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| In Castlebar there are sports clubs, a bowling alley, a 7-screen cinema, facilities that other towns in the west of ireland would be grateful for. At the same time there is an increasing problem with underage drinking, drugs, violence and destructive behaviour. It is considered, in this area, that young people are treated very much as outcasts and without recognition in the community. |
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| Instead of assigning blame, as a community we should see the best in young people and support them in putting their energies into creative and constructive actions. Offer them an open space, which they can fill with their ideas and dreams. With your support we can create and alternative to hanging out in the streets, drinking in bushes, vandalism and anti-social behaviour and seeking shelter in dangerous and derelict spaces. |
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| The Open Space Youth Recreation project was founded with the goal to provide a place for young people to hang out, relax and meet with friends without cost, in a safe and controlled environment. The group began with three volunteers, it is the vision of Georg Peterseil supported by his wife Bettina. Initially they were joined by Sue Hawkshaw, a community artist, and as awareness of the project has grown, so has the support. |
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In January 2004, many other people joined the group;
Michelle Reynolds of the Western Health Board, Foroige and NYP, Joe Langen of VEC. Fr. Paddy Curran, Parish Priest, Michael Fahy, Juvenile Liaison Officer. Declan Turnbull of the County Development Board. Norita Clesham, South West Mayo Development Company. Carmel Bourke, Mayo Women's Support Group
And others... |
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| The committee carried out a questionnaire at local secondary schools in the town to which 103 students responded. The results of the survey indicated that 90% of the young people questioned felt there was not enough for them to do in castlebar, and 100% of respondents described the need for a place to hang out, meet friends and relax, somewhere that did not cost them financially. |
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Michelle Reynolds commented on the results; It is clear that the young people of the town are crying out for a centre to mix with their own age groups, a place one teenager phrased as 'somewhere they would not have to worry about drunken fools starting up a fight'.
Garda Michael Fahy, Juvenile Liaison Officer, explained the need to help teenagers break the habit of drinking at Lough Lannagh at night. "It is peer pressure which makes young people go there, they would stop if the had a place of their own. In a town with the population of 11,000, it is sad indictment that a centre of this nature does not already exist". |
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Our goal is a place:
Where social services are present in the background to avoid any stigma being attached
A drop-in centre, to meet and chill out in
a safe space
A place that encourages constructive,
creative thoughts and actions.
Where young people play an instrumental part
To do this we need:
To be able to fund a full-time project worker
To nominate a representative of the town to be a member of Open Space
To communicate with other funding bodies to get this centre off the ground |
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| It is time to take active, positive and constructive steps together with young people in providing services and opportunities rather than blaming, repairing and despairing over their behaviour.
To offer your support and ideas, or if you require more information, please contact either
Georg Peterseil
094 9023981,
Sue Hawkshaw
087 9702563 |
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