Community Care
For two hours a week, Transition Year students have the opportunity to take part in a variety of activities that involve the local community.
Paired Reading and Modern Foreign Language Programmes in Local Primary Schools
TY students visit the local Primary Schools in Rush once a week and work with students in 4th and 5th class. They are involved in a Paired Reading programme, where each TY sits and reads with a primary school student, helping them to develop their reading skills and oral literacy. TY students also prepare lessons and teach the Primary School students classes in French, German, Spanish and Japanese. Our students develop their communicative and creativity skills, and improve in their ability to work with others, whilst growing in confidence. It gives them an insight into life as a Primary School Teacher and helps with the transition from Primary to Post-Primary, as our TYs act as a friendly face when the 4th/5th class students come to St Joseph’s a few years later.
Friendly Voices
Launched in 2018, Friendly Voices is a music group that is made up of TY students and Senior Citizens from the local community. Taking place weekly on a Wednesday morning from 11-12 in St Joseph’s the group meet for a chat, cup of tea and singing.
In May 2019, this TY initiative was recognised with an award by DCU for promoting intergenerational solidarity in the community of Rush.
The group brings so much positivity and enthusiasm to our school, and we love seeing them perform. If you know of someone who would benefit and be interested in joining our Friendly Voices group, we are always open to new members.
Prosper Fingal
We are extremely proud of our TY Prosper Fingal programme that has been recognised at national level.
Irish Times article - https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/health-family/all-the-world-s-on-stage-when-it-comes-to-social-inclusion-1.3719862
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All the world’s on stage when it comes to social inclusion In a town in north Co Dublin, adults with an intellectual disability and secondary school students are uniting to perform a musical ...
www.irishtimes.com
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Every week, a group of TY students visit Prosper Fingal in Rush, where they spend time socialising with the service users. Each TY is paired up with a service user, using our ‘buddy system’. Inclusion, developing friendships and focusing on abilities is at the heart of the programme. Through music and art, the group work together over the course of the academic year, and this year, will perform Carols by Candlelight in December and put on a pantomime in April. We cannot wait.
Rush Nursing Home
Once a week, a number of our TY students travel to Rush Nursing Home, where they spend time with the residents. They chat, play games and hold a sing-song packed full of ballads and old favourites. The atmosphere is full of warmth and both the students and residents thoroughly look forward to each visit. Our students learn so much from the residents and equally learn so much about themselves.
Rush Congress of the Irish Cancer Society
The Irish Cancer Society is a charity that is very close to the St Joseph’s Community and we are always delighted to support in whatever way we can. Annually, the TY students organise a staff coffee morning and hold a ‘wear-yellow’ non-uniform day for the whole school, with all proceeds going to the Rush congress of the Irish cancer Society. They also help with the Daffodil Day coffee morning in Martin’s shop.
St. Vincent de Paul – St Maurs Congress
TY students take responsibility for our Christmas and Easter food hampers. They organise a food drive in the school and local shops, hold a non-uniform day and bag-pack in local shops. Using the funds collected, they purchase food that is used to make up food hampers. In early December, the food is delivered to St. Maurs GAA, which transforms into Santa’s Workshop for the day. Students and teachers work hard assembling and wrapping the food into fabulously presented hampers that are donated to the St. Maurs congress of the St. Vincent de Paul for distribution to local families in advance of the Christmas period. This project allows the students to develop leadership through service.