Issue 16: October 2012

This Edition of Echo sees our EVS volunteer Carmen Serrano take the reigns as Guest Editor. You can read all about Volunteering opportunities and especially the European Voluntary Service, hear what has been going on over the last few months and look ahead to all that is coming up as we look forward to an exciting fun filled Autumn. Enjoy!

Speak Up What’s Coming Up?News Articles on Volunteering YIC & Loft News

Letterkenny Youth Information Centre Newsletter

16-18 Port Road, Letterkenny

Tel 074-9129640

www.donegalyouthservice.ie/yic

FREE

EUROPEAN VOLUNTARY SERVICE Special Edition

Did you know?

NEW YIC AUTUMN PROGRAMMELetterkenny Youth Information Centre has recently set up our new Autumn programme, with new Youth Drama Group, Youth Media Group and new Youth Action Group all starting up in centre. See the back page of ECHO for more details on how to get involved or speak to Marty or John in centre.

NEWS & VIEWS FROM THE YIC

DYS STAFF TEAM SET FOR MARATHON CHALLENGE Five members of the Donegal Youth Service staff team, including Marty from the YIC, will be running the Dublin City Marathon on Monday 29th October. The group are taking on the challenge as a way of raising vital funds for the youth service, which they plan to use towards programmes and activities for young people. If you would like to sponsor the DYS marathon team there are sponsorship cards available in centre or you can sponsor them online at www.sponsor.ie/DYSmarathonteam

YIC LAUNCH ALCOHOL DVDMembers of the Youth Media Group officially launched their new Alcohol Awareness DVD “A Sense of Freedom - A Life After Alcohol” at the recent Donegal Youth Service Annual Celebration Event. The DVD is a great resource for informing young people about the dangers of alcohol. If you would like to pick up a copy ask YIC staff or see the yicletterkenny youtube page.

YIC GROUP ATTEND YES SEMINARA group of young people from the Letterkenny Youth Information Centre recently attended a Youth Employment Seminar in Athlone on 26th September. The event was organised by Youth Information Centres from across the country and was aimed at providing young people with a chance to improve their job seeking skills and hear from employment experts across the country.

EUROPEAN VOLUNTARY SERVICE

EUROPEAN VOLUNTARY SERVICE

Pack your bags!

- Work experience in Europe as a Volunteer.- FREE: accommodation, rent, bills, flights, foreign language classes, food and pocket money.- The only requirement is be between 18-30 years old.- The projects are between 2-12 months.- Certificate of recognition at the end: Youthpass.

European Voluntary Service

What is EVS?

How to apply?

Search Proyects in: www.ec.europa.eu/youth/evs/aod/hei_

en.cfm

Send your CV and Cover

Letter to the Host Organisation

Speak with Letterkenny Youth Information Centre

Just 3 Steps!

Letterkenny Youth Information Centre16-18 Port Road, Letterkenny .

Tel: +353 (0)74 912 9640

12

3

You could be abroad working and learning!

Carmen Serrano (left) and Eugenia Tallero (Right)Group of European Volunteers in Ireland during 2012 Carmen Serrano (left) and Eugenia Tallero (Right)Group of European Volunteers in Ireland during 2012

I had two main wishes in my life before coming to Ireland:

One of them was to spend some time abroad to improve my English and to have work experience as well.

When I left Italy I was unemployed and there were very few job offers. I decided that it was the best moment and opportunity to satisfy my second wish (…the first was already well gone ! For the curious people it was to participate in a horse race at least…at the moment I have run four of those!).I sent my CV and Letterkenny answered!!

The place where I would have gone to work was perfect enough for my work career.I preferred Ireland than another country because

I was never there and all the people spoke very well about it.

I left in February and I have been here for almost nine months . Only now I can say that to come here was the right choice because I improved my English (I hope!), I have gotten to know the country of Ireland and the Irish people, I have experienced a new job, a new culture and I learnt to live with a different climate!!

I can’t speak about the pubs or about Letterkenny’s night life. I haven’t gone out enough at night but instead of this I travelled a lot during the weekends around Ireland and sometimes in England too. I rode horses on the beaches of Donegal, and this experience has given me the feelings that drinking a pint of beer never could! I’ve never drank alcohol before and thankfully Ireland did not change my habits ! :) I have loved my time here and will cherish it for a long time.

PARTY IN THE PARKEUROPEAN VOLUNTARY SERVICE

EUGENIA TALLERO

Experiences

“EVS....a part of your life!” - Eugenia and Carmen share their experiences of living and working in Ireland in 2012.

Eugenia in Slieve League.Eugenia in Dublin. Eugenia in Connemara.

