This article is from page 22 of the 2011-01-18 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 22 JPG
GRANTS from County Clare Vocational Education Committee to youth clubs across the county are estimated to benefit some 2,184 young people along with almost 540 adult volunteers.
Cheques were presented to representatives of 43 qualifying organisations in Temple Gate Hotel, Ennis. The grants form the 2010 local youth club scheme and the overall allocation is from a Department of Education & Skills annual fund.
A total of € 36,070, compared to only € 31,130 the previous year, was available for disbursement between Clare applicants. The applications are adjudicated by a sub-committee of the vocational education committee in accordance with criteria laid down by the Department of Education & Skills.
The committee’s youth officer, Seamus Bane, presided at the presentation of cheques which was also attended by Michael Corley, chairman, and Cllrs Michael Hillery, Gabriel Keating and Cathal Crowe of the grants sub-committee.
“What you do as volunteers in your communities in your work with young people is vital for the health of our society. You are all involved in a process of education, you are educators. You may not think of yourself as a teacher in the formal sense and nor do you need to. But you do help them to learn as surely as any formal classroom or exam does,” said Seamus Bane.
“You set tasks for the young people – things they may not have done before but that you believe they have the ability to carry out. Sometimes the task will stretch them and they will need a bit of extra support but in placing your faith in them you are contributing hugely to their development and their self-confidence and self-esteem,” he added.
Recipients of grants were 3D Youth Club, 4 Youth, Buzz Stop Youth Café, Carrigaholt Youth Group, Chill Zone Café, Clare Scout County, Clarecastle Scouts, Clicc Youth, Scariff; Clonlara Scout Group, Clonlara Youth Club, Cloughleigh Youth Club, Ennis; Cooraclare-Cree Youth Club, Cratloe Scout Group, CYS Activity Club, Doonbeg Youth Club, EMC Youth Group, Scariff; Ennis Scout Group and Ennis Youth Club; Fishbowl Youth, Kildysart, Kilfenora, Kilkee youth clubs, Killaloe Scout Group, Killimer-Knockerra, Kilmurry McMahon, Kilnaboy, Kilrush, Lisdoonvarna Parish, Lissycasey-Ballyncally, Loughgraney, Moy, NRG Youth, Quin, Skyview Youth Clubs, Lifeskills Youth Group, Meelick Scouts, Newmarket Scouts, Riverside Café, Shannon Music and Arts Project, Shannon Scout Group, Sixmilebridge Scouts, The Hub and Youth Space Ennis.