by Alan Jacques
VOLUNTEER mentors with the Le Chéile Mentoring and Youth Justice Support Service have been recognised for their commitment to young people and families.
Le Chéile’s volunteers mentor young people on probation providing support and linking them back into their community through shared activities, new hobbies and practical goals. Limerick’s volunteer mentors were last Thursday recognised for their commitment to young people and families at an event in YouthSpace in Galvone Industrial Estate.
This year the Limerick project received funding for volunteer support and recognition from the JP McManus Trust, which focuses on working with charities in the Mid-West. Mentor co-ordinator Alan Quinn thanked the Trust for its support.
“We had a great opportunity to invest in our volunteers through training around issues such as stress management and mental health awareness, which benefits both the young people and families we work with, and puts skills back into our communities. We’d like to thank the Trust for helping us support and recognise our volunteers,” Mr Quinn commented.
Le Chéile Mentoring and Youth Justice Support Services works together with Young Person’s Probation to affect positive change in the lives of young people who offend and their families through the provision of mentoring and family support services.
Le Chéile recruits, trains and support volunteers from local communities to work with young offenders and their family through child-centred, non-judgemental mentoring services, with a youth focused Restorative Justice project also in Limerick.
“Mentors make a difference for a young person by being a positive role model, being there to chat about what’s going in their lives and try new things,” Ms Conroy explained.
“Being there once a week for a young person can change a life,” she said.
