Remarks on the Occasion of the 21st Anniversary of Ballymun Youthreach
Dublin, 1st March 2012
Youthreach learners, Ladies and Gentlemen, dia dhaoibh a chairde. Tá an-áthas orm bheith linn tráthnóna. Míle bhuíochas as an chuireadh.
My thanks to you all for that warm welcome and to Jacqui Caulfield, Coordinator for inviting me to be here with you in Ballymun this evening to celebrate the
21st anniversary of Ballymun Youthreach Centre.
I wish also to take this opportunity to wish Dr Dermot Stokes, who is with us this evening, a happy and fulfilling retirement, after 23 years as National Co-ordinator of Youthreach. Dr Stokes has made a very valuable and significant contribution
to both the initial development and subsequent progress of the Youthreach programme. I want to sincerely thank him for his wonderful commitment
and contribution to Youthreach through those years.
Every one of us, every human person, is born with potential. When it is harnessed, unlocked, it serves to build confident, capable, participating, fulfilled citizens - good class mates, good colleagues, good neighbours, good leaders. When it is not discovered, permitted to flow for whatever reason, it so often results in lives only half-lived, half-fulfilled, missed opportunity, frustrationand withdrawal.
We are all aware of the critical influence that a person’s early educational experience exerts on life chances. When school days are used well you will be well rewarded but if those days and years are wasted the effects can last a lifetime unless, that is, we find a way back onto that path to second chance education and training.
Youthreach provides that path and there are several thousands of young people who benefit from the Youthreach programme nationally. But this is as it should be, for more than 700 young people each year do not transfer from primary to second level; more than 3% of students leave school with no qualifications and over 15% of students leave with a Junior cert only. Early school leaving, we know, so often translates into unemployment – the rate is close to fifty percent (47.5%) for those with no qualifications and in sharp contrast, less than ten percent (9.6%) for those with a Leaving Certificate.
Youthreach, as an integral part of the national programme of second-chance education and training and a central part of the Government’s contribution to achieving a lifelong serving society, has much to offer our youth. The evidence of that is to be found in this room and in many other centres.
Over the last 21 years Ballymun Youthreach has grown from modest beginnings to the fantastic facility it is today. Originally catering for 25 learners in another building the number has increased more than two-fold (66), I understand, in its current premises. Evidence indeed of the relevance of Youthreach to the young people in this area and to the manner in which programmes are delivered by its committed and dedicated staff - staff who provide a supportive and encouraging environment for all learners at a significant and sometimes difficult time in their lives. Mol an óige agus tiocfaidh sí, this old Irish saying puts it well.
I congratulate each of you who have helped to create and sustain the successful Centre that is here today. This community of Ballymun is fortunate because it has people such as you who are intent on making a better life for this community and are willing to put in the work to make it happen.
To the learners, the participants on the programmes, I congratulate each of you for the journey you have taken culminating in the presentation of your certificate here this evening. I commend you for your commitment and your hard work. This is an important achievement in your lives, for which you can rightly feel proud and I hope build on in the years ahead.
For me as President, today’s presentation and this place represents another of the success stories that I am witnessing from all over our island and that demonstrates the great capacity of our people at local level to transcend difficulties - at a time when our present difficulties are extremely challenging in Ireland - to realise together the wonderful possibilities that I believe await us in the years ahead.
I hope that you will encourage others in the community to continue with or return to education as you are well placed to offer advice to other young members of your community. Your achievements will instil in others the expectation that they too can participate; that they too can return to education and succeed.
To each of you, I wish you every success on whatever path you choose to follow from here on, and I am confident that the skills and knowledge that you have gained will be a stepping-stone to even greater achievements in the future.
In conclusion, I wish to thank the CEO of City of Dublin VEC, Jacinta Stewart and all her staff for their commitment to and support of the Youthreach programme across Dublin city. I also wish to thank the Management, Staff, Learners and the entire Ballymun community and to say it has been a privilege to join with you in your celebrations here this evening.
Is iontach an obair atá ar siúl agaibh anseo. Go n-éirí go geal libh agus go raibh maith agaibh go léir.