Volunteers recognised at Wizard of Words project

By Mary Dennehy

A TEAM of volunteers who donate their time to the pupils of St Brigid’s JNS with their reading and comprehension skills have been recognised for their dedication, compassion and positive impact on the children they sit and read with.

More than ten years ago, Barnardos funded a project in St Brigid’s in Brookfield called Wizard of Words (WOW), which saw a number of people recruited to visit the school twice a week to read with children and practice comprehension strategies.

However, three years into the programme, Barnardos lost the funding and had no option but to pull out of the school.

Despite the lack of funding, the team delivering the reading programme offered to stay on in a voluntary capacity – with volunteers, many of whom are retired and from Tallaght and its surrounding areas, recognised for their hard work on the 10th anniversary of the winning programme.

Principal Mary Mullen told The Echo: “What these volunteers offer to children is fantastic.

“They use Oxford Reading Tree books and they read with first class children who could benefit from additional help on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons.

“Along with reading, they practice comprehension strategies, which helps the children with their understanding of the stories they read.

“The children love it and alongside positively impacting on their reading, comprehension and writing across all subjects they experience improved communication skills and become better at listening and speaking.

“The one-to-one sessions also boost their self-confidence, their self-esteem and provides them with valuable time with members of the older generation – who show them compassion, empathy support and friendship.”

On Tuesday, the school community of St Brigid’s gathered and staged a recognition ceremony and dinner for volunteers in the school hall.

“The loyalty and dedication of these volunteers is amazing and the fact that they continue to volunteer their time to the children in St Brigid’s deserves to be recognised”, Ms Mullen said.

“Every year we hold a graduation for the children in the WOW programme and the volunteers present each child with a book, that they purchase themselves, in recognition of their achievements.

“Now, on the 10th anniversary of the WOW programme it is important that the achievements of the volunteers are also recognized and celebrated.” Special mention was given to Sheila O’Mahony who was unable to attend on the day