Completing my Leaving Certificate Applied in Youthreach Ballinrobe was an amazing journey filled with fond memories of fun days out and lasting friendships. Since finishing in Youthreach I have completed a level 5 QQI course in pre-nursing studies and am now going into my 3rd year of Social Care in GMIT Castlebar. Youthreach gave me the confidence, motivation and skills to get to where I am today as I continue pursuing my goals. As a person who did not enjoy mainstream secondary school Youthreach was the perfect option for me, I would highly recommend Youthreach to anyone who feels that mainstream education is not for them.
Attending Youthreach was the best decision I ever made in my life. I found the financial support given to me to attend Youthreach helped me complete my Leaving Cert Applied, without this support, I would not have been able to stay in full time education.
I loved attending Youthreach, as the teachers motivated and encouraged me to progress to further education. They help each student reach their full potential. I have applied for Hairdressing and Make-Up Application, QQI Level 5 in GTI, Galway. Year 1 offers certification in QQI Level 5 and Junior Trades Examination. Year 2 offers certification in Senior Trades Examination. I am very excited about progression as I got a great start in Hairdressing in Youthreach. I am very grateful to all the staff in Youthreach for all the support and for providing me with life skills that will stand to me in my future career in Hairdressing.
I enjoyed my time in Youthreach Ballinrobe. I started my LCA when I was pregnant and with only a little English language. I got a lot of support from the teachers and students. The teachers were brilliant, and they helped me to improve my English a lot. The small class size ensured excellent involvement between students and teachers. During my time in the Youthreach centre, I discovered myself in art and participated in W.B. Yeats competition. I won 1st place with my 3D art sculpture of Yeats. I was delighted with my LCA results, and I got a distinction. After I finished LCA, I did a few part-time courses, and now I’m working as an account assistant in a construction company.
I’m happy to say that my experience in Youthreach Ballinrobe was great. I would recommend it to anyone which I have been already doing in the past few years. I have gained so much experience and many new friends from there. I have been doing hairdressing and I always got so much helps from all the teachers in Youthreach Ballinrobe even other students were very helpful if it was needed. Youthreach keeps students very active we used to go on soccer tournaments and long PE walks. Like I said I have gained loads of new experience which explains my exam results in which I did good thanks to my teachers which really helped me a lot with all the material. I really recommend Youthreach to anyone.
I came to Ireland 5 years ago. I joined Youthreach Ballinrobe straight away and my English was very bad. Youthreach was just like home. The teachers were like family. They were very patient with me.There was no difference between me and the Irish students, we are good friends and we still communicate. My English improved a lot. I spent 3 years in Youthreach Ballinrobe . Then I went to Westport College and did a Barbering course. I’m working in in a barber shop and I’m planning to open my own salon soon.
My experience at youthreach Ballinrobe has stood me in good stead , I found the teachers excellent also in the way they went above and beyond to help with any challenges we faced be it how best to study or life questions that one wonders before progressing to college.
After youthreach I attended SCFE to do a marketing course and after that I completed a hospitality course which I got a distinction in, I have been working in the Riverside hotel Sligo for the past 4 years and Iam currently the bar supervisor responsible for Stock, staff, service etc and I also was the duty manager responsible for hiring staff before the business model changed.
I feel youthreach helped me relax in the sense that learning from books isn’t the be all and end all and that practical learning suits some people far better, the way youthreach is set up with assignments is more like college than ordinary secondary school so it was easier to get in the groove of getting the work done, i can’t praise the teachers high enough for their dedication and care in the roles they do, I met some wonderful people on youthreach and will value my time there for ever.
Youthreach Ballinrobe was a buzz to say the least honestly very happy I decided to go there, I wouldn’t have seen myself finishing school as it just wasn’t for me, I could have finished it but I would have been unhappy doing so. I’m glad youthreach exists cause it shows that there are other ways to further your education than doing the old fashioned leaving cert way.
I did good in my results from what I remember I didn’t think I could get that much. I was happy with what I got and I applied to GTI shortly after for a plc course in social studies. I’m currently studying social care practice and I love it! It’s a 4 year course and I’m in my second semester of third year in Athlone institute of technology.
I found Youthreach opened my mind about a lot of different things and I also witnessed the stigma about Youthreach. A lot of people wouldn’t go to youthreach because of the stigma and I think it should change, I enjoyed it overall and I wouldn’t change a thing.
I am a former student of the QQI Higher level certificate from Youthreach in Ballinrobe.
During my time there I completed the QQI and also completed a welding course which gave me an introduction and insight to practical metalworks and welding techniques. These skills have greatly aided me asci come from a agricultural background.
From the year I spent in Youthreach I found the QQI to be very beneficial and greatly improve my personal development. The course provided me with a variety of skills including IT skills, metalwork and welding fabrication and social skills.
The professional tuition I received from the staff enabled me to gain a greater insight into the world of employment and inspire me to pursue a career in social care.
Outside of the course modules he time I spent in Youthreach was fantastic and very enjoyable. Because of the kind and welcoming staff, students and wonderful facilities Youthreach never felt like a day to day isolated environment. It was a fun and exciting learning experience.Overall my Youthreach experience was a time I will cherish and has helped me immensely.
Since leaving youthreach i have been to college, i studied motor tech for about 5 month’s or so in Westport, however with not having enough funding to keep up the travel and other expense, i decided to drop out and find full time work for what i hoped would be a year. However i ended up with a full time job as a shop assistant. I went on to being the key holder and taking up the roll as an assistant manager. I then left that job in 2019, i went straight back to education then in the local family research centre. I am currently in level 4 of Information and Communications Technology Skills and also doing my ECDL.
I have to give great credit to everyone at Youthreach Ballinrobe for my progress in life so far. Before joining Youthreach i was a really shy person who struggled in school due to being afraid of asking for help. However with youthreach and all the teacher’s there they made me feel comfortable and very happy to ask questions and learn in a much better way.
