ECHO ISSUE 7

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Issue 7: September 2009

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In this edition of ECHO you can find out about all the new groups and activities happening in the YIC and Loft LK this Autumn. We also take a look back at what was a busy Summer 2009, as well as hearing from our new EVS volunteers Aigi and Giuilia.

Enjoy!

Martin Keeney

Youth Information Officer

N I Y T PAR K R A P THE

THE T A K C A B OOK L A E K A T WE AR E Y E H T F O ENT V E C I Y T S BIGGE ft News o L & C I Y e ic rv e olunteer S ing Up? m o C ’s News European V t a h W p Speak U Newsletter7-martyedit.indd 1

18/09/2009 16:19:34

YIC & LOFT NEWS THESE PESKY KIDS ALBUM LAUNCH

Pesky Kids, The IYMAs Volumne 2 Monaghan” is a double CD, featuring young musicians aged between 12 and 19 from all over Ireland.

Monaghan received the Irish Youth Music Award for 2009, following Donegal’s victory in 2008. Last year’s Donegal representatives Dear Science feature on the new album, which is being released on 16th October, on Garage Records, through All Media Entertainment Distribution, Cat No GR001. Pre order your copy now to help this Donegal band enjoy chart success.

NEW PROGRAMMES AT YIC & LOFT

The Youth Information Centre and Loft LK are currently recruiting for new programmes for the Autumn period.

Maybe you would like to join our youth media group or new Amnesty International Group or perhaps art or drama is your thing just talk to a member of staff now to get involved. See the back page of ECHO for full details on all new programmes.

BREAKOUT SET FOR PEER EDUCATION PROJECT

Breakout is a Drop-in Service for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgender young people aged 14-18. The group are currently set to begin a peer education project where they will be producing a educational LGBT awareness resource pack for schools and other youth groups in Donegal.

Young people from all over Donegal are welcome to take part.

For more information text or call 085-7411607 or email lgbt@donegalyouthservice.ie. Confidentiality is assured.

YIC WELCOMES NEW EVS VOLUNTEERS

Letterkenny Youth Information Centre have recently welcomed our new EVS volunteers to the project. Aigi Kalvik from Estonia and Giulia Dematte from Italy joined the project in July and will be with us until next April.

Giulia is based in the Youth Information Centre, while Aigi is an outreach worker in Planet Youth in Ballybofey. If you would like to know more about EVS ask a member of staff in the YIC now. See page 7 for interviews with our new volunteers.

YOUTH LEADERSHIP COURSE LOFT LK recently completed thier Youth Leadership course. The training course is accredited through OCN and has been running throughout the summer.

As part of the course participants also completed placements in the project so a huge thanks to all those who took part. Pictured left is the group receiving their Child Protection Training Certficates, which was facilitated by Charlene Logue of the Donegal Youth Service.

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18/09/2009 16:19:44

YIC YOUTH EXCHANGE 2009 PARTY IN THE PARK This summer a group from the Youth Information Centre travelled to Alessandria in Italy to take part in an Youth Exchange.

Dave and Emer with new friend

Dan and Dave serenading the ladies

Dan trying to keep his cool

Left Mid: David, Emer, Rachel and Dan on a nature walk Middle Right: Enjoying the different activities Bottom Left: The Irish group visit the Mayor of Alessandria Newsletter7-martyedit.indd 3

18/09/2009 16:20:16

PARTY PARTY IN IN THE THE PARK PARK Letterkenny Youth Information Centre celebrated their annual Party in the Park on August 8th, with a great day of entertainment enjoyed by all. Our EVS volunteer Giulia Dematte was our resident photographer and here we take a look at some of the best band action shots of the day.

PHOTOS Top Left: The Kids Top Middle: Dear Science Top Right: Princess Alaska Second Row Left: JDG Second Row Middle: Niall McDonagh Second Row Right: Marty Gilroy (Boy#7) Third Row Left: Lost Expectations Third Row Middle: Shauna McDaid Third Row Right: Hijacking Camels Bottom Left: Severance Bottom Middle: Flea Circus Bottom Right: Rapture

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18/09/2009 16:21:01

PARTYSUMMER IN THE PARK 2009

We take a look back at some of the activities and programmes from Summer 2009 in Loft LK.

Search & Rescue in Creggan Country Park

Junior Week Summer 2009

Junior Week at the Loft LK

Beach Party 2009

Barry gets busy in the kitchen at Cook It week

The Rock School at the Regional Cultural Centre again proved a really big hit.

