'Comhairle na nÓg child and youth councils give young people all over Ireland the chance to have their voices heard on the issues affecting their lives, both today and in the future'. On the 5th of November, a group of fifth year students attended Comhairle na nÓg (Youth Assembly). 5th Year student, Skye, reports back on the day.
There is a Comhairle na nÓg located in the 31 local authorities of the country. We attended the Dublin City Comhairle na nÓg whose members are aged 12-17 years. It took place in The Round Room beside the Mansion House.
At this meeting we discussed and decided topics that will be considered next year. Last year's topic was 'Drug use amongst teenagers, and how to prevent it'. They focused specifically on nitrous oxide; a drug used by many teens in the last few years. The focus for 2025 will be the theme of 'Diversity' in Ireland and how we can help create a safer and more accepting environment for everyone.
It was a wonderful opportunity and here is a flavour of the day. When we arrived, we were each given a lanyard containing our name and what table we sat at, the groups were split with different people from each school as to encourage collaboration between schools.
We started with a 'word café' where we wrote about a topic on a mind map on the table, and then switched tables and discussed another topic after some time. The Lord Mayor addressed the students and spoke about his collaboration with Comhairle na nÓg. We had breaks and were served food and got to talk to students from other schools. At the end of the day we were asked to vote on what the council would focus on for 2025. We were also given the option to sign up and become a member for two years.
Overall, it was a wonderful experience, and we benefited from attending as it gave us a chance to utilise public speaking, meet students from other schools and make a difference.
So, if at any time you are given the chance to attend, go for it and have fun!
By Skye Deans, 5th Year Student
Student Council Representative
Many thanks to the 5th Year students who attended and represented Stratford College at Comhairle na nÓg on 5th November in the Mansion House: Skye, Soma, Ofri; Gali, Mannix and Katie.
V. Kenny
Student Council Liaison Teacher
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