Westword March 2014 - Galway Peoples` Resource Centre

2 WESTWORD
I
MARCH 2014
EDITORIAL
n the coming weeks the election
juggernaut will be getting underway
once again. This time it’s the local
elections, which as always, come complete
with a full quota of apathy and disinterest.
(Not to be confused with the general
election of 2011, with its world record
outpouring of apathy and disdain) That
was the election where they might as
well have been running for the position
of captain of a rollercoaster, a purely
symbolic appointment where the victor
gets to sit up front wearing a fancy hat
while the real power remains behind
the scenes in the hands of the European
money men.
This time around it’s different, those
pernickety European busybodies are out
the door and we can say goodbye to
their wacky ‘you-should-probably-livewithin-your-means’ policies. What do
these people know of our Irish ways?
But who will triumph in the local
elections this time? And by triumph, I of
course mean, not lose as badly as the
others. In the red corner we have Labour,
who’ll need to get used to hearing the
word turncoat on a regular basis, as well as
having doors slammed in their faces by
their once loyal supporters. Then we have
Enda and the lads, who are no doubt looking into the possibility of a stealth tax for
anyone who doesn’t vote Fine Gael.
Fianna Fail will continue their policy of
blustering outrage at the current government’s fleecing of working families, with
their indignant cries of “what are Fine Gael
doing to this country’s economy” whilst
praying that the electorate can’t quite recall the previous shower of eejits who ran
the country off the rails in the first place.
The Independent candidates will be fishing
through their wardrobes for their finest
man-of-the-people jumpers and Sinn Fein
will hobble themselves once again with
their embarrassing
B a s i l
Fawlty-like
‘ D o n ’ t
Mention
The War’
leadership
problems.
But who
knows,
maybe a
beacon of
trustworthiness, decency and
all round
goodness
will emerge
from the
madness. We must be due one, maybe
we’ll elect a fine upstanding politician like
that lovely Nelson Mandela; although I
heard that even he was a bit of a jailbird in
his youth.
Editorial Team
Michael Gallagher (Editor)
Noreen Faherty (Technical Editor)
Margaret Cullinane (Managing Editor)
The views expressed in this magazine are
the author’s own and do not necessarily
reflect the views or policy of the Galway
Peoples’Resource Centre.
Cover photograph : Liam Carroll
Funded by FÁS
MARCH 2014
T
usla, a new government agency
tasked with the welfare of vulnerable
children, launched on January 31st of
this year. The founding of the agency
follows a slew of recent reports outlining
the state’s failure to properly oversee the
welfare of Ireland’s vulnerable children.
Tusla will bring together various welfare
services under one roof so that these
children no longer fall through the cracks in
the system.
At the agency launch, Tusla CEO Gordon
Jayes admitted that “There was room for
improvement, the status quo wasn’t
acceptable, but the future’s not inevitable
either. We can’t do anything about the past,
but we can make clear improvements about
accountability. We need to work across the
full range of problems for children, so we
have children who are loved, children who
are valued, and children who are a part of
our community.”
The new agency will unify the regulation
of pre-schools, family support, and child
protection within the family unit, as well as
offering support for victims of domestic,
sexual or gender based violence. Tusla
brings together family social workers, family
WESTWORD 3
support workers, social care workers and
education welfare officers under one
umbrella and will operate with a budget of
over €600m. Tusla is also tasked with ensuring that all Irish children attend school
regularly and receive a proper education.
GALWAY CITY CONTACT DETAILS
Educational Welfare Services,
Unit 19, Sandyfort Business Centre,
Grealishtown, Bohermore, Galway.
Tel: 091 385 301 Fax: 091 760 915
Email: ewsinfo@tusla.ie
Family Resource Centre,
ARD Family Resource Centre,
1st Floor, Merlin Commercial Centre,
Doughiska, Galway.
Tel: 091 768 852
Child Protection and Welfare Services,
Angela Toolis,
Child and Family Agency,
(Galway and Roscommon)
25 Newcastle Road, Galway.
Tel: 091 546 128
Email: angela.toolis@hse.ie
A Full list of Departments and contact
details are available at www.tusla.ie
4 WESTWORD
MARCH 2014
D I S A B I L I T Y A C T I VAT I O N P R O J E C T AWA R D S
S
tudents from the pilot
D.A.C.T. (Disability Activation
Project) programme received
their completion certificates on
Monday 27th January from Social
Protection Minister, Joan Burton.
Trainees from the Galway Peoples’
Resource Centre were among
those receiving their awards. The
programme is the brainchild of the
ICTU and has been running nationwide.
