Cornstore Youth Club January 2023- December 2023 The Cornstore Youth Club has 236 active members. Average weekly attendance is between 180/200 young people per week. Monday Year9&10 Pat5y Murphy Lucy Kearney Eimear Kelly Lisa Murray Raymond Cassidy Cathy Mc Laughlin James Murphy Jayne Mc Teague Nadine Breen Michelle Gribbon Danielle Murphy Jayne Mc Teague Tuesday Year 11 & 12 Wednesday Year8&P7 Thursday P5&P6 Nightly activities on offer are Football, Art, Outdoor games, teambuilding. TBUC Pro ect 2023 TBUC- I recruited 12 young people for a 6-week TBUC project with Terry Hamill. (Jan March 20231 All young people engaged. Very positive feedback from the young people. This was a worthwhile experience with visits to Stormont Buildings, Derry City and Graffi'ti Art. The young people explored their own culture. Summer Intervention Summer Intervention- I recruited 10 young people for a summor intervention project with Terry Hamill (I week July 2023). Summer Scheme 2023 50 young people enrolled for this year's scheme. The scheme runs for the first week in July. Every child has been charged £20.00. Cora Corry councillor from Sinn Fein donated £200,00 from the chairperson's pot. We spent the money on a cookery course. The summer scheme runs the first week of July and is divided into morning and afternoon sessions. This is planned by me but delivered by Michelle Gribbon and team. This year parents provided very Positive feedback on Facebool(. Plantin 2023 Emma Sheerin contacted me regarding Anti-social behaviour in the Plantin. I have teamed up with Terry Hamill and Raymond Cassidy and visited the area on a Friday night. We met numerous young people, no one wanted to engage. Terry is continuing to monitor this area, Eco Pro ect- Year 8
A group of Year 8 pupils completed worl< around the school. The jobs included.. Painting the fence, benches, and bridge in Susan's Trail. Cleaning out the green house. Growing Carrots, lettuce, potatoes, peas, and sunflowers in the polytunnel. Year 8 prepared and planted all window boxes, flower baskets, flowerpots, and train with flowers around the school. Completing litter picks around the school numerous times. Collecting Cash for Clobber1£600 raised through recycling). We have diverted so much clothing from landfill. Clearing path5. Digging weeds. Cleaning the pond. Cutting hedges. In pallets we grew scallions, potatoe5, and lettuce. Outdoor garden. Year 8 have a daily watering rota for both flowers and vegetables. The young people worked tirelessly every Wednesday from April through to June 2023. In 2024 we are planning to plant pricks in both the polytunnel and the greenhouse and distribute them throughout Draperstown during the month of June 2024, We have already contacted John Murtagh Recycling offi'cer and he is collecting plant pots etc, whereby we can grow the plants in and distribute them throughout the project. Mr5 Devlin had discussed using all the above information to renew the green flag for school. NO Phone Zone The Cornstore Youth Club became a "No Phone Zone" on the 22nd DI February 2023. Parents have fully supported the club's decision to ban all mobile phone5. The young people have adapted to it. A5cert Caroline Quinn from Ascert came into the club every Wednesday night. Caroline educated a group of young people about the impact of alcohol and drugs related issues that affect people's lives. She provided us with a 8-week prevention programme for young people. This was a free service. I believe it is a very beneficial course for anyone to complete. She educated the young people around healthy choices, positive friendships, energy drinks and drugs and alcohol, Geoff Baird worked Summer Scheme 2023. He took a group of 10 young people transitioning to Year 8 in September 2023. He worked with them developing personal and social skills. Geoff has worked with us for several years, He provides a very professional service,
