A positive celebration at Erasmus awards night

THE BALLYFERMOT Youth Service (BYS) held their Erasmus awards night on Tuesday January 30.

“It was a positive celebration of the community,” said Ms. Denise Ryan, Peer Educator and Youth Worker with BYS.

“It was to celebrate the participation of young people in Ballyfermot in the Erasmus+ programme,” she added.

Erasmus+ is the EU’s programme to support education, training, youth and sport in Europe.

Youthpass is a recognition tool for non-formal and informal learning in projects funded by Erasmus+ Youth in Action and the European Solidarity Corps.

It is a certificate accompanied by a process that supports reflection and documentation of learning.

There were awards for young people who worked over the summer, achievement awards, awards for the contributions of young people in the community, awards for schools thanking them for their participation, including Kylemore College and St Seton’s Secondary School.

Chris Kearns, Shanon Vierty, Cllr Vincent Jackson, Celine Dunne and Sarah Greene

“There were nearly 100 awards,” said Ms. Ryan, who added that the national agencies and local fundraisers were also in attendance.

There was also music on the night.

“There were lots of brilliant musicians,” said Ms. Ryan.

It was also an opportunity for those who have not taken part so far in the Erasmus programme to have a look at some opportunities that may be available to them.

The Erasmus programme indeed does provide many exciting opportunities to young people including the opportunity to go to different countries and to go inter-railing through Europe.

DiscoverEU is an action of the Erasmus+ programme offering young people the opportunity to travel in Europe.

The aim is to help Europe’s youth connect with the European identity and raise awareness of the core values of the European Union through travel.

Successful applicants will be offered a travel pass for up to 30 days and will travel predominantly by rail.

Under the Youth Pass participants make competencies that will stand to them when going for jobs and applying to go to college.

The Principal of St. Seton’s, Ms. Sarah Green and Councillor Vincent Jackson (Non-party) were also in attendance.