The DACT project is open to anyone between the ages of 16 to 65
in the West, Border & Midlands Region who are in receipt of disability or illness welfare payments. The
programme provides free training
in computers and interpersonal
skills for the work place as well as
work experience; this does not affect any
current payments. Mentoring and career
guidance are also included and the programme aims to tackle the misconceptions
and isolation associated with disability.
Pat Kellagher, a board member of the
Longford Congress Centre, stated that with
employers there tends to be a focus on
people’s disability rather than a focus on
their abilities, and this programme and
others like it aim to address the issue.
The minister outlined many of the supports available from the Department of Social Protection to employers who take on
people who have been long term unemployed and in particular those with disabilities.
David Begg (General Secretary of the
Irish Congress of Trade Unions) pointed out
that the nature of unemployment has
changed dramatically in this country, and
people are now finding themselves unemployed and without the support they need
to help them through the process. As there
are now many highly educated and skilled
people without work, the supports needed
are not simply training, but should include
guidance, support, mentoring and help in
tackling the isolation caused by unemployment. Mr Begg pointed out the role currently being played by the Congress and its
centres and their ongoing efforts to offer
these supports.
Staff at the G.P.R.C. are currently recruiting for the next round of the programme and ask that anyone interested
should contact them on 091 564822 or via
email on education@gprc.ie
MARCH 2014
WESTWORD 5
WESTWORD’S BOX SET
RECOMMENDATIONS
THIS ISSUE: ROME
S
ick and tired of people droning on
about Breaking Bad?
“If you haven’t seen Breaking Bad
then your life is worthless and you might as
well lie down in a ditch and ask someone to
fill it in.”
Sound familiar, if slightly exaggerated for
mild comic effect? Then read on, because
we’re going to change the record and suggest something else entirely.
Before HBO’s sword slashing, nudity packed
masterpiece, Game Of Thrones, there was
HBO’s sword slashing, nudity packed masterpiece, Rome. Originally broadcast in 2005
– 2007, Rome follows the fortunes of two
Roman soldiers, the diligent career soldier,
Lucius Vorenus, and the happy-go-lucky
rogue, Titus Pullo, a man who’d admire your
home’s orgy facilities the one minute and
slit your gizzards with a cheeky grin the
next.
Clever writing places our two heroes at
the scene of major events in Roman history,
the assassination of Julius Caesar, Mark Anthony’s ruinous affair with the beautiful Cleopatra and the power struggle left in the
wake of Caesar’s death. But Rome isn’t a
stuffy history lesson, far from it. Its
characters live and
breathe in a world
we can all relate
to, there’s not a
`Forsooth` or a
`hey nonny nonny`
to be found.
Rome’s characters
drink, fight, fornicate and betray
one another at
the drop of a toga.
The cast are uniformly excellent, Ray Stevenson steals the show as Titus Pullo but
Polly Walker and Lindsay Duncan are also
brilliant as the matriarchs of two powerful
families, each engaged in an ever escalating
battle to destroy the other. Described by
studio executives at the time as ‘ruinously
expensive’, ($100,000,000.00) Rome’s epic
production values alone should make it a
must see. So if you’re looking for something
to fill a gap between series’ of Game Of
Thrones then Rome might very well make a
satisfying gap filler.
Rome is available to stream on Netflix and
to buy at all the usual online and bricks and
mortar retailers.
Did you Know ? ? ?
The two rarest items on
earth are the element,
Astatine 442 and a
photograph of Van
Morrison smiling.
6 WESTWORD
MARCH 2014
G
away’s Access Music Project has
been in existence for almost fifteen years. Founded in July 1999,
the project offers Galway’s unemployed musicians an opportunity to hone their musical
skills and gain a nationally recognised accreditation in a number of music modules. I recently spoke to project Co-ordinator, Eilish O’ Connor and asked her about the course’s ongoing
success and how she sees the project developing in the future.
So what does the course offer potential
students?
A class of fourteen candidates sign up in
September for a full year. The course offers
four FETAC level five accreditations, (sound engineering, vocal skills, rhythm / percussion and
communications) and all candidates take the
full spread of modules. For instance, some understanding of sound engineering is absolutely
essential if you’re out there performing, because you need the language to communicate
with the desk and your engineer. Piano is also
taught on a one to one basis, and although it
isn’t taught to FETAC level, classes are compulsory because the piano is fundamental to
composition.
You must get quite a spread of influences and
musical tastes with fourteen students at a
time?
People just jump in and get on with it. The
bond is that they’re all studying music, they’re
all learning. This year is a little bit more similar
as regards styles but over the years we’ve had
all sorts, but it all works. The course is about
opening your mind and your ears to understand other forms of music.
Who’s eligible to sign up for the course?
