Update from Jason Burke, Aisling Project Worker
Jason Burke with the Aisling Project brings yblive readers up to date on Aisling’s contribution to the Family and Community strand of the Write-Minded service.
The Aisling Project is an after-school initiative working in Ballymun, and was set up in 1997. Currently four Aislings, in four areas of Ballymun, work with nearly 90 young people aged from 8-to-13 years. A fifth Aisling Project – the much anticipated Aisling transition/seniors project - was established last year which works with young people during the often difficult transition from primary to second level education, and throughout first-year.
The main aims of the Aisling Project are to prevent early school leaving, benefit the community and advance education by running an after-school intervention project for children who may be at risk. This intervention provides purposeful activity in a caring, secure environment in an attempt to meet the young people’s developmental needs. The service operates Monday to Thursday and provides a hot meal, homework supervision & support, and a range of developmental activities – drama, art, music, swimming, sports, arts and crafts, reading, library and gardening.
The Aisling Project was very happy to become involved in youngballymun’s ‘Write Minded’ literacy initiative. Staff of all five Aisling Projects attended an introductory training day with Martina Gannon and Duana Quigley the Write-Minded team where we found out more about Write-Minded and looked afresh at some of the literacy measures that we already employ. Martina and Duana then came to visit each project, meet the young people and see the locations from which we operate. They consulted with us about the format and content of future literacy workshops and offered practical advice on our literacy supports, as well as highlighting improvements that we could make. Our second Aisling literacy workshop takes place next week.
The time and space that we’ll spend with Write Minded creates space for us to share and reflect on our current literacy practice, learn from each other, and receive expert advice and guidance from the Write Minded team. Both Duana and Martina have been very open and approachable, and have advised us of where we can make improvements, have identified areas in which we are already strong, and are there for us at the end of the phone if we ever have any queries or concerns. They’ve emphasised how it’s important that literacy be reinforced at home. Bearing this in mind, at a recent parent/guardian’s meeting, we asked parents what support we may be able to offer them. They identified the need for support and guidance for families be able to help with and supervise homework at home so we intend to work with Write Minded to put this in place with families in Aisling.
We look forward to working with Write Minded in supporting the literacy development of the young people – and their families as well – who attend the Aisling Project.