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18/09/2009 16:21:23

SPEAK UP! THE CLASS OF 2009

With Leaving Cert 2009 now complete and a lot of people both moving on to college or taking on new ventures we asked a group of young people from the town how they felt that last year went and what they hoped the future had in store for them. Letterkenny Youth Information Centre offers a range of services to those doing exams such as information on courses and training opportunites, study advice, information and advice on preparing to leave home for the first time or you simply might want to have a chat about dealing with stress and long hours of study. Tel 074-912640 for more details or call into the centre at anytime during the week.

Aoife Gallagher- 18 “After my exams I can see that all it wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be, It was ok. I’m interested in Arts so I am now doing a foundation year this year in Limavady and then I want to go on to do fashion work.”

Ciara Rafferty - 19 “I’m very happy this year because I repeated and I worked a lot harder. I started earlier because last year I didn’t and now I just have to wait until august for the results. I think that repeating was a good idea because now I’m more mature. I am now going on to study psychology in Magee and go on into education.”

Mary Gallagher- 18 “I’m so glad because it is over but I kind of wish I studied more. I am really happy overall but I think I should have studied more. I am now going on to study consumers studies and food science in Coleraine.”

Joseph O’Toole - 18 “When I finished I felt great because it is something big that had a lot of anticipation leading up to it and finally when it was over everybody was happy including myself.

I feel it went very smoothly and I was happy overall. I have decided to take a year out so that I can be more sure of what I want to do as I am a little unsure at this point.”

Thomas Blockley - 18 “I was really happy when I finished my Leaving Cert and I think it was easier being my second time. Before the exams I was apprehensive about studying but once I started studying I settled down into it. I have recently started a BA in Business course in LYIT and I am looking forward to a new experience.”

Emer Clancy - 18 “I’m feeling very relieved and very excited to be finished. It’s brilliant because it was very stressful to be so worried about exams. I am now beginning an Arts course in NUI Maynooth so I am really looking forward to going to a new place and meeting new people.”

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18/09/2009 16:21:33

EUROPEAN VOLUNTEERS Why did you want to come to volunteer in Ireland?

Because I am attracted by the North and everybody told me that Ireland is a beautiful country (they were right!)… and then because I hope to learn English!

What are your first impressions of Ireland?

Bad weather, good people! Everybody always says “sorry” for everything and Irish people are more open-minded then Italians, I think.

What has been your favourite thing about here so far?

The sky, that is really beautiful, and the kindness of the people all around me.

Giulia Dematte is our new EVS volunteer. She will be working in the YIC until April next year. We asked how she was enjoying her time so far.

Tell me about yourself I come from Northern Italy (Trento) and I’m 19 years old. I finished the high school in June and I’ll attend the University next year: probably I will study art or literature. I have never worked for a youth centre before, but I organized some summer camps for children and teenagers. I love the place where I live and my friends and relatives, but I think that EVS is a good opportunity to have a new experiences, to meet new people and to visit new places, so I decided to come here as a volunteer.

Anything you don’t like?

To fill in this questionnaire in English! …and mushrooms of course!

Have you any other interests/hobbies?

I love photographs, music and art in general. I like to go out with my friends and sometimes I try to cook at home.

Anything else you would like to add?

Yes, I want to ask Mark if he wants a coffee! and I want to add that I hope that I’ll get on well with the people that come here in the centre and that I want to be useful to them!

What are your first impressions of Ireland?

Only good ones. Country is as beautiful as on postcards and i cannot wait till i see the coastline of Donegal. People have been so friendly to me since i arrived, helping, suggesting, i feel very supported. People seem to have no communication barriers here, they know how to me you feel at home:) They even got me a bike:)

Aigi Kalvik has also joined the Donegal Youth Service on a European Volunteer Service placement and will be working in Planet Youth in Ballybofey as an Assistant Youth Information Officer.

Tell me about yourself: I come from Estonia, my hometown is Tartu. This is a univesity town, where the oldest university of Estonia is. I also graduated from Tartu University.

I studied nature geography and landscape ecology. That is why i love nature and travelling, seeing different places. I like to meet people and to learn about other cultures.

Why did you want to come to Ireland?

Because I did not know much about Ireland and the life here. I had just seen pictures about beautiful nature and heard some stories from other estonians who had been here. Ireland seemed exotic and there are so many places to discover.