Eugenia in Belfast.

Eugenia in Carrick-A-Rede Rop Bridge

Eugenia riding horses in Rathmullen.

Eugenia in Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge

Eugenia riding horses in Rathmullan.

Eugenia in Belfast.

Eugenia in Dublin. Eugenia in Slieve League.Eugenia in Connemara.

Germany Exchange with a few participants Sponsored cycle to Buncrana.

PARTY IN THE PARK

Bottom Left: crowd 4 - Bottom Right: Selection of crowd enjoying the 18 bands who performed on the band stage

EUROPEAN VOLUNTARY SERVICE

To this day I can say that I finished a goal in my life. While I was studing my degree, my University spoke to me about the European Voluntary Service. I thought that would be a great opportunity to

learn a different culture and a foreign language. Now that I have done it, I can say that it is more than that. I could travel around Ireland and England. I met very good friends, both volunteers that are spread around Ireland as local people from Letterkenny and surroundings. I have improved my English language, because I could go to English classes two or times every week.

As a work experience I think that it was a very good opportunity to work abroad. I’ve never worked with young people before. The Youth Information Centre gave to me different trainings all related to work with young people.

Personally I feel very lucky because I could take part in a Youth Exchange in Germany as a leader. We went there for 10 days and we took part in different kind of activities. Definitely we learnt and enjoyed a lot.

I found very interesting the EVS because the European Union pay for your accommodation, bills, flights and give you pocket money. I think is the best student grant that I found, because you don’t need to know properly the language just a minimum to be able to communicate. When I first arrived to Letterkenny, I found the accent very tough for me, but after 9 months, I am able to understand the most, if not all the people. They often sound to me like they are speaking Irish!

I would like to encourage the young people to take part in the European Voluntary Service. I’m never going to regret to having done it. It made me grow as a person and an intellectual.

EVS It’s not just work, It’s more than thatCARMEN SERRANO AROCA

Carmen in Keep Her Carmen, Carrickmore . Germany Exchange with a few participants

Limerick with a group of Youth Factor 2012Eugenia & Carmen Paddy’s dayCarmen in Carrick-A-Rede Rop Bridge

Sponsored cycle to Buncrana.Carmen in Keep Her Carmen, Carrickmore .

Carmen in Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge Eugenia & Carmen Paddy’s day Limerick with a group of Youth Factor 2012

Party in the Car Park 2012

Party in the Car Park is an annual event run by the Letterkenny Youth information Centre. Over the past few years it has been based in Letterkenny Town Park but this year in a new association with Letterkenny live it was moved to the bottom of Oliver Plunkett road in order to give the day a more festival like atmosphere.

I was involved in the planning of this event this year along with the rest of my group members, Erin, Josh and Rónán and our Group Leaders John, Marty and Gareth. We as a group came up with Ideas for Party in the Car Park and with the help of the leaders we made those ideas into a reality. As part of the group it was our responsibility to design Flyers, Posters and T-shirts. We then had to get them all printed and distribute the Flyers and Poster. We sold the t-shirts on the day. As a whole the Group made sure that the day came together very well. For our last 10 Days of organising leading up to the event John had a youth exchange program to attend so that left a lot of work to be followed out by the group and the other two leaders. I am proud to say that by working together we did well.

The day was a success and all the participants enjoyed it. We had live music from Donegal’s finest young musicians, with Art workshops, Face painting, Bouncy Castles and Carnival styled games throughout the day. Everyone who attended had a good time and thankfully the weather held up!

Nickiela MartinYouth Action Group member

YOUTH EXCHANGES

“Come together, right now, in the EU”

European Youth Camp- Lindlar 2012

With the theme of "Come together, right now, in the EU" five young from the Letterkenny YIC went to Lindlar, Germany to enjoy a Youth Exchange from 7th to 17th of August. Katie Harley, Cora O'Donnell, Dylan Downey, Daniel McCarron and Eoin McDaid represented Ireland there with eight groups of young people from Germany, Italy, France, England, Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia and Croacia.

It's the 14th time the YIC has taken part in an International Youth Exchange, having previously been to places such as Denmark, Italy, Poland, Ghana, Brazil and Portugal.

This kind of activity gives young people an opportunity to learn about other countries and cultures across the world, and remains an important part of our annual work plan. During the exchange the young Irish did a variety of activities to interact to each other like: Kayaking, treetop climbing, swimming pool and as well they participated in workshops. Participant Cora O'Donnell said that: "I learnt

a lot about other countries, everyone was so lovely and I was trying to converse with them in their native language". During the experience they had the opportunity to go and visit to the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium. Participant Katie Harley also had a great time: “I really enjoyed the European Parliament, It was a great experience to learn about the European Union”. They also spent a day in the fourth-largest city in Germany, called Cologne.