We’re always oversubscribed, we’re
blessed in that respect. But we have no
hard rules about who we’re looking for
and what we’re looking for. It’s all about
the individual, what they’re looking for
and what they could get out of the
course. Basically, it’s for people over
twenty five, registered with FÁS or the
DSP who have an interest and dedication
to music. It’s not for the light hearted
here. You’d have to be pretty dedicated,
you’d nearly want to eat sleep and do
nothing else, and a lot of people do that
when they come on the course, and why
wouldn’t they, it’s a fantastic opportunity.
Is there a big end of year show?
The project’s finale every year is The
Big Gig, it’s usually held the final week of
the course in September and that’s just
been awesome the last few years. It
started off here as a lunch time gig but in
2005 we moved it up to Cuba bar 903,
and that was the first year it moved to
night time. That was so successful we
were asked to move down to the Kings
Head where we ran it for several years,
and last year we moved to Kelly’s upstairs. It used to always be a free gig but
we were forced to put a cover charge on
it last year because families and friends
couldn’t get in because it was so choccer.
And it’s a fund raising event for us as
MARCH 2014
WESTWORD 7
well, so it’s been highly successful. It’s great for showing
the results of their hard
work, studying and practising
and all the rest.
What do candidates take
away from the project when
their year is up?
Students will take away
four FETAC level five accreditations. These can be upgraded to full FETAC level
eight qualifications if students progress to the music production and
performance course at the community college at Moneenageisha. From there, they
have the ideal stepping stone to move on to
third level education. We’ve had many past
participants go on to third level but unfortunately, as we don’t have a third level music college in Galway, students have to travel to Dublin, Limerick, Waterford or Cork.
The powers that be seem to consider Limerick as only down the road.
love it and look after it very well, and of
course fill it with great music.
I believe the Access Music Project isn’t the
only course you run?
Absolutely, in conjunction with Foroige,
we also run a very successful ‘School Of
Rock’ for teenagers. We’ll be running the
summer camp here for what will be our
tenth year, and that’s highly successful. We
take twenty five teenagers for a week and
they go through a kind of mini version of
the full course. They learn percussion, guiYou’re based in St Patrick’s Band Hall at
tar and vocals and they put on a perforthe top of Eyre Square, has that always
mance on the Friday. It’s amazing what they
been the home of the project?
can put together in a week. Parents and
We’ve been here since day one, St Patkids are always asking us why we can’t run
rick’s band hall is an institution of music in
it through the winter or during the rest of
Galway and it wasn’t used during the day so the year, but unfortunately the space here
it suited us. But at the same time we’re lim- doesn’t allow us to expand. That’s our bigited in our facilities. We have the main hall, gest problem, because if we had our own
which can work for us and against us. We
premises then we could create employment
have our two class rooms upstairs but if
for past participants to teach classes, so
there’s anything going on in the hall then
that’s sort of our dream down the track.
we’re only separated by a few sheets of
The Galway Access Music Project can
glass. And then we have a small sound engi- be contacted through their website:
neering room, so it’s not ideal facilities at
www.accessmusicproject.ie
all. But if there’s somebody out there who
has the perfect premises for us, then we’d
8 WESTWORD
MARCH 2014
GET AN EDGE AT THE
GPRC JOBS CLUB
S
ince the collapse of the Celtic Tiger economy,
many people have found themselves thrown
back into the deep end of the jobs market
after years of secure employment. This sudden change
of circumstance can leave people unprepared for the
current dog eat dog nature of job applications and interviews. The Galway Peoples’ Resource Centre Jobs
Club can help anyone in receipt of a social welfare payment prepare for the hard road back to work.
The three week programme covers:
Proper and appropriate construction of CVs and how the CV should be presented to a
potential employer.
Writing effective covering letters, completing application forms and telephone techniques
Interview Techniques: how to present yourself, how to cope with the pressure of the
interview situation and familiarisation with standard interview questions
Access to phones and email is provided and participants will receive a €5 a day travel
allowance. (This does not affect your other benefits). Places are limited.
For further information, contact Jobs Club at the Galway Peoples’ Resource Centre;
Tel: 091 566458, Email: galwaycityjobsclub@gmail.com
THE OPEN DOOR’S
OPEN INVITATION
T
imes are tough, money is tight and the happy go
lucky days of the Celtic Tiger seem a lifetime ago,
but at the foot of Eyre Square there exists a haven
of peace and tranquillity called the Open Door Cafe. Set
up and run by Dennis Hayes, the cafe offers a place of
refuge for the world weary soul in need of a cup of tea
and a bit of a natter. “It gives people a chance to break up
their day, to come in for a chat and a cup of tea, and the
tea and coffee is all free,” said Dennis when I met him
recently.
