Aim: To achieve better outcomes for early school leavers.
Target group: Early School Leavers aged 16 +
Proposed outcomes:
The development of a co-ordinated tracking system whereby young people are identified at the earliest opportunity within the school system or as soon as is practicable after leaving school, to offer support, guidance and a mentoring service to the young person, in order that they can be encouraged to return to school, seek alternative educational opportunities or enter employment.
Stakeholders involved:
- Community and Enterprise, South Tipperary County Council
- Community Youth Training Enterprise, Clonmel
- Education Welfare Officer, NEWB
- School Completion Programmes, Clonmel and Tipperary Town
- South Tipperary Development Company
- Spafield Family Resource Centre, Cashel
- Tipperary Education and Training Board
- Tipperary Regional Youth Service
- Waterford & South Tipperary Community Youth Service
- Youthreach, Cappawhite
Funds/resources committed:
Currently no direct funding committed, although funding committed by agencies directly into programmes.
What is the current position?
The identification and tracking of ESLs has been undertaken by STDC
Disengaged young people are being engaged on alternative training programmes e.g. Work Winner, TRYS
Study Visit in Dec. 2013, through Léargas, re: European models engaging with ESLs
Information booklet/directory of services developed by STDC for ESL’s and their families
What are your Issues/Opportunities?
Issues:
- Many supports within schools are reduced or gone so it is likely there will be greater numbers leaving early.
- The number of places in organisations such as Youthreach and CYTE are limited.
- The lack of one national agency or government department to take responsibility for early school leaving for young people over the age of sixteen.
- Nationally, the lack of a formal tracking mechanism for young people who leave school before completion of the Senior Cycle.
Additional Youth Updates:
TRYS Music Programme, funded by STDC and STCC has been completed and TRYS and the members of the Tipperary Music Education Partnership are working on developing a plan to fund and extend this project.
Application for Music Generation submitted in Nov 2013 for county-wide music provision however it was unsuccessful
Comhairle AGM held in Nov 2013, new youth committee elected for County Tipperary see https://www.facebook.com/TipperaryComhairle for further Comhairle updates
As part of the County Councils Green & Blue Interreg project work has commenced on connecting young people into the River Suir and the Connecting youth group have had several discussion on how the River Suir can be used as a tool for engaging young people in particular hard to reach young people. The Interreg project has funded a participation project with the young people from the WSTCYS diversion project in Clonmel which included workshops on photography & Biodiversity, kayaking and stone carving. As part of the work in relation to Green and Blue the Connecting youth group are going to work with the Inland Fisheries Board with a view to establishing a youth angling hub in South Tipperary.
For Further details contact
Lisa Kavanagh
Youth Officer
Tipperary Education and Training Board
Western Road
Clonmel
Co. Tipperary
052-6134347
086-8263157