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What has been your favourite thing about here so far?

People here and their friendliness and support.

Also some new funny expressions i have learned .

Of course my bike and greenness around me.

Anything you don’t like?

Irish weather , which seems totally unpredictable and so cold. Cannot believe this is summer here. I am afraid what the winter is going to look like.

Have you any other interests/hobbies?

I like almost all the animals, but i just loooove cats.

I have two cats in Estonia and they are the cutest pets on the planet. I like to study languages, to go to the cinema and many other things.

Anything else you would like to add?

I am happy to be here, that i decided to do my EVS in Ireland and in Donegal. Hoping to have great 9 months of my life! Thank you for the nice welcome!

18/09/2009 16:21:36

THE LOFT AUTUMN PROGRAMME The Loft will be running numerous programmes over the coming months period.

Some of the programmes include: First Year Club Young Women’s Group The Big Art Project Holistic Health Healthy Relationships Halloween Costume making Personal Development Media Group Music Performance Group Enterprise Skills Peer Education Cookery Other courses also on offer are Study and Revision skills Cultural Diversity Drama Understanding Stress and Coping Get Active Creative Art Skills SOCIAL EVENTS 26th September – Girls’ Night In 9th October – Acoustic/Open Mic Night 6th November – Band Night 4th December – Band Night 18th December – Christmas Party WEDNESDAY NIGHTS Let’s face it, there’s nothing on TV on Wednesday so come down to the LOFT and try something new.

Fashion design, drama, keep fit, dance classes and more from 6pm to 8pm between now and Christmas.

If you’re aged 12 to 15 this is the night for you.

FORMAL Tickets going on sale soon for the annual LOFT formal soon, the one night where we get to take on John on the dance floor!

LOFT Youth Advisory Committee (LYAC) There are some vacancies on the LYAC, if you’d like to be more involved planning what’s happening at the LOFT please talk to a member of staff about joining the LYAC.

About the Loft LK The Loft LK is a Youth Project and Adolescent Health Advice Café managed in partnership between the Donegal Youth Service with funding being provided by the Health Service Executive.

Now enrolling!

Youth Health - Art - Drama - Media Skills - Personal Development - Peer Leadership - Peer Education - Young Women’s group - Much more....

Call in and see how you can get involved.

Loft LK Youth Project & Health Café 16-18 Port Road, Letterkenny, Co Donegal Phone 07491-88271 or email lkyouthcafe@yahoo.ie

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WHAT’S COMING UP? YOUTH INFORMATION CENTRE STEP FORWARD TO BUILD SELF ESTEEM This new group wants to encourage young people to be more self aware and give them the ability to identify their personal strengths and build on them and it will meet weekly on Thursday nights at 6pm until 8 pm for people between 14 and 18.

YOUTH MEDIA GROUP The Letterkenny Youth Information Centre and Loft LK are now recruiting for our new Youth Media Group, which will meet Tuesday evenings from 6-8pm beginning in late September. If you would like to try out filmmaking, radio production, print journalism or photography talk to Frankie or John now in the YIC or Loft.

YOUTH FORUM The Youth Information Centre is now recruiting for its all new Youth Forum. If you would like to have a say in what is happening in the centre talk to a Marty or Frankie now.

HEALTHY EATING/ SPORTS/ COOKING This project will be beginning shortly. Talk to Frankie if you would like to take part.

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL AND YOUTH GROUP The aim of this group is to support people who have been imprisoned because of their political views across the world. There will be particular attention paid to the plight of children from Gaza who are in prison. The group will meet monthly. We are currently seeking young people aged between 12 and 25.

NORTHWEST YOUTH FILM FESTIVAL A group from the centre will be going on to produce a short film through the Regional Cultural Centre following the successful summer film school.

STUDENT TRAVEL CARD Letterkenny Youth Information Centre are the main agent for the Student Travel Card in Donegal. If you would like to purchase one come into the centre today.

About the Letterkenny Youth Information Centre The Youth Information Centre is a well established resource for the local community providing Young people and those who work with them a one stop shop for information and training opportunities in the following areas: Job and Housing Lists - Law and Justice - CV Preparation Travel opportunities - College applications - Student Travel card service - Practice for Driver Theory Test - Leadership training - Media skills training - Drop in service Letterkenny Youth Information Centre, 16-18 Port Road, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal Tel 0749129640 or email yicletterkenny@donegalyouthservice.ie

18/09/2009 16:21:37