Community
- Thursday September 30th, 2010 @ 8:56
NEW COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP TO GIVE DRUGS THE BOOT
Give Drugs the Boot is a new community partnership programme launched this week to raise awareness among local school children in the Inchicore and Bluebell areas of the dangers associated with drink, drugs and smoking.
The education and awareness side of the programme is led by three local organisations, the Inchicore Community Drugs Team, Bluebell Addiction Advisory Group and the Canal Communities Local Drugs Task Force and together with their local football club St Patrick's Athletic FC they will be working to encourage young people to lead healthy and active lifestyles.
A five week drug education program and a five week soccer skills coaching program will be run in tandem at four selected schools in the area.
The students' involvement in both aspects of the program will be encouraged and at the end all participants will be presented with their “Give Drugs the Boot” certificates and goodie bags at.
Give Drugs the Boot began this week with 6th class students from Our Lady of Lourdes School in Inchicore and Saints midfielder James O'Brien was on hand to help kick the programme off.
“Having footballers from St Pat's involved in supporting the programme and endorsing our educational messages to young people will be hugely beneficial”, said Michelle Gallagher from the Inchicore Community Drugs Team “it's a different approach and one which we hope will be very successful”.
St Pat's Club Promotions Officer Declan White welcomes the opportunity for the Airtricity league club to work with local agencies “highlighting the dangers of all types of drugs to young people needs to be done but it needs to be done in the right way, and the club is delighted to be working alongside trained professionals in this area ”.
Pictured at the recent launch of Give Drugs the Boot are Patricia Boyle, Drugs Education Coordinator, Canal Communities Local Drugs Task Force, Michelle Gallagher, Community Worker, Inchicore Community Drug Team, St Pat's player James O'Brien, as well as students from Our Lady of Lourdes National School.
The Give Drugs the Boot programme is being run thanks to support received from The Young People's Facilities and Services Funding.
