CRISPS name, assigned by Children's Group Link to this programme for 2016 / 2017, was a Youth Employment Initiative supported by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs targeting young people aged 15 – 24 years old. Children’s Group Link was one of 28 similar pilot projects around the country.

AIMS

  • Target young people aged 15 - 24 years old that were unemployed or in danger of becoming unemployed due to family history and / or personal circumstances.
  • Introduce young people to a variety of soft skills that would support their road to future employment.
  • Ensure that the tutors and facilitators were accomplished at working with "at risk" youth.

Course Structure

  • Commenced on 9th November 2016 and finished with an awards evening on March 9th 2017.
  • 58 individual sessions.
  • 129 ½ hrs of course content.
  • Delivered on Wednesday nights and a number of Saturdays over 4 months.

Course Content

  • Range of soft skills modules
  • Team Building
  • Volunteerism and Community Activism
  • Photography & Short Film Making
  • Song Writing
  • Cooking and Independent Living Skills
  • Social Enterprise
  • Science with WIT
  • Career & Work Planning
  • Mental Health
  • Range of sporting & physical activities.

A highlight of the programme was the "CRISPS" song with the lyrics written by the young people which reflected their life experiences. The music was composed by Waterford’s own Liam Merriman. Added to this was the creation of a short film about the young people’s participation on the programme which was directed by Will Fahy and Gary Kenneally.

Support

Support for the programme was received from

  • Department of Children & Youth Affairs
  • Waterford Area Partnership
  • Bausch & Lomb
  • IPB Community Engagement Fund
  • HSE Connecting for Life Fund
  • Department of Social Protection
  • Waterford and Wexford Education and Training Board.