| Press release 5 May 2009 Curran urges secondary school students to get involved in community work At Government Buildings today, John Curran TD, Minister of State with responsibility for the National Drugs Strategy, Community Affairs and Integration, launched the Localise Schools Action Pack, a guide developed by Peace Corps Localise for secondary schools to implement Ireland’s first Community Service Learning Schools Programme. Aimed at C.S.P.E. classes and transition year students, the programme connects classroom learning with meaningful work in the community and involves students in hands-on community work in their own local areas. Peace Corps Localise receives funding from the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Barry Andrews TD, and has been piloted in a number of secondary schools in Dublin. Students can participate in different forms of community work, such as volunteering in local nursing homes, fundraising and visiting local hospitals or painting and decorating day care centres. One of the strengths of the initiative is that students are involved from start to finish; they identify needs within their own communities, plan projects to meet those needs, carry out the hands-on work and then evaluate the results of that work. Speaking at the launch, Minister Curran said: “I hope that this initiative takes off on a national level. I have seen at first hand some excellent work done through a pilot of the programme in my own community, where students carried out a variety of projects, including visiting the sick and elderly, maintenance works on the grounds of the local church and raising money for charity. “The programme benefits everybody involved. Students gain real work experience and become involved in their own community. They become aware of things that could be done to improve the community for all residents and they are given the opportunity to see that by their decisions and actions, they can have a huge positive impact on the lives of those around them. I am sure that for many of the students involved, the experience of this programme will inspire them to continue with community involvement or voluntary activity later in life. I applaud the efforts of students who have already taken part in the Community Service Learning Schools Programme, and urge schools around the country to make use of the action pack and make a real difference to their local communities.” Photograph available from the Press Office, 01 6473130 / eolas@pobail.ie. For more information on the Localise Community Service Learning Programme, please contact info@localise.ie or visit www.localise.ie |