Issue 2: Jan-Mar 2008

Welcome to the Second Edition of ECHO, a new Youth Information Centre newsletter for the young people of Letterkenny. This quarter we look at all that has been happening in the Youth Information Centre and Loft LK over the last 3 months.

In this edition we talk to young people to find out their thoughts on the new town bus service, we hear about a brand new music initiative for young people and look at what is coming up in the Youth Information Centre and Loft LK in the coming months.

Enjoy!Martin KeeneyYouth Information Officer

Speak Up What’s Coming Up?News Caught on Camera FYI – CAO & Seven Steps

Letterkenny Youth Information Centre Newsletter

FREE

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YOUTH INFORMATION TEXT SERVICE LAUNCHED

Letterkenny Youth Information Centre have launched a new mobile phone text information service where young people can now text questions and queries they may have. The move is the latest in a series of innovative moves by the centre to provide information to young people. If you have any queries for the Youth Information Centre you can text them to 086-3499998. If you would like to talk directly to a staff member you can contact the centre on 07491-29640 or call in to their centre at 16-18 Port Road, directly opposite the Grill.

RECREATIONAL FACILITIES TOP PRIORITY

A lack of Recreation and Leisure facilities are the top priority issue for young people in Donegal. That’s according to the recent Office for the Ombudsman for Children’s Big Ballot vote that happened in the county, which sought the views of young people. For the vote young people from all over the country were invited to vote on what issues they feel the Ombudsman for Children should be campaigning on for young people over the coming 3 years. Young people from the Letterkenny Youth Information Centre had the privilege to deliver the results of the Donegal vote at a special ceremony in Dublin hosted by RTE’s Miriam O’Callaghan.

FRIDAY NIGHT PROJECT The Friday Night Project got underway at the Aura Leisure Centre on Friday 18th January. The project offers young people from the town the opportunity to take part in a number of different sports on a Friday night from 9.30pm-11.30pm for a period of six weeks. A number of organisations and groups from the town are involved, including the Letterkenny Youth and Family Service, Donegal Travellers Project, Letterkenny Community Development Project, the Loft LK and Letterkenny Youth Information Centre. For more information on this you can contact Lisa Daly at Family Action Letterkenny on 074-9177248.

NEW YIC LETTERKENNY POST COLUMNLetterkenny Youth Information Centre have recently launched a weekly column in the Letterkenny Post, which will answer young people’s queries on a weekly basis. The column will feature weekly in the paper and will provide information to young people on a wide variety of topics from job interview tips, advice on CAO to how to get involved in youth work. Pick up a copy now to see the most recent column! TO CONTACT THE ECHO NEWS TEAM TEXT 086-3499998

YIC & LOFT NEWS

Adedoyin Egberongbe with new text number

Dapo and JP with Miriam O’Callaghan

Aura Leisure Centre

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CAUGHT ON CAMERA

Top Left: Group from Loft Formal 2007 - Top Middle: Niall, Kevin, Rachel, Jamie & Lee at Loft Formal - Top Right: LOFT Carol Singers 2007Bottom Left: YIC celebration evening - Bottom Middle: Richlove, Natasha & Amber at YIC celebration - Bottom Right: Official ECHO launch

Top Left: Media group plan next film - Top Middle: Jamie & Niall on Acoustic Day - Top Right: Group enjoying the Loft Halloween Party 2007Bottom Left: Loft Personal Development group - Bottom Middle: Loft young women’s group - Bottom Right: YIC December Hip Hop Night

We take a look at all that has been happening in the Youth Information Centre and Loft LK from October to December.

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This section offers you the chance to hear from Youth Information Staff and Volun-teers on issues that may face you over the coming months!

MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICES

YOUTH INFORMATIONAPPLYING FOR CAO Bernadette O’Brien offers careers advice in the Youth Information Centre every Thursday evening. Here she offers advice to anyone who may be unsure about what choices to make ahead of upcoming CAO deadlines.It’s an important time now as you will be making decisions about what to do after you complete the Leaving Certificate. There are many opportunities available - for example, Education, Employment or Training. It is essential that you are actively involved in the decision-making process. It’s your decision; no-one else can make it for you. You must gather as much information as possible so that you can make an informed decision about your

career. Self-assessment is the first step to help identify what you want from a job, what your strengths are etc. Ask yourself questions such as:What are you best at, for example, your subjects at school, art, or mathematics?Do you like more practical hands on work or do you prefer working with words or ideas.What is your preferred work environment?Do you want to work with other people or by yourself? Do you prefer to work indoors or outdoors, or to have a varied work environment or a more structured, predictable workday?Now that you have completed this step, it’s important to take a look at the opportunities available around you. You can start by gathering some factual information about the types of jobs you may be considering. This can be done by looking at Websites such as www.qualifax.ie or search for College Prospectuses or Professional Associations to find out further information about these jobs. It also helps to talk to people who are employed in the jobs that you are interested in. Ask them questions such as:What do you do in a typical day?What do you like or dislike about your job?What training is needed for the job?Where do you go from here in this job?Likewise, talking to parents and friends can also be very useful when making a career choice. They are the people who know you best; they can provide you with ideas about the types of jobs that may suit you. If you are making an application to the CAO get it in as early as possible as the February 1st closing date is approaching fast. The fee for an online application is currently €45, but there is an online discounted fee of €35 if you apply before 20th January.

