Civic Awareness
As an Independent councillor in Cork City Council, I believe that continued civic awareness in our schools adds immensely to creating responsible citizens in years to come. It also enhances the development of our young people in making good decisions and taking responsibility for their future. Hence the following are initiatives that I have written to Cork City schools about and have followed up upon.
Ongoing: Dsiscover Cork: Schools’ Heritage Project 2010, www.corkheritage.ie
October 2009 - Nasc Country of Origin Programme
Dear Principal,
As part of my ongoing civic awareness programme, I enclose worksheets from the Country of Origin programme from Nasc. Nasc is the Irish Immigrant Support Centre and is a Cork-based non-Governmental organisation that seeks to respond to the needs of immigrants in the Cork area.
I believe that continued civic awareness in our schools adds immensely to creating responsible citizens in years to come. It also enhances the development of our young people in making good decisions and taking responsibility for their future. This particular civic awareness initiative is also sponsored by Cllr Catherine Clancy.
We, Catherine and I, ask you to give the Country of Origin sheets to interested teachers within your school. Further worksheets can be attained at 021 431 7411 or contact Nasc should your school be interested in finding out more on the work of NASC and their social inclusion programmes. Thanking you in advance.
Yours sincerely,
______________________
Cllr Kieran McCarthy
October 2009 - Drugs Awareness Programme (Part 1)
Start of Kieran’s letter to schools:
Dear Principal,
I am writing to endorse the work of Philip McCarthy who has written to you seeking support for his drugs awareness project. Philip has worked hard in Cork City over a number of years raising awareness of the scourge of drug taking. He has given workshops in several secondary schools and his drama work has been given several awards for its attempts to raise awareness amongst young people for taking drugs.
From Philip McCarthy:
Dear Principal,
I am writing as a director from Cork to tell you about a competition I am holding. I am looking for a student to design a DVD cover for a short film. I directed a short film in Cork in the summer of 2009, which is based on my award winning play The Dark Room. The film is a drugs awareness short film and we are now in the post production stage.
If you look at our society today, drugs are a major threat to young people and their families. Your school can help.
We need your student’s help by entering this competition. I want your students to put their thinking caps and draw a picture keeping in mind the topic “The Dark Room”. The film is a short film about young people growing up in a society of alcohol and drugs. There will be prizes for first, second and third. The winner will receive full credits in this film. The deadline for all entries is Friday 18 December 2010. All participating students will also be personally invited to the first screening of this film.
We believe this film will raise awareness about the consequences of drug addiction and we hope herald the beginning of drug awareness for Cork’s youth. We feel passionately that our film has the potential to benefit young people immensely.
If you need any more information please do not hesitate to contact me on 087 6966069 or you can email me at hawthornproductions06@yahoo.ie.
Sincere regards,
Philip A. McCarthy
Director “The Dark Room”