It has been proven over and over again in various research and indeed in our experience in Derry Search Youth Group that education is the path to better health, lower crime, lifting people out of poverty, solving alcoholism and drugs and so much more But sadly many young people struggle daily for a multiplicity of reasons with their basic numeracy and literacy skills; this is then often reinforced at home when parents/carers themselves are also struggling with these basic skills.
Many of the young people we have come in contact with over the years in Search have had a negative school experience, and seemingly ‘failed’ at school. Through various interventions and confidence building programmes, many Search participants have returned to education and gone on to achieve the education and job they had dreamed of, something they had thought was never possible. Many of these participants are now qualified teachers, youth workers, doctors, social workers, professionals in their field and want to give something back to the programme that set them on the right path.
Some say the only ability you need is availability, we have a huge volunteer base of many young people and adults, who have been fully trained, who are giving up their time to help young people achieve their potential.