide range of online activities which Clare Youth Service has been offering. Young People will log on through Zoom, with permission from an adult/parent, starting Tuesday at 6pm until 7.30pm. Each young person will be given a pack in advance to ensure they have all they …

CLARE Youth Service launched QQI Level 4 Creative Media Technology Awards this week during their virtual annual Awards Ceremony. Leaving Certificate Applied Learners were also awarded on the successful completion of the programme. After almost two years of blended learning and a challenging learning environment for all young people, 20 new graduates celebrated their achievements and resilience which were recognised at the virtual awards ceremony. This has been a unique journey as each of the graduates were compelled to spend many hours on screens in their homes due to the pandemic. However, they persevered to complete their programme, and this perseverance was lauded by Edel McDonough, Manager of the Community Training Centre who thanked all staff and learners for their hard work and creativity throughout the past two years, “This certification both in Creative Media Technology and Leaving Cert Applied opens up exciting pathways into the future for each young person and this celebration marks the end of a journey …

CLARE Youth Service are helping to smooth the move to secondary school for sixth class pupils. CYS are offering a new transition to first year programme for students in schools across Shannon and Ennis. The aim of the programme is to address many of the concerns and issues experienced by those making the move to secondary school.  There are limited spaces available. “This programmes aims to provide a safe space for the young people to have fun and explore the changes that lie ahead of their move to secondary school.  The programme covers things such as hopes and fears for the coming year, reading timetables, taking notes and good sleep habits among other things. There is also an emphasis on tips for minding our minds and our wellbeing,” explains a spokesperson for CYS. The young people taking part will also get to sample a selection of Clare Youth Service activities such as the very creative Scribble Bots! The programme runs …

CLARE Youth Service has been at the forefront of responding to the challenges faced by young people as a result of the onset of Covid-19. Now its efforts and those of its summer camp leaders has resulted in their winning the online Covid Community Responder award at this week’s Creative Techfest. With the changed environment last spring, CYS moved rapidly to ensure accessibility of its services for young people across a variety of new platforms but one of the greatest challenges was how to ensure the continuation of the long-established summer camps which have achieved such a significant place in the lives of local young people.   Working with Techspace’s Leigha Dugdale, a group of young people came together to create an online experience for young people in the absence of a traditional in-person summer camp experience. Learning new skills in online journalism and training techniques, they worked with CYS youth workers to create instructional videos, songs and activities to recreate the summer camp …