The Community Sector in Ireland - THE VIEW FROM THE STARTING BLOCK

- HOW OPTIMISTIC ARE YOU ABOUT FINDING WORK IN THE COMMUNITY SECTOR?

BY ALLEN MEAGHER

As folk who’ve been working in the Community & Voluntary Sector since the early 1990s begin to retire, we asked five up and coming community workers how optimistic they were about finding work and where their passions lay. Silvia, Luke and Donna are engaged in a Postgraduate Diploma in Co-operative Organisation, Food Marketing and Rural Development. Lesley is studying for a Masters in Youth Work with Community Arts and Sports Studies. All are students of UCC.

All are counting on not just a qualification but also highly rate voluntary experience to help them find paid work.

Lesley - you make your own opportunities.

Lesley O’Sullivan - Cork

I love this area of work, I really enjoy working with young people.

While there are more jobs in Dublin than in Cork, there are more possibilities now through Erasmus Plus and other European funding mechanisms. I come from an arts background and I’ve learned you make your own opportunities.

I work sometimes with East Cork Music Project, connecting with young people by maker education, which mixes art and technology. I also work with the Youth Advocate Programme (which supports vulnerable families and young people).

I went to college because I wanted to get more skills and get a proper qualification. For instance, we’ve learned how to use development education and creative methodologies in our work. Ideally, after my Masters, I would like to start my own project – a ‘Maker-Space’ for young people. Look it up!