Mags GarganMags Gargan talks to people involved in a parish work experience scheme
“It was the best month of my life,” is how Martin Stokes (17) describes his work experience at Leopardstown Racecourse during the summer. What had started off with Martin and another Transition Year student volunteering in their local parish in Moyross, Co. Limerick has developed into a parish scheme where young people attend a personal development course to prepare them for employment and then receive a summer work placement.
“It came about through young people who had done work experience in the parish who asked if we could use our influence to help them find paid work for the summer,” says Fr Tony O’Riordain SJ. “Their persistence paid off and we made contact with other parishes and a number of employers and because of their Catholic commitment they got involved in the scheme. When we found two young people work, we suddenly had a flood of young people which shows that young people really want to work and it is a matter of finding pathways and opportunities.”
Last year the parish placed 13 young people in summer jobs. This year proved slightly more difficult and out of 16 applications they were able to place 11.
“I would not have been able to do it without the goodwill of the employers who went through their contact books and saw the good we were trying to do and met the young people and used their contacts. It was good old fashioned networking that led to the opportunities,” says Fr Tony.
The scheme is opened to young people aged 16-19 and in advance of their work placement the teens attend six workshops with local counsellor and psychotherapist, Dermot MacNamara.
“Tony approached me because he had a group of young people in the community in Moyross he could possibly organise work for, but due to the stigma and mindset attached to that side of Limerick these young people suffered in some ways from low self-esteem and low confidence in going out there and taking on the work,” Dermot says.
Fr Tony says the aim was to develop “their communication skills, problem solving skills and their confidence in preparation for going into the workplace, so they would have better ability to deal with fellow employees and if conflicts arose they would have the confidence to address those. It prepared them as best we could for what a workplace is like and those skills can be transferred back to their school, community or family”.
“The two main barriers were communication and lack of confidence,” says Dermot. “There was a fear of not being able to fit in and again with the stigma attached to Moyross and the perception people have that they were going to be judged negatively, so we were breaking down barriers they put up against themselves. The proposal was that after the six weeks they would be able to do an interview, take on employment and conduct themselves in a way they possibly wouldn’t have been able to do at the start.”
Martin says he “really benefitted” from the workshops. “Dermot made us think before we got the job how were we going to do moneywise, he had us plan everything out step by step. We did basic team work and leadership skills. They showed us listening skills and how to keep eye contact when you are talking to someone, interview skills and things like researching beforehand so you know about the job,” he says.
Work experience
Last year Martin had work experience in a factory in Shannon. This year he was placed in Leopardstown Racecourse in Dublin with Kevin Hanley (18).
“It was mainly maintenance, gardening and cleaning for the first two weeks and the last two weeks we worked with the horses more. Fr Tony also arranged for our accommodation. It was good experience. They were very nice and the days flew,” Martin says.
“Leopeardstown was a fantastic experience,” says Kevin. “Not only working at the racecourse but the independence of living by ourselves. We were getting up at 5.30am or 6am to make sure we were on time – it was very different from school. It prepared us not just for work but for college and living by ourselves. You take for granted things like coming home and having a dinner waiting for you. We’d come home and realise we had to do it ourselves and there was washing to be done. It was a taste of what is coming.”
Fr Tony says the feedback from employers has been overwhelmingly positive. “They were delighted with the work ethic. The young people were very pleasant and thankfully there were no issues.”
One Leaving Cert student was able to stay on in her job at a pharmacy after the summer was over and has now been released to go to college for a course in dispensary as a stepping stone to full time employment with the business.
“What started as a favour to two young people has emerged as a programme by default, but the benefits are tremendous for young people to experience a real workplace for two months and go back to school with a new focus and maturity,” Fr Tony says.
“For me seeing the joy on their faces when they get work and the sense of gratitude and appreciation, that’s what parishes in areas like Moyross should be doing for young people.
“Bringing good news to young people in a practical way and showing them that parish matters. As a parish we get their loyalty back in the sense they are willing to be involved and open to seeing the point in the other things we do, in the sense of liturgy and worship.”