If you have any questions about your career ideas or need some extra help with your CAO application, please come along to the Youth Information Centre. Careers guidance sessions will be held on Thursday evenings and will be offered on an individual basis through one-to-one guidance interviews. Youth Information staff are always on hand to help give you further information.

LETTERKENNY YOUTH INFORMATION CENTRE - NEW TEXT SERVICE

TEXT YOUR QUERY TO 086-3499998

FOR YOUR INFORMATION

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SEVEN STEPS

UPCOMING DONEGAL BANDS GET LEG UP THROUGH SEVEN STEPS MUSIC INITIATIVE.

Young Donegal musicians (aged 12-19) were recently called upon to participate in a brand new nationwide competition to find the most exciting young artists in the country.

Seven Steps Up, a Youth Work Ireland initiative, is giving some of Irelands top young acts the opportunity to play in the Sugar Club in Dublin, get personal advice from some of the most influential figures in the Irish Music Industry and appear on a professionally recorded compilation album.

Hot Press Magazine / Garageland, IRMA, and IMRO have joined forces with Youth Work Ireland to create this Nationwide search for fresh talent. Here in the North West of the country the local heats were organised by the Regional Cultural Centre, Letterkenny and the Letterkenny Youth Information Centre, which is managed by the Donegal Youth Service.

On January 25th 2008, 10 Donegal acts performed at the Donegal heat in the Regional Cultural Centre, Letterkenny. At the time of print the winner had not yet been decided upon - with Brendan McGlynn, Paul Mooney, Crimson Reign, Clarity’s Progress, Prophecy, Boy # 7, JDG, Tricky Corners and the Resistance all set to go head to head.

The winning act will then go to the

National Final at one of Dublin’s top music venues, The Sugar Club on March 8th. They will perform one of their own songs and also one from another Donegal act. There is a major opportunity for 30 other young participants from the Regional Final to get involved in the promotion and management of the winning group also. At the National Final in Dublin there will be a ‘Demo dip’ hosted by Jackie Hayden of Hot Press Magazine, and Willie Kavanagh, Chairman of IRMA, and Managing Director of EMI Records Ireland. Attendees will be invited to bring along their CD, and 10 CDs will be picked from a ‘hat’ for review right there and then!

Following the Live Performance section of the evening, a winning act will be chosen to record an album along with other members of the their local youth club. This album will be fully reviewed in the ‘Garageland’ section of Hot Press Magazine!

If you would like to find out more you can contact the Youth Information Centre for more details. Contact:

Frankie McGreevy, Letterkenny Youth Information Centre, 16-18 Port Road.

Tel: 07491-29640 or text them to 086-3499998.

FYI - SEVEN STEPS

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SPEAK UP!

HOW DO I FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE TOWN BUS SERVICE? You can download a copy of the Letterkenny Town Bus Service from the Letterkenny Town Council website at www.letterkenny.ie. You can also pick up a timetable from a number of locations around the town, including the Youth Information Centre or Public Services Centre.

HAS THE TOWN BUS SERVICE BEEN GOOD FOR YOUNG PEOPLE? The town bus service has been operating for a number of months now, but has it been the valuable resource young people of the town hoped it would be? We asked the young people of Letterkenny Youth Information Centre & LOFT LK.

Thomas Blockley - 17“I really like the town bus. It starts right outside my house and it is only €1 and I can get straight into school and there are only 3 stops in between. Quite a lot of my friends use it anyway so I think it has been a success.”

Naledi Shologu - 16“It is pretty good. I haven’t been on it yet but it is always on time. We walk to school but we see it there every day at the correct time, as we are always passing by too.”

Jamie McGettigan - 16“I think it was brought in as a novelty because it is nice to see it drive around and you are able to say ‘oh look there goes the bus’. It was actually seen as a threat by the taxi drivers, but in fairness it has done pretty badly. No one knows where it stops and it is a bit redundant in fairness.”

Ciara Rafferty - 16“I think it was a really good idea but it has been let down because people are not using it. People about the town are the ones who were asking for it, but they are just not using it. I think it is just a waste of time at the minute, as there is very little people using it and people are being paid to drive the buses.”

David Toye - 16“I think it was originally a good idea, but they should have put more effort into it. People don’t know where it stops. I have never seen a time table for it. It runs all day but I don’t know which route it takes and I have only ever seen about two people on it.”

Nala Shologu - 16“I haven’t used the bus service so I don’t want to say too much. I think young people know what it is but I haven’t seen many young people using it. I think it is still quite new and a lot of people don’t know what it is all about.”

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YOUTH INFORMATION CENTRE YOUTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE

YIC YAC member Dapo Egberongbe tells us what the Youth Information Centre Youth Advisory Committee have been up to.

Just recently, the Big Ballot was held in Primary and Secondary schools across Ireland. YIC YAC members were involved in both organising the Letterkenny voting, but also then had the opportunity to travel to Dublin to deliver the results of the entire Donegal vote.

