Bishop Eamonn Walsh Bishop Éamonn Walsh of the Irish Bishops’ Drugs Initiative (IBDI) has encouraged parishes to get involved with its latest youth-centred initiative.
“With the support of the IBDI many parishes are becoming self-sufficient in the challenge to prevent drug use,” Bishop Walsh said. “The latest IBDI programme ‘Leave your mark’ is a youth-centred initiative which trains Transition Year students with facilitation and drug awareness skills so that they in turn can educate parents of younger students entering secondary school as part of the Confirmation programme.”
He said rather than adults speaking to young people about drugs, “it is young people sharing their street-knowledge with adults”, which “leads to a new way forward where, together, adults and young people address the addictive culture of alcohol, drugs and gambling”.
He encouraged anyone interested in participating in the programme to contact the IBDI Coordinator, Darren Butler on +353 (1) 5053044 or by email on darren.butler@iecon.ie