Steps to success
ON THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOOTSTEPS PROGRAMME IN MONEYMORE’S CONNECT CENTRE, ALISON COMYN FINDS OUT WHAT DIFFERENCE THIS SUPPORT CAN MAKE TO PARTICIPANTS’ LIVES
THEY say never judge someone until you have walked a mile in their shoes... Well, a very special celebration took place in the Connect Family Resource Centre in Moneymore last week, when the Footsteps project marks its one-year anniversary. Mayor of Drogheda Frank Godfrey, representatives of the International fund for Ireland (IFI) which funds the project, and members of the Community Gardai attended, as well as present and former participants of the programme.
Footsteps started in September 2017 and is a targeted service to young people between the ages of 16 and 24 who are currently out of employment or education and need extra support.
Over the past year the participants have engaged in a range of vocational and personal development programmes, as well as group activities which included a cross border trip to Belfast.
“We are delighted to be celebrating one year of the programme, and show how much success we have had in the past 12 months,” says Susan Breen, one of the co-ordinators along with Cliodhna Cunningham.
“It is a voluntary personal youth development programme which is strengths based and non judgemental, which focuses on the young person’s personal development and raising awareness on issues affecting their lives.”
Susan and Cliodhna work with a variety of vulnerable young people tailoring programmes in order to suit their needs and support then in fulfilling their potential.
“We have actively engaged and currently still have 12 young people on our programme from the north and south side of Drogheda,” explains Susan.
“We have applied for a two-year extension for the project which we are very hopeful of getting giving the success of its first year.”
The participants engaged in skills training and development programmes which included Junior Success Skills, PX2, Coaching Badges, Health & Beauty, Manual Handling,
“WE’RE DELIGHTED TO BE CELEBRATING ONE YEAR OF THE PROGRAMME, AND SHOW HOW MUCH SUCCESS WE’VE HAD “
Driver’s Theory, Security Courses and Driver’s Test and QQI level 4 accredited courses in ICT and Security.
“It’s so great to see the change in just a year, from someone who may have had no engagement with edcation or employment, and now we have two participants in full time work, two in part time jobs and four in full-time education,” adds Susan.
Some of these programmes were provided and delivered with support from Louth & Meath Education Training Board & Louth Leader Partnership others were funded by the Footsteps Programme.
There is an application process to the programme which will determine if the programme is suited to the young person.
Referral forms can be accessed by contacting Connect Family Resource Centre on 041 9846608. PICTURED: Participants, staff and community representatives from Drogheda came together in the Connect Family Resource Centre, Drogheda to celebrate the achievements of the participants of the Footsteps programme. Allen McAdam and Gwen Lanigan, International Fund for Ireland (IFI), with Cliodhna Cunningham and Susan Breen, Footsteps programme co-ordinators in The Connect Family Resource Centre, Drogheda, with participants of the Footsteps programme. Included are (back row l-r); Shannon Kennedy, Tiegan McArdle, Saoirse Meenan, Courtney Gorman, Robert Thornton, Shauna Tuite and Cian Holden. Front row; Leanne Bellew and Leah Leonard.