infolink

Welcome to Infolink, Limerick Youth Service’s newsletter/e-zine that promotes the positive contribution of young people to our communities and keeps you up to date with the latest news from one of Ireland’s leading youth organisations.

Inside this week’s edition, Infolink has details of a walking group for women in Garryowen, youth clubs to reopen, discover Rathkeale Youth Space and lots more.
  A new walking group for women and girls will depart for its first tour of the historic area on Tuesday next, February 22^nd at 12pm at the Garryowen Community Development Project, 23 John St, Limerick.

Titled Stroll and Stroller, the walking group will give women and girls (over 16yrs) an opportunity to meet up, share stories, get active and explore the sites of the Irishtown and Garryowen areas of Limerick.

For more information, please contact Kate at kate.slattery@limerickyouthservice.org or call/text 087-3634529.
    Teenagers (15-20yrs) who would like to pursue a career in the catering industry, get an introduction to child care or start on the road to an apprenticeship, are invited to apply for number of courses with Limerick Youth Service (LYS).

Delivered at LYS’ Community Training Centre, the innovative programmes are ideal for young people who have left school early or are unemployed.

The courses available are:

QQI Level 4 Catering Skills:
Introduces learners to the diverse catering industry including meal service, kitchen skills and restaurant experience such as baristas coffee making and table service.

QQI Level 4 Pathway to Progression:
Provides learners with the opportunity to develop key skills and opt for a personalised pathway in areas such as graphics, childcare and woodwork.

On enrolling with the Community Training Centre, learners will spend their time in a supportive and encouraging environment, avail of academic and personal support and take part in employment experience.   

Learners will have to support of an Advocate who will work with the young person on preparing a CV portfolio, accessing work placement and progressing to college and/or employment. 

Young people may also be entitled to a Training Allowance during their duration of their course.

For further details and information, please click HERE
    With youth clubs set to reopening in the coming weeks, volunteers with Limerick Youth Service’s affiliated youth clubs are invited to a virtual cluster meeting this Tuesday, February 22^nd at 7pm.

Staff from LYS’ Youth Work Department will be on hand to outline the reopening process and update volunteers on topics such as insurance, Child Safeguarding Training and a new youth club app.

Youth workers will also share details of exciting opportunities for youth clubs such as Youth Leadership Training for teenagers, the Great Limerick Clean Up and a volunteer appreciation evening.

The event will take place via Zoom with further information and login details available, please email Amanda at amandab@limerickyouthservice.org As Europe slowly reopens and thoughts turn to travelling, Limerick Youth Service is encouraging you to learn more about the many opportunities available across the continent.

To assist you, ‘Discover Europe’ is a weekly section will have information about the opportunities and services of interest to young people, youth work practitioners, teachers and the wider public, particularly twentysomethings! EURES is a network of European employment services that provides information, advice and recruitment/placement opportunities for job-seekers and employers.

Launched in 1994, EURES ensures that European citizens can benefit from the same opportunities, despite language barriers, cultural differences, bureaucratic challenges, diverse employment laws and a lack of recognition of educational certificates across Europe.

Among its many services are:

• Matching of job vacancies and CVs on the EURES portal
• Access to information on living and working conditions in the EU member states, such as taxation, pensions, health insurance and social security
• Specific support services for frontier workers and employers in cross-border regions
• Support to specific groups in the context of EURES targeted job mobility schemes, such as Your first EURES job and Reactivate
• Promotion of youth opportunities designed to help young Europeans take their first steps into the labour market
• Information on and access to post-recruitment assistance, such as language training and support with integration in the destination country

In Ireland, EURES is coordinated by the European Employment Services of the Department of Social Protection (DSP) with a list of your local EURES officers available www.gov.ie
Next week: Leargas
  Infolink features articles about an organisation of importance to young people and the wider community, with this week’s article focusing on the Community Substance Misuse Team.

The Community Substance Misuse Team (CSMT) provides a free support service to young people (u18s) and families who are affected by substance misuse such as drug, alcohol and other related issues.

CSMT support youths, families and communities to develop effective and supportive coping strategies to deal with substance misuse across Limerick and the Midwest.

The CSMT team works in partnership with other agencies in running tailor made programmes for young people and their families as well as providing one to one and group support.

The CSMT raises awareness of and educates young people, families and communities on the many forms and nuances of substance misuse and the supports that are available.

Located in Arthur’s Quay, Limerick City, the CSMT works across Limerick, Clare and North Tipperary through a number of Outreach Projects.  For more details visit www.csmt.ie
  ‘Meet LYS’ features different groups, projects, programmes and youth spaces that are part of Limerick Youth Service with this edition featuring Rathkeale Youth Space.

Rathkeale Youth Space is state of the art youth hub located in the Abbey Court area of Rathkleale and is one of the most popular centres for young people in West Limerick.

The youth space was opened in 2013 and in the nine years has grown in popularity with young people from West Limerick and further afield spending time there.

The youth space boasts an activity hall, that is suitable for dancing, keep fit class and a variety of sports while there’s also a youth café with cooking facilities, meeting rooms, a chill out zone and outdoor sport area.  

The youth space is also home to the Rathkeale-Askeaton Youth Project that includes:  

• Primary School Groups (5/6^th Class)
• Junior Cycle Groups (1^st,2^nd & 3^rd Years)
• Senior Cycle Groups (including TYs and 5^th Years)
• RK Youth Café
• Traveller Boys & Girls Club
• Leaving Cert Applied programmes with Colaiste na Trocaire
• Youth work programmes such as fitness, health, music and sport

Young people can also access information and mental health supports while the new Rural Youth Mental Health Project is also located at the youth space.  

Members of local community groups and companies have also used the space for coffee mornings and training sessions with the West Limerick Primary Health Care for Travellers Project.

For more information on Rathkeale Youth Space, please click HERE
  In next week’s edition, Infolink will have details of the National Eating Disorder Week, midterm activities, leadership training for the Garryowen Youth Committee and lots more.