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On May 16th, the Northeast & Midlands hosted its Youth Day at Emerald Park in Ashbourne, Co. Meath. This event brought together schools participating in the Young SVP programme from across the region, representing counties Cavan, Longford, Louth, Meath, and Westmeath. Throughout the year, Students engaged in workshops designed to explore social justice issues that SVP addresses daily, in an engaging and thought-provoking manner. The workshops emphasised promoting social action and empowering young people to contribute to helping those in need.
Our Youth Conferences provided students with opportunities to participate in the four types of Young SVP projects: Befriending, Education, Awareness, and Direct Aid. It was inspiring to see the variety of projects that students showcased during the event. It's crucial for young people to recognize their potential to effect change, just as our founder, Frederic Ozanam, did as a young man. Over 300 students attended Youth Day with the support of their schools and teachers. Throughout the day, students were encouraged to step out of their comfort zones and interact with like-minded peers from other schools. This facilitated the sharing of ideas and opinions, helping students to connect with one another.
Youth Development Officer for the Northeast & Midlands Region, Clodagh Naughton remarked, "I'm thrilled to say that our Regional Youth Day was an amazing showcase of the work done by schools, students, and teachers for SVP. The projects were of a very high standard, highlighting the ways they could help in their community." She added, "As always, if there is anything we can do to support your local conference, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. It's vital to nurture connections between youth conferences and local conferences. I am also available to attend Area/Conference meetings to discuss Young SVP with members. Thank you all for your continued support!"
Regional President Hannah Clarke praised the students for their commitment and acknowledged the impressive projects and hard work they had put in. The day featured a fantastic performance by St. Vincent's School in Dundalk, which saw everyone cheering along. Isabel from Scoil Mhuire Trim and Charlie from Colaiste Na Mi Meath led our opening reflection for the day. The National President of SVP, Rose McGowan kicked off the day with a welcoming speech to the students.
The day was thoroughly enjoyed by Students, teachers, SVP members, volunteers, and staff alike. We are already looking forward to the next Youth Day event in 2025. For more information about the Young SVP Programme, please contact Clodagh Naughton at Clodagh.naughton@svp.ie.
We also want to thank the schools that were unable to attend our Youth Day for the incredible work they have done: Cnoc Mhuire Longford, Mean Scoil Mhuire Longford, St. Louis Louth, Columba College Westmeath, Mercy Kilbeggan Westmeath, and Marist College Louth.