Over the Rainbow Yo a and Mindfulness The club hires in Niamh Hickson to deliver an hour-long yoga and mindfulness session every Thursday night for Primary 5 & 6 girls. She works with approximately 10 to 12 young people per session, She charged £35,00 per hour, however, from September 2023 she has increased all sessions to £40.00 per hour. We have since increased her evening to 2 per week. Thi5 is due to a request from P7 girls attending the club on a Wednesday night. We feel this is an investment. The benefits outweigh the cost. We are grateful that she invests her time and energy into the young people of Ballinascreen. Soccer Tournament Mr Bolister organised a very successful soccer tournament on Wednesday 8th March, We invited young people from Magherafelt Youth Club, and we had 60 young people attend the tournament. The young people had a fantastic time. A very well organised event. Feedback from Magherafelt Youth Centre was very positive. Jet Centre Tri l organised the Year 8 trip to the Jet Centre. The young people will be travelling to Coleraine on the 15thof June 2023 to participate in bowling/mini golf and the cinema. Communit l introduced William Nicho150n to Ciaran Meenagh. We have engaged in meetings Wlth William. William met with the SLT regarding a "Take IO" app. The designer of the App came into school and delivered training to all Year 13 mentors. From this the Year 13 mentors delivered it to Year 8. All of Year 8 now have the App downloaded on their phones. This is a pilot project. Liaising with Mr Meenagh and Nula from St. Mary's PS. Regarding dog fouling in the trail. Signs were erected, dog fouling has been reduced. Famil First Nomination Kim Bradley nominated me for Derry Teacher of the Year Award. The evening was held in the Titanic Centre, Belfast. I won. The trophy has my name on it, but I believe without my principal, BOG, my colleagues at school and especially my colleagues at the youth club I would never have won that award. The youth club staff team allows US to provide a unique Service that sets us apart from other organisations and schoo15. The young people are very lucky to have people like you working tirelessly in the evening for them. l am lucky to have my team around me. Fi r5t Ai d Course The young people completed a 6-hour First Aid Course delivered by EMS Emergency Medical Supplies. The young people all passed the course, Thi5 course is valid for 3 years. All young
people completing this course can use it to enhance their C.V.s. The club paid for this course. First Aid Course. Tom Gourley from EMS delivered the 6-hour First Aid course for 14 young people from Year 11. They used this while completing their expeditions. Po e John Paul Award This year I worked closely with 4 young people from Year 13, Two from January to June term and two from September to December term. They ch005e different stories from the bible and delivered them to 12 young people from the primary club on a Thursday evening. The young people loved listening to the stories and colouring the pictures related to the stories. Six other Year 13 pupils volunteer on a Tuesday and a Wednesday evening. We value each ono of these young people. Transition Pro ect l organised a 6-week transition project for young people transferring to St. Colm's High School. The project had an average of 42 young people attend per night. This project was attended by 62% of the current Year 8 pupi15. Next year we will hold it in January for 3 weeks and the final week being the first week in February. We are aiming to increase the number of young people availing of this unique experience. Then in June we will deliver another 3 or 4 evenings. Global Leadershi Pro ect 2024 Orin Hampsey ha5 been in contact with me for a couple of months. Orin applied for a large amount of money and was successful. He is the FLARE worker for Mid- Ulster. The young people who get on this project will meet every Friday in Cookstown Youth Centre. The interviews took place this evening. Hopefully, the young people will know if they were successful very soon. I have recruited 5 strong applicants. I hope they gain a position on this project, and they develop a lot of skills and qualities. This project will last 2 years. In July they travel to Boston M.A. and vi51t Soup Kitchens etc. They will gain a Barista qualification and work in the OK Café in Cookstown. This is such an exciting opportunity for the young people of Draperstown and surrounding area. This trip is subsided. If the young people are successful, they only need to raise between £200 or £300. This is a fantastic opportunity. Mid-ulster Youth Voice 2024 Terry Hamill is always a great support. He works tirelessly in the background helping me with the Halloween Intervention week and recently we have got three members of the senior club onto Mid-ulster Youth Voice. As part of this project, he will be taking them to
