President McAleese Visits The Base
President Mary McAleese visited The Base, a unique new youth centre in Ballyfermot, Dublin, today, (Tuesday 10th February 2009 at 11.30am), which is providing a range of services, training and youth facilities for up to 4,000 young people in Dublin West.
The Base youth centre and childcare facility is one of the first of its kind in Europe. Through innovative and interactive programmes, services and activities, it provides a way for people to grow and develop in a safe, enjoyable and fun environment. This in turn brings about positive individual, collective and community change.
It supports children and young people living in Ballyfermot and surrounding areas in West Dublin. The wide range of programmes, services and activities contribute towards improving the personal, social, educational and psychological, physical and general well-being of children and young people and help them to fully engage in society.
President McAleese was welcomed at the Base by hundreds of young people and their parents and friends. The President also met with many of the young people using the centre and toured the centre’s ‘Black Box’ theatre, its recoding studio, new media suite and its childcare facilities.
Mr Frank Gilligan, Chairperson of The Base said that its mission was to provide new initiatives and, working in partnership with the community, to provide a centre where all the children, young people, staff and members of the community are respected, accepted, listened to and cared for.
“All of us are aware of the dangers and challenges that face young people. As the Co-ordinator of the Ballyfermot Drugs Task Force, I am acutely aware of the need for a unique centre, tailored to attract young people into an environment that supports them in overcoming all these challenges and achieving their full potential”
“A centre that allows them actually find themselves in terms of self confidence and personal development. The Base meets that need and as a result the social services, FAS, An Garda Siochana, HSE and Dublin City Council place great importance in having access to our services,” he explained.
Young people at The Base attend hundreds of different programme including arts, music, new media, youth work, youth health services, teen parent supports, and child services.
Ms Sharan Kelly Chief Executive at The Base said that these programmes are complemented with a youth-orientated ‘chill out facility where young people can safely hang-out in the evenings in the Youth café or the theatre’.
“We have exciting initiatives working in partnership with the community at our purpose built premises. We work with all children and young people in the area as well as providing a recreational and social space for the wider youth population. We do this in a way that allows all young people to feel safe, respected, supported and within that environment free to be themselves”.
“Our challenge is to help rebuild the lives of children and young people affected by all the social ailments that exist across society today. We provide a wide range of facilities, services and activities under one roof, late at night and weekends. We believe in providing young people with an alternative to the pub or night club, a place for them to go and socialise, make friends and fulfil their potential,” Sharan explained.
The Base is located in a 12,000 square foot state-of-the-art building purpose built for this service. It receives funding from the EU, NDP and the Government to run the programmes and facilities. Dublin City Council, which owns the property, also provides support and assistance.
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