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29.10.09

Patricia Twomey

Ireland

29.10.09

Schools in Ireland were set up by religious organisations independently of the Government under Colonial Rule

These schools still operate as separate entities today.

The majority are funded by the government, but a few are private fee paying schools.

The schools are run by a Board of Management.

The Department of Education and Science gives “Guidelines” but the schools do not have to incorporate them into their running of the school – e.g. Bullying policies

Students/parents can, however, challenge/appeal an exclusion to the Department of Education under Section 29 of the Education Acts.

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School system in Ireland

Pre-school – 3 – 4/5 years old

Primary School – 4/5 – 11/12

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• Secondary School 11/12 – 17/18

• At 15/16 Junior Certificate

• At 17/18/19 Leaving Certificate

(academic subjects)

or

• Applied Leaving Certificate (academic/vocational subjects)

• Then – College – Technical, vocational and some academic courses which can be used as access to University.

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University – Academic Degrees 17/18 upwards

There is NO upper age limit!!

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Exclusions:

Pupils can be excluded for up to 5 days, or longer.

For severe disruptive, threatening, physical violence, permanent exclusion

Centres for such pupils are set up, usually funded by the local Vocational Education Committee (VEC) - sometimes in conjunction with Youth organisations. Subjects provided are vocational courses, FETAC qualifications, Literacy, Numeracy, Music, Art.

Sometimes young people will be referred to these centres as an alternative to a prison sentence, but they MUST get a FETAC qualification.

Young people may also receive an Anit-social Behaviour Order (ASBO) – curfew imposed, often have to wear a band on their ankles which has a direct link to the garda (police) station. These can be counter-productive as these are now a status symbol among disengaged youth.

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After School Clubs:

Homework clubs for both primary and secondary pupils – held in the school or local community centres where pupils can get help with their homework and also have recreation activities – dance, music, pool tables, cards, books, dvds, playstation, some food is often provided

Many pupils whose parents work attend these centres

Opening times are usually 3.30 – 5.30pm

Provisions after these hours are Youth Clubs

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Youth Work:

National Youth Council of Ireland “licences” these clubs

Training is provided for the Youth Workers, who now must have a professional qualification

Garda (Police) checks are required before anyone can begin working in the clubs

Youth Clubs have different age groups but usually 13 – 18/19

Young people up to the age of 12/13 usually attend after school clubs or sessions at the Youth Clubs for their age groups at an earlier time. The older youths activities usually start around 7.00pm.

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Bullying Policies in Schools and Youth ClubsA big push is going on to sort out bullying in schools and youth clubs.

Mediation by peers in schools is being done a large number of schools and training is provided for the student volunteers to do this.

A lot has been learned from Corrymeela in Northern Ireland. This is a centre set up to help bring the Protestant and Catholic communities of Northern Ireland together. The strategies developed there have been used in South Africa and others parts of the world.

Lessons learned are that all have to be engaged otherwise it just does not work.

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A big problem in resolving issues in schools, youth clubs and communities is:

inter-staff, inter-club and inter-agency petty jealousies,

rivalry for funding for training and staff, highly relevant now in the current economic climate in Ireland

Lack of willingness to acknowledge these problems

Union rules!

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The feelings of both the victim of bullying/violence and those of the perpetrator MUST be taken note of in order that plans can be put in place to ensure positive outcomes for both. If this is not done in an open and transparent way and the results/outcomes acted upon, the result can be an increase in

Polarisation and division Mistrust and fear

Conflict Prejudice

Discrimination

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Irish TravellersTravellers are an indigenous minority in Ireland

Originally tin smiths of note, hence called Tinkers (Irish Tinceiri). This is now a derogatory term and this minority have also been called Pavees (cant word – Travellers’ own language).

Written records of “Tinceiri” go back to 500ad.

Marginalised from mainstream “settled” community, they travelled all over Ireland; keeping the traditional Irish music and dance alive, providing seasonal labour for farmers and bringing seasonal items for sale.

They were also the first Irish “Greens”, as they created very good scrap businesses – recylcling metals and fabrics. They also dealt in antiques.

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Travellers traditionally travelled, living in different types of Caravans

If feuding/fighting broke out, then the families would leave the camp, travelling in different directions. They might not meet again for quite some time, when the argument would have been forgotten and forgiven.

Since the Miscellaneous Housing Act 2002, pulling onto the side of the road in a caravan is a Criminal Offence.

Hence the traditional way of sorting out disputes isno longer available.

Accommodation provided by local Councils isinadequate causing disputes over places on these sites.

Pavee Point have set up a “Traveller Peace Pin” Initiative which is now starting – mediation and conflictresolution courses are being run among the Traveller community.

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Conflict is a universal of human relationships.

Conflict and, in particular, violent conflict, has increased all across Europe in recent memory.

Pretending unpleasant things are not happening – dismissing them as “mindless” is not going to stop them happening.

They happen for a reason.

We MUST seek out the reasons and develop responses which takes these reasons into account, in order that the underlying reasons can be address.

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The lessons learned through these mediation and conflict initiatives will be used to in other settings.

The disputes between Traveller families are similar to those among teenage gangs in housing estates and schools and it is hoped that the knowledge gained in the Traveller mediation can be transferred to dealing with these situations.

The number of violent incidents with knives and other weapons, including guns, has increased over the last 5 years to a frightening degree.

Alcohol and drugs increasingly fuel these incidents and alcoholism and drug addiction are making enormous demands on the police, hospitals, schools and communities. Many communities are living in fear because of fighting between drug gangs.

Ireland has the CAB – Criminal Assets Bureau, the result of the cold blooded murder of Veronica Guerin, a journalist reporting on the so-called “Drug Lords” in Dublin, Ireland. If convicted then the government takes the assets belonging to the criminal.

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Since the knowledge of the abuses carried out the members of the clergy, priest, bothers and nuns, in Ireland in the orphanages, detention centres, Magdalen Laundries, etc has become known, clergy are no longer as trusted or made as welcome as they once were.

More information is coming into the public realm and prosecutions are on-going, with more to come in the future.

Some compensation has been paid to the victims, but not were able to apply as restrictions put in place by the government.

These are being challenged by victims and support organisations.

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PICK NOSES

NOTFIGHTS!

SO, PLEASE