You’re never too old

Helen Callan

By Helen Callan

From Townspark, Navan, Co. Meath, Helen Callan, who is now in her 50s, volunteers with young people at risk of drug addiction. She was 40 when she returned to school and she wrote this article “to encourage some of your readers to bite the bullet themselves”. It’s most apt as we celebrate the European Year for Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations:

A lesson for the country - Ballymun kids lift school attendance by 14,000 days

The Government is planning to extend the law that holds parents to account when their child misses school unnecessarily. The new law would also cover the parents of children under six years of age. Meanwhile, Ballymun has come up with a completely new (and possibly complimentary) approach.

A Local Development Company in Dublin has used computer software and a community development approach to dramatically improve school attendances.

By Conor Hogan

In 2008, the attendance rate for primary schools in Ballymun was worse than that of other disadvantaged areas and 3.5% below than the national average.

Local community and educational organisations to take action and in the past two years the gap compared to the national average has halved. Last year, 14,000 less school days were missed in all.

Meanwhile, chronic absenteeism for Traveller boys has fallen by over 24% while the attendance rate for Traveller girls actually overtook the national average for schools in disadvantaged areas.

So how did they go about achieving this?

Village buys business and saves jobs

BY EVELYN O’ROURKE

The village of Sangudo in Alberta, Canada, mirrors some of the challenges faced by communities in Ireland.

With a population of 360 people, Sangudo has until recently, experienced a steady rate of economic decline. Businesses were forced to close and the younger population had no option but to leave in order to find work.

Many communities in Ireland are facing similar challenges. With the onset of recession, businesses have been forced to close, and young people are compelled to emigrate.

The community of Sangudo tackled the situation by making positive changes, together. 

Cut to Back To Work Allowance “a concern”

Louise Brogan

The level of State financial support for people starting their own business – critical to 5,040 people who did just that last year - has been reduced by two years.

“This is a genuine concern. The four-year allowance added a really big strength to the Start Your Own Business scheme,” said Louise Brogan of Donegal LDC.

Crucially, the Start Your Own Business course in Donegal, as elsewhere, allows participants to avail of the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance. This means newly self-employed people can retain their social welfare benefit in full for the first year and receive a 75% payment in their second year of running a new business.

For example, someone on Jobseekers Allowance gets €188 in the first year and €141 for the following 12 months. Secondary benefits such as medical card and fuel allowance are also permitted.

However, after two years, the allowance stops. Previously, it was spread out over four years.

“The scheme really works, it really turns people’s lives around and if people had another year or two to wean themselves off it would be better,” said Louise.

476 new businesses sprout in Donegal - with a survival rate of 60% after three years

AIB’s Jim McLaughlin, DLDC chair Jim Slevin and winner Michael Conway.  

Ann Styles reports

Entrepreneurs in Donegal have access to a wealth of information and support from their Local Development Company (LDC).

From Start Your Own Business (SYOB) courses to mentoring and workshops, the company provides a comprehensive support system for people, many of who have been long-term unemployed, with a desire to set up their own business. The LDC has two full time project officers who co-ordinate the service which has supported over 1900 people to date.