Mid West Simon Community are supporting multiple initiatives which aim to help younger people to settle back into the new school year.
The organisation, which covers north Tipp, Limerick and Clare, has handed out 5,500 School Stationery Packs to people living in disadvantaged areas heading back to primary, secondary or third-level education.
The FEAD (Fund for European Aid for the most Deprived) School Stationery Packs are funded by the European Union and the Department of Social Protection.
They’re also fundraising to fill the role of a facilitator who can support young people with the everyday challenges of returning to education.
This will be done through the Mid West Simon’s Life and Social Skills Wellbeing Programme.
Jackie Bonfield is CEO of Mid West Simon.
“I think for anybody who is out of education during the summer months itself, it’s difficult to try and wind the kids back up. I’ve kids myself and it’s difficult to try and wind them back up and realise ‘we’re back now’.
“For children who don’t have this setting of going home, you open your books on the kitchen table or you have a separate room to do it. You’re asking people to go into a setting where there may be other people in the room, other adults in the room. So we’re trying to allow them the skillset to do that.”
To support this cause, Mid West Simon Community have setup a Facebook Fundraiser where you can donate directly to; www.facebook.com/donate/545843163406419/
