Oaklands students take part in Comhairle Na nÓg AGM

Twelve Oaklands Community College students participated in the recent Comhairle na nÓg Offaly Youth Consultation in the Tullamore Court Hotel.

Comhairle na nÓg are child and youth councils which operate via the 31 local authorities of the country. They provide children and young people the opportunity to be involved in the development of local services and policies.

In addition to the personal benefits for individual young people, these processes make an important contribution to policy development locally and nationally by ensuring that the voices of young people are part of the decision-making process in areas that affect their lives.

The core programme of Comhairle na nÓg centres on young people identifying, prioritising and progressing topics important to them. Members then try to influence local decision-makers to achieve their desired outcome, impact or change.

Junior members of the student council Ruta Dukaviciute, Billy Crampton, Chloe Duffy Ayres, Anthony Yip, Aleksa Ponomarjova, Clodagh Mc Closkey, Rebecca Moore, Clodagh Burke and Daniel Clarke and members of Comhairle Na nÓg, Ana-Maria Cumpanici, Darek Murphy and Corey Eady from Oaklands Community College were in attendance on the day along with students from other schools in Offaly.

The event was organised by Comhairle na nÓg members under the excellent guidance of Hazel Daly, Community Development Worker for Offaly Local Development Company.

During the AGM, there were presentations about Comhairle Na nÓg followed by guest speakers, Eddie Fitzpatrick and Ann Marie Delaney from Offaly County Council and a representative of ODEN (Offaly Disability Equality Network), Declan Costello. These focused on the role and importance of Comhairle Na nÓg, working with young people and getting their opinions on matters in the community that affect them.

Students participated in workshops where they brainstormed ideas on what young people value e.g. transport, youth spaces, discrimination, mental health and peer pressure and substances. Mental health was chosen as the focus for 2024.Students also enjoyed a number of fun competitions, ice-breakers, goodie bags and a Kahoot quiz at the event.

Overall, it was an extremely enjoyable and worthwhile event as students got the opportunity to share their opinions on many aspects of social development which impact on their lives.