London during tho Mid- term brea1< in February. The meeting is held in Magherafelt. They explore a lot of issues around teen-age life. This is a great opportunity for the young people from the Draperstown/ Maghera area. This trip is IO0/ funded. Christmas Jum er Disco 2023 The Christmas Jumper Disco was held last Wednesday. We had over ninety young people from all the local Primary schools attend the disco. It was a great success. Big D provided an excellent service, and the young people had a great time. Ballinscreen Credit Union sponsored all the selection boxes distributed to all the young people. We are very appreciative of their kindness and support. Staffin 2023 Maria Dunlop was granted a 3-year sabbatical from her job. This started in September 2023. Michellle Gribbon was appointed Leader-in- charge on a Thursday night. I want to take this opportunity to wish James Murphy a safe journey to Australia in January 2024 and Danielle a speedy recovery. Lucy Kearney and Eimear Kelly both job share on a Monday night. It is working well for both ladies. anish Exchan eTri March 2023 Three adults and twenty-five young people arrived from Madrid on the 18thol March 2023. They stayed at the Kilcronaghan Centre. We paid for all their accommodation, food, transport, and trips. Cathal Murray cooked all the meals. He even delivered a cookery lesson as one of their activities.As a group of 58 we visited.. The Giant's Causeway, Stormont, Belfast City Hall gardens, shopping, Seamus Heaney Centre. On arrival we had team building games delivered by external staff and we invited the Ballinascreen traditional music group down to the Kilcronaghan centre. Mrs F. Devlin delivered an Irish Dancing lesson and Mrs K. O Neill delivered a Gaelic football session. To host this exchange, it costed £8000 for the 5 days. The amount school/ community raised was £5000. This was done via Selling tickets for 2 signed Derry Jersey's + 15igned football, Craft fair, coffee morning, Guess the score for the Ulster Final 2022 and 2 of the Cash for Clobbers. Staff who were involved in this project was M Belaid, F. Devlin & R. Cassidy. To reduce the cost to the school we travel led over a weekend and one of the mem bers of staff was Raymond Cassidy an employee from the youth club. Madrid-lreland Exchan ese tember 2023 We travelled to Madrid to embrace the Spanish culture. We departed from Draperstown onThur5day th 215t September at midnight. We returned to school on Wednesday 27 September. We were welcomed by the teachers and staff, We had a cheese tasting experience, visiting Madrid Football stadium, tours of castle5 and towns, shopping, paella tasting. We stayed at a hotel 10 minutes away
from the school. It was a beautiful part of the world. On the last night the young people cried. They were upset that their journey had ended. The young people showed great maturity overthe 6 days. The young people had a fantastic experience. Halloween I ntervention We teamed up with Terry Hamill, PCSP, PSNI and Sein Fein. We ran our annual intervention project. th We organised a Pizza and Peelers evening on Tuesday 17th Octoberand on TLtesday 24 October we organised an information evening on Drugs, Gambling and self-confidence and self-esteem. These sessionswere delivered and worthwhile. Theyoungpeop5e enjoyedtheexperience andthe pizza. The feedback wasvery positive, and I wou5d like to thank Mr Leo Quinn, Orin Hampseyand Terry Hamill for delivering the sessions. The pizza was funded by PCSPand made by Frankie's Pizzashop Draperstown. All theyoung people enjoyed this session. Prisonlsland Monday and Tuesday trips130' Octoberand 31. October 20231 Career Read Nl. Bronagh O Neill came intotheyouth clubto deliver an eveningof team buildinggames at thebeginning of the Leadership course. Bronagh was fantastic. The young people really engaged with her. A great evening had by everyone. Bracka h Quar Wind Farm l applied for £2000.00. I was fortunate enough to get the money granted to the Youth Club. After discussion with my principal, we decided to purchase an interackn've screen. The screen cost over £2700.00. We were very fortunateto recieve thi5 amount of money. Kenn Bradle Kenny Bradley from Sixstown Historical Society came into the club to deliver a project on old houses fromthe local area. The workshop lasted 90 minutesandtheyoungpeople enjoyed listeningto Kennv and learning about his project. Kenny aim5 to take picture5 of every old house in the Ba Ilinascreen area. Bronze Silver President's Award Dofe Eighteen young people completed the Dofe/President's Award this year. They were all girls. Expeditions took place in the Sperrin and the Mourne mountain5. 1 would like to thank Raymond Cassidy and hi5 wife Colleen for helping me with all the expedition (10 days totall. I would like to thank Cathy Mc Laughlin for her administration skill5. Annual General Meetin AGM Meettng held on the 18TH December 2023 in the Corn5toreYouth Club. Signed Michelle Belaid 17.12.2023