“Sometimes people will come in and they might not say
MARCH 2014
WESTWORD 9
much but at least they know there’s somewhere they can go and feel safe and appreciate the welcome. There’s the spiritual aspect as well, we sometimes have a bit of
Christian music or a reading from the bible
and there are quite a few people who are
regulars.”
The Open Door Cafe is located within the
Presbyterian Church on Queen Street at the
bottom of Eyre Square and is open : Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10am to 4.30pm.
ARE YOU UP FOR A PINT?
O
ne in four of us will require a blood transfusion at some point in our lives, and
yet only three percent of the Irish population gives blood. To paraphrase a
quote from history, never has so much been given for so many by so few. And
yet, if we’re unlucky enough to fall victim to a serious accident or require major surgery
then we all fully expect hospitals
to have a ready supply of our particular blood group on tap.
Ireland’s low rates of blood
donation have at times left the
nation’s hospitals all but running on empty. In May 2012, blood reserves in the country
reached an all time low, with only four days’ supply in stock. A recent EU directive on iron
levels within donated plasma has placed a further strain on an already overstretched system by exempting 1,250 regular donors from making further donations. If plasma levels
are to be maintained then this shortfall needs to be made up, and you can make the difference by giving blood. You may very well save a life.
Most of us are eligible to give blood so why not visit www.giveblood.ie and take the
eligibility quiz. The process of giving blood takes approximately eight to fifteen minutes
and only 470ml (less than a pint) is required. Blood donors can choose to give blood up to
four times a year if they see fit. Afternoon and evening clinics will run in Galway city
throughout March and April, details available below.
23rd March The Clybaun Hotel, Knocknacarra—12pm—3.30 pm
25th— 27th March The Clybaun Hotel, Knocknacarra—5pm—8.30 pm
1st—3rd April—The Menlo Park Hotel, Terryland—5pm—8.30 pm
10 WESTWORD
MARCH 2014
F R E E 1 D AY C O M P U T E R B A S I C S C O U R S E
A
re you worried about being left behind by technology? Do you think that Paypal is
the friendly office accountant, or that the terabytes were Jason’s next port of call
when he was finished with the Argonauts? It’s okay, at the GPRC we have the
perfect course for you.
8 HOURS OF IT TRAINING
During this one day session, you will learn how to
use a computer; basic sending and receiving
emails, use of social media, use of Apps, introduction to digital photography, perform simple online
transactions; such as book a ticket, pay a bill,
online banking and introduction to safety and
security online.
You are eligible to attend if you are: Aged 55 or
over, Unemployed, Experiencing disadvantage, Without any recognised formal education,
Have none or some computer experience.
To apply, contact the Education Office at the
Galway Peoples’ Resource Centre at 091 564822 or via email at education@gprc.ie
EQUALITY OFFICE NEWS
The European Social Research Institute has
published a report by the European Migration
Network on the Organisation of Reception
Conditions of Asylum Seekers in Ireland. The
report highlights the fact that:
Over 4,800 asylum applicants were being
accommodated in 35 reception facilities at
end-2012, down from just over 5,400 residents accommodated in 39 centres in 2011.
The Government and NGOs agree that the
reception system is not suitable for longterm residence.
Some 59% had been resident for over 3
years, 31% for over 5 years, and 9% for over
7 years.
The full report is available to view or download at www.asylumineurope.org
Roses’ Art and Craft Classes
Altered Hession Purse
13th March
2 - 3 p.m. cost €6
Felt Brooch
27th March
3 - 4 p.m. cost €5
Wedding Invitations
3rd April 2.30 - 4 p.m. cost €10
Canvas Art
10th April 2.30 - 4 p.m. cost €6
To secure your place on any of the above
classes contact Rose at GPRC
Tel: 091 564822
MARCH 2014
WESTWORD 11
SLIMMING FOR SPRING WITHOUT DIETS OR EXERCISE
S
till hanging onto those stubborn post-Christmas pounds? Don’t
fancy strict diets or slogging it out down at the gym? Then take
the easy way out and try the new Westword approach to
feeling slimmer.
WHY NOT:
Cultivate friendships with
people more overweight than
you and look slimmer by
association.
Move to America.
Donate all your clothes to a
charity shop and re-buy them
all again in much larger sizes.
Take a holiday in Mexico and drink only
tap water/river water. Watch those unwanted pounds flush away.
Stand a lot further away than you normally would when talking to people.
Take a jaunt around North Korea wearing
a ‘KIM JONG UN LOOKS LIKE AN ANGRY
BABY’ t-shirt. Work camps are an ideal environment for shifting unwanted pounds.