Support to School Aged Children:

Galway Education Initiative:

Galway City Partnership has been involved in the development of the ‘Galway Education Initiative’. The aim of this initiative is to facilitate a process of dialogue, planning and action which will ensure that all young people are given the opportunity to realise their full potential, through access to, and full participation in a second level school in Galway City. The following agencies have been involved in this process: Department of Education, National Education Welfare Board, Galway City Partnership, School Completion Programmes, City of Galway VEC, FAS, Galway City Partnership and Second Level Schools in Galway City. This initiative has targeted DEIS and Non-DEIS schools in Galway City to develop integrates cross city initiative to support students at risk to realise their potential within the education system.

Galway City Behavioral Support Initiative:

Galway City Partnerhsip has supported the Provision of Educational Psychological Assessment to Galway City Schools (2009-2010). The initiative has been developed on the identified needs of local schools in Galway City. 

Restorative Justice Initiatve Galway City Schools:

Restorative Approaches are inspired by the philosophy and practices of restorative justice, which puts repairing harm done to relationships and people over and above the need for assigning blame and dispensing punishment. Key values create an ethos of respect, inclusion, accountability and taking responsibility, commitment to relationships, impartiality, being non-judgemental, collaboration, empowerment and emotional articulacy. Key skills include active listening, facilitating dialogue and problem-solving, listening to and expressing emotion and empowering others to take ownership of problems. Galway City Partnership has supported the development of these approaches among youth workers and fours schools in Galway City. This initiative began in 2009 and in ongoing in 2010. 

Galway City Results Party:

Galway City Partnership has been a leading partner in the development of this initiative. The aim of this initiative is to provide a safe, drug and alcohol free venue for each Junior Certificate student in Galway to celebrate the achievement of completing his or her first state exam. In previous years, there was a lack of organised events on the night in question, resulting in social problems. In an effort to combat this, the following agencies: Galway City Partnership, Health Service Executive, Foroige, Galway City Partnership, An Garda Siochana, Galway City Council and Galway City Post-Primary Schools came together in partnership to provide a safe social outlet for young people to celebrate. This event takes place in Leisureland on the night the Junior Cert. results are issued. Every young person in Galway City (approx. 900 students), on receipt of his or her results, receives a free invitation. The event has proven to be a great success. Over 900 young people attended the disco in Leisureland in 2009. Young people who presented with alcohol were refused entry to the event and their parents were contacted to come to the venue and collect the young people. Twenty-five young people were refused entry and parents were contacted. Parents were also contacted if the young people left the disco early however very few left early. 

For any further information on these initiatives please contact Seamus seamus@gcp.ie