What a week!!!

To say it has been a busy week at Solas Project is no understatement, we've enjoyed every minute!

Celebrating volunteers wrapped up today with some great Linkedin volunteers who came to paint our front wall and get it ready for an exciting project. Thanks so much to you all! 

The big event of the week of course was our Solas Business Community Final!

Solas Business is part of our Solas@school initiative - working to support young people in their transition from Primary to Secondary school. It was so exciting as over 190 young people gathered in St Catherines Church, Thomas St to hear the 9 schools present their business idea. Representatives from the 9 participating corporates; Google, Boys & Girls, Quantcast, Mainstream, Goodbody Stockbrokers, Byrne Wallace, Dunhumby, Savills & AWAC.

After some tough deliberations by our Dragons - the winners were announced to be: St Audeons National School with their app 'Bully Bug'. An app that will help young people who are struggling with bullying. The dragons saw great potential in it, as did we! Well done to all!

A huge thank you to all our corporate partners & schools. We couldn't run this programme without your support. 

It is National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day!!!

Well if ever there is a day we like to celebrate...it's National Chocolate chip cookie day. We are fully on board with this!!

The lovely Cathrin and Jane from our Charity of the Year Partners Hilton Doubletree dropped by with some cookies and juice for The Club. They were very much welcomed!!

Cathrin and Jane also got the chance to check out The Yard and see our canoe making in action!

At Solas Project we fully support National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day!! A big hit all round! 

Claire Haworth: A day in the life of a volunteer...

Claire Haworth has been volunteering with 'The Club' over the past couple of months, we're delighted Claire was willing to give a little insight to her volunteering experience: 

My day as a Solas Project volunteer begins when the bell rings heralding the end of another school day. We wait in anticipation for what will emerge into our care and attention for that afternoon. The excitements and disappointments, hopes and fears of a bunch of eight to twelve year olds soon pile onto a bus with us as we journey back for dinner. I try to discern what is needed at each moment with each child I find myself with; sitting on the bus, eating dinner or doing homework. Each day is different, each child is different and yet we as volunteers seek to offer the continuity of our presence. Continuity within a world of difference, change and unpredictability. I get involved in the world of these kids for a few hours every week and we journey together. Whether it’s through a difficult maths sheet or an exciting chapter of a book, showing off our hiphop moves or learning gaelic football, I have learnt as a volunteer that it’s not so important what we do together so much as we are doing it together.

Thanks Claire, we appreciate all the love and time you give to our kids!

If you are interested in volunteering with Solas Project, visit our volunteer page

Scott Cameron.. Solas Project Intern

At Solas Project, we are very fortunate to have some amazing long term volunteers who come and intern with us. Scott joined us in January 2015 and will be here until the end of the year. 

We sat down to have a chat and catch up with Scott:

Where are you from?

 I'm from a small Welsh town called Chepstow.

What brought you to Ireland?

 In November 2013, I had a motorbike crash in which I fractured my neck. That lead me to take a year off work, and that meant a lot of time to think! I wanted to make a difference in life, to be the change I wanted to see in the world, and when I was ready to return to work a friend suggested this internship with Solas Project.

What’s the best bit about your role?

 The variety! You never know what the kids will do next, what challenges you will face or what skills you will need to call upon to help solve a situation!

What were your concerns before arriving?

 Honestly, I was terrified of the prospect of working with children! Although I've worked with kids before, I stayed firmly in the background, avoiding any face to face time with them, it's not something I thought would change but, look where I am now!

How has your time here impacted your life?

In the short time I have worked for Solas Project, I have learned that I love kids! There is so much joy to be had when a child learns to swim, finally understands how to tell the time, wants a hug or just for you to listen to them talk about the day. Being there as a role model has impacted me in such a profound way that I am even considering setting up a similar project at home in Wales!

Would you encourage others to volunteer and why?

Absolutely!! It is life changing, both for the kids and for you. The time you can give these kids really matters, and often we will never know how much!

We are delighted Scott has been enjoying his time working with us here at Solas Project and look forward to what the next 6 months bring for him!

If you are interested in volunteering with Solas Project - check out our volunteering page

Celebrating Volunteers!

This week, we are celebrating all of our wonderful volunteers for National Volunteering Week. 

Yesterday, Clodagh had the chance to go out to Intel to celebrate the work of one of our amazing volunteers, Derek Murphy. Derek, not only has a busy full-time job at Intel and is dad to 3 gorgeous little ones - he also finds time to volunteer weekly at The Yard. 

Derek provides support to our young people, mentoring and teaching bike maintenance skills on a weekly basis. Derek works full time at Intel, who provide a generous employee giving scheme for volunteering, whereby they donate $10 for every hour volunteered by employees. We were delighted to be there yesterday to receive a cheque for $2,200 from Minister Alan Kelly (Dept Environment, Community and Local Government) and Eamonn Sinnott (Vice President, Technology and Manufacturing Group and General Manager of Intel Ireland) for Dereks volunteer hours.

Thank you so much Derek and all our amazing volunteers - you are all legends!!