All activities were oriented to intellectual enrichment. They could explore the way of life in the German Farm and got to see how a waste processing plant functions.

The Irish group participated in fundraising to get the money to pay the cost of the accommodation, flights and food. The activities organised were a Cake sale, a sponsored cycle to Buncrana from Letterkenny, Zombie Tag and a Guest Tea. Well done to all involved on a fantastic effort.

Carmen SerranoEuropean Volunteer

All participants during the visit to the City Hall. The Irish group with Mayor of Lindlar.

STUDENT TRAVEL CARDLetterkenny Youth Information Centre is an agent for the Student Travel Card. We can process your card for you in the centre. See www.studenttravelcard.ie for more details on the discounts on offer.

EURODESKThinking of travelling, working or volunteering in Europe. Letterkenny YIC are your local Eurodesk Relay. We have access to lots of European Information so give us a call today.

YOUTH DRAMA GROUPThe Youth Drama Group meets Monday evenings from 6-8pm. If you would like to get involved contact a member of staff now.

WEEKLY ACCOMMODATION & EMPLOYMENT LISTOur weekly employment and accommodation lists for Letterkenny can now be accessed online. See: www.donegalyouthservice.ie/yic for more details.

YOUTH MEDIA GROUPThe Youth Media Group begins october Tuesday evenings from 6-8pm. If you would like to get involved contact a member of staff now. YOUTH ACTION GROUPThe Youth Action Group meets on Thursday evenings and works together on how to improve our Youth Information service, as well as helping to organise some of the bigger events we are involved in. Talk to a member of staff now to find out more.

DROP IN HOURSThe YIC drop in continues to open until 6pm Monday to Thursday, while we

are open to 5pm on Fridays. The Loft drop-in remains open until 8pm on Wednesday and Thursdays and opens from 5-10pm on Fridays, as well as 2-6pm on Saturdays.

LOFT LK AUTUMN PROGRAMMECOOKERY GROUPLearn how to prepare and cook meals from raw ingredients, from quick snacks to a complete Sunday roast. Each session will focus on hands on experience to develop your abilities in cooking for yourself and your family and friends. All ingredients will be fresh and natural to reinforce the need to move away from additives and preservatives in pursuit of a healthy diet. This group will take place in the Daybreak office to the rear of the Loft. For all 12-18 Fridays 5-7pm.

TOP TEENSThis group will give you the chance to stand out from the crowd and change your world for the better. You will represent the LOFT at next years Citizenship awards in Dublin and you might even end up on TV as one of Irelands Top Teens. For all 12-18 Wednesday 6-8pm.

UNDERSTANDING COMMUNICATIONThursdays 6-8pm. Ages 14-18.This group is an opportunity for participants to develop an awareness of the essencial role played by communication in human interaction. Course content will include communication skills, understanding verbal and non-verbal communication and the development of communication skills relevant to vocational and personal development. Participants will explore how communication skills

impact on self-esteem and decision making skills with a particular focus on understanding anxiety and stress.

MUSIC GROUPEach week we will explore a different aspect of music, following the template we set out in our annual Rockschool. Come along and participate in everything from percussion to vocal coaching by way of guitar techniques and more. Plenty of opportunities to perform will be had with band nights, acoustic performances and jam sessions. For all 12-18. Fridays 5-7pm.

FRESHERS GROUP (open to all first year students)Monday 4.30-6pm: Commencing on the 8th of October the group will combine confidence building with personal and interpersonal skills. It will also be an opportunity to build friendships and to gain some help with homework and study.

EVENT MANAGEMENTTuesdays 4.30-6pm. The event management group will cover the skills needed to plan, run and evaluate their own events. With a strong health focus, the group will organise events for young people by young people. Group will commence on Tuesday 16th of October and is sutable for young people aged 14-18.

LEADERSHIP & YOUTH ADVISORY COMMITTEEWednesdays 6-8 pm. Ages 12-18.The youth advisory committee will have a chance to get involved in the organisation of programmes and activities at the LOFT. The weekly meeting will include a OCN level 2 accredited certificate Developing Leadership Skills.

ABOUT 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@donegalyouthservice.ie

WHAT’S COMING UP?YIC LETTERKENNY SERVICES & PROGRAMMES

THE ART PROJECTLearn to use art as a form of self expression and develop confidence, self esteem and learn about healthy relationships. The group will take part in the 16 Days of Action against domestic Violence and will produce pieces of art for this expedition. For all 12-18. Tuesday 4-6pm.