Inspire the Future
By Hayden Moore
WATCH:
TRYING to pick and choose what children want to do when they leave school can be a stressful time that leaves them feeling directionless – but Inspiring the Future Ireland is trying to combat that by creating an open dialogue between children and successful career role models.
Inspiring the Future Ireland is bringing working professionals to schools to create an environment where students, in both primary and secondary school, can chat with and help them get a better understanding of what they want to do.
Pupils from St Anne’s primary school in Fettercairn with some of the volunteers
The goal of making the professionals accessible is to plant the seed of ambition in children from an early age.
Inspiring the Future Ireland are seeking people from all walks of the working world to register their interest at Inspiring the Future, and a coordinator will be in contact to organise attendance at a career networking event with some young people.
Speaking at the launch of The Echo’s local media partnership with Inspiring the Future Ireland in St Anne’s Primary School, coordinator Sharon Murray outlined how they are seeking volunteers to help young people aspire to their full potential.
“So, we seek professional volunteers who will come and chat informally to young people about their job, their career and their journey,” she said.
“We only ask you for one hour a year and people think ‘oh I’m not very inspiring’ – honestly, it’s just about your story and your journey.
“People want to hear everything that you’ve done, they want to hear what you do day-to-day in your job and these things really help them to think outside the box and think what could I do? And I could maybe do anything.
Sharon Murray (centre) from Inspiring the Future Ireland (SDCP), with volunteers Wiktor Podgarski, Naomi Sian-Bailey, Brenda Mockler and Mike O’Toole.
“So, we would love you to be part of it.
“We’re so delighted that The Echo is part of this with us and hopefully this will grow and grow, and become something every young person can get involved in.”
Schools and colleges can also register their interest through Inspiring the Future and work out how the project can benefit their students needs.
At the event in St Anne’s on Monday, a group of Fifth Class students attended the speed networking session with four volunteers in the school library.
Brooke, Marie and Ronan
A photographer, a business owner, an actor and The Echo’s HR and Office Manager Brenda Mockler shared their own journeys with the students and explored what they might want to do when they leave school.
“We’re really excited about this collaboration to give back to the community, I believe it’s 50 schools in our catchment area,” said Office Manager Brenda.
“Through this collaboration The Echo is going to help promote Inspiring the Future, get other volunteers on board through articles and advertising, and as well we are volunteering ourselves and our staff.
“[On Monday] I got to volunteer and come and speak to some children about what their future holds and what they’d like to do while also telling them about what I do and how I got there.
“It was really rewarding and fantastic to listen to these kids, I think the future is bright and I hope through Inspiring the Future we can make it even brighter for these kids.”
Inspiring the Future Ireland is programme managed by South Dublin County Partnership that is supported by Bank of America and Google.
