Students pilot KDYS Peer Education Programme

STUDENTS from Castleisland Community College together with KDYS Youth Information Coordinator Anne Murphy and Youth Information Officer Shannon O’Sullivan piloted the KDYS Peer Education Transfer Programme to sixth class pupils in Castleisland town.

“The programme would not have been possible without the co-operation and commitment from Muire Gan Smál / Presentation Primary School; Gaelscoil Aogáin and Scoil Naomh Chárthaigh, the Boys Primary School,” said Anne Murphy.

The KDYS has been running the programme in the county for many years and currently over 40 Primary Schools and youth projects are engaging with it.

“The programme consists of four sessions run over four weeks in large schools, over two weeks in smaller schools and where there are only a couple of students it is delivered over one day,” said Ms. Murphy.

“The young people from the primary schools involved in the pilot said that it was very worthwhile having the fourth year students deliver the programme because they are still in school and know what is happening.

“One young person recommended that next year we should engage with students from all the secondary schools in the town.

“Sixth class students added that if the fourth year students wanted to be teachers or youth workers, they now had a better understanding.

“The fourth year students felt that the programme gives the younger pupils more confidence and that they relate better to peers than to adults.

“They were able to give the most up to date information because they are still students themselves. “Overall, the programme helped build relationships, remove some of the fears associated with moving into secondary school and, finally, the younger students will meet familiar faces at the end of August,”

Ms. Murphy, on behalf of the KDYS, said she would like to thank the young people and the schools for providing them with the opportunity to pilot the programme.

“The commitment, enthusiasm and flexibility of the fourth year students and their teacher, Annie Potts, Castleisland Community College, throughout the training and the delivery of the programme, is to be commended and was greatly appreciated.

“Thank you so much to the sixth class groups and their teachers, Marie Murphy, Muire Gan Smál, Colm Ó Ciobháin, Gaelscoil Aogáin and Pádraig Lynch, Scoil Naomh Chárthaigh for their participation and contributions. We are so grateful for this learning opportunity,” she concluded.

The KDYS Transfer Programme consists of four one hour sessions: Session 1: Making the Transfer. Session 2: New Subjects/Timetables. Session 3: Rules, Choices, Bullying and Cyber Safety. Session 4: Friendship.

The programme is fully booked for 2024 but if you are interested in having your school or youth group participate in 2025 please contact Anne on 087 7801575 / annemurphy@kdys.ie or Shannon on 085 8075996, shannonosullivan@kdys.ie Website: kdys.ie