Over the coming months we will be busy helping to organise the Seven Steps music initiative and Battle of the Bands in the summer, as well as looking to tackle all potential problems that affect us as young people – within our jurisdiction of course!

The colourful and entertaining newsletter, upcoming website and youth information update on Highland Radio are all media we hope to use to help us reach our peers, to communicate with them and to hear feedback from you also.

LOFT LKYOUTH ADVISORY COMITTEE

LYAC member Lorcan O’Donnell tells us what the LOFT LK Youth Advisory Committee have been up to lately.

Over the past few month the LYAC has been working on a number of projects some of them include working on a new way of dealing with challenging behaviour in the Loft.

We have also been researching the possibility of getting a GP service in the Loft. This included compiling a questionnaire to find out what Loft users would expect from a GP service. We also helped organise the LOFT formal, Halloween Party and Christmas party, which were all a great success.

In the coming months we will be getting ready for the election in which members of the LOFT will be getting the chance to run for a position on the LYAC. I on behalf of all the LYAC would like to thank Dee for all the work she has done for us sadly she is leaving to go to another youth project for a while and she will be really missed.

STAFF PROFILE Each edition of ECHO offers you an opportunity to get to know the staff and volunteers a bit better. This time around it’s the turn of Emma McShane, who is the Assistant Youth Information Officer in the Youth Information Centre.Job Title: Assistant Youth Information Officer

Tell me about yourself: Well...I’m an Aries... 5ft...love to travel... & cake!!! I’m a 26 year old law graduate, living and working in Letterkenny these days but, originally from Downings. Once upon a time I thought that I wanted to become a solicitor but things changed and, now I am really enjoying working in the community/voluntary sector.

What does your job entail?I work as part of the Youth Information Team which is involved in enabling young people to access a wide and varied range of information and advice in a safe environment. We try to animate such information through a number of courses and innovative projects, as well as, seeking to source, research, accumulate/store and relay information relating to specific queries that come through our door on a daily basis.

Why did you want to come to work in the YIC?Actually, I initially applied for an administrative position with Donegal Youth Service. Needless to say I didn’t get the job. But a few weeks later I got a call regarding an opening on the YIC team. The position sounded really interesting and, the rest is history.

What is your favourite thing about your job?It’s always interesting. No two days, or indeed, information queries, are ever the same. Also, I love that I have a desk job with a real social aspect to it.

Anything you don’t like?Laminating... don’t even ask!

YIC YAC & LYAC

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EURODESK Eurodesk is a free information service providing young people and those who work with them with information on EU funding and opportunities to work, study, volunteer and travel in Europe.

The Letterkenny Youth Information Centre is a contact agent for Eurodesk, meaning we can help you gain information on working or travel abroad through our range of contacts on a European wide basis. Talk to us in the centre to find out more.

STUDENT TRAVEL CARDThe Student Travelcard is a secure Photo ID that is the key to exclusive discounted travel across Ireland. The Student Travelcard is also a national discount card, entitling the holder to many discounted goods and services.

You may also use your Student Travelcard to securely book a student flight to anywhere in the world as well as receiving discounted J1 visas and travel insurance. If you would like to get one the Youth Information Centre can provide you with one. Just call into the centre and ask a member of staff for more details.

DRIVER THEORY

If you are currently preparing for a driving test and would like to brush up on your driver theory why not call into the Letterkenny Youth Information Centre where you can practice on the CD-roms or gain access to help and support from staff. The centre opens daily from 10am-6pm Monday-Thursday and from 9am-5pm on Fridays.

OCN IN RADIOThe Letterkenny Youth Information Centre will soon be offering a Level 3 Open College Network Accreditation in Radio documentary production.

If you would like to take part in this programme talk to Youth Information Officer Martin Keeney at the Youth Information Centre at 07491-29640 or just drop into the Youth Information Centre or Loft on the Port Road.

YOUTH MEDIA GROUP If you are in Transition Year and would like to join the Loft and YIC media group you can contact Frankie at the Youth Information Centre at 07491-29640 or just drop into the Youth Information Centre or Loft on the Port Road.

BAND REHEARSAL SPACE Are you in a band? If you need rehearsal space the Loft does have a limited amount of rehearsal time available in the training rooms. A nominal fee is all that is required to secure your slot. Talk to John Muldowney now in the Loft LK for more details. Email john.muldowney@foroige.ie or phone 074-9188271. Better still just come along into the centre and talk to him.

VOLUNTEERS WANTED Are you interested in working with young people in a voluntary capacity? The LOFT LK Youth Project and Letterkenny Youth Information Centre are currently seeking volunteers to help support our work. If interested talk to Marty in the YIC or Orla in the Loft.

ABOUT THE LOFT LKThe 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 Café16-18 Port Road, Letterkenny, Co DonegalPhone 07491-88271 or email lkyouthcafe@yahoo.ie

ABOUT THE LETTERKENNY YOUTH INFORMATION CENTREThe 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. DonegalTel 0749129640 or email yicletterkenny@eircom.net

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