Tess Martin describes one of the most dynamic youth movements in ireland in recent years. It is called “Foróige”, short for “Forbairt na hÓige”, meaning “development of youth”.
The literal translation of Foróige is from Forbairt na hÓige, meaning ‘development of youth’. Interpreting the name ‘for óige’ – ‘for youth’ – probably hits the spot more accurately. This national movement provides a wealth of opportunity for 12-18 year-olds to develop their talents as fully as possible, enhancing quality of life and future prospects.
Roots and branches
Founded in 1952 the organization has its roots in vocational education – the schools we used to call the ‘techs’ and the rural/farming community movement. Its backbone today is the 420 local Foróige clubs throughout the country which enable young members to experience democracy by electing their own committee and running the club in cooperation with adult leaders. With up to thirty young members and a small amount of voluntary adult participation, the club meets once a week for about two hours of learning and fun. Each club elects delegates to regional panels and the national executive.
Former members
Sinéad, now in her early twenties, joined her club at sixteen ‘We were amazed at being allowed to take control ourselves. The first time this happened, it helped us to realize that our actions could help others,’ she says.
Hugh, also from Roscommon, is a decade older. ‘There had been a local youth club, but they told you what you could and could not do. It was very adult-orientated. Then Foróige came to the town and everything changed. It was ours; we were given the steering wheel. The regional youth officer introduced us all to learning-by-doing. it was great, all very different from what we had been used to. I was sixteen and ended up the first chairman,’ he recalls.
Eight youth development programmes are available for clubs to follow, offering members an opportunity for discussion, personal development and projects on issues such as health, culture, citizenship, family and life skills.
On the margins
Moving away from cohesive families, Foróige carries its philosophy of helping young people to determine their own futures into services for marginalized teens too. There are currently over ninety such Foróige-operated initiatives, run in conjunction with other agencies. These provide targeted services for 10-20 year olds, where poverty, school under-achievement or family difficulties renders them vulnerable to social exclusion.
One such, the Neighbourhood Youth Project, helps adolescents and pre-teens at risk to participate in finding solutions to their own problems. The programme includes family support work, parenting programmes, art and drama and a drop-in service.
Foróige manages eighteen Garda Youth Diversion Projects. These community-based crime prevention initiatives divert young people from becoming involved (or further involved) in anti-social behaviour by providing positive alternatives. These range from life-skills and peer education to outdoor pursuits and health and fitness programmes.
Health initiatives
Foróige’s Teenage Health Initiative (THI) and Big Brother / Big Sister, (BBBS) programmes are initiatives employed in a number of projects. THI, a personal development and sex education programme, is based on research that increased personal effectiveness coupled with accurate information can delay the onset of early sexual activity.
BBBS is a mentoring programme that matches an adult volunteer to a young person. It’s founded on the belief that having a caring adult friend can help build a positive outlook. The idea began in America in 1904 and is now being used here in schools and parishes. The pair meet once a week for a year, and activities include watching or playing sport, listening to music and so on. School mentoring (between sixth and first/second years) could include eating lunch together, playing board games, etc.
While the public perception is that young people these days know everything, the opposite is often the case. Realizing this, Foróige run four youth information centres which provide a free, confidential information service to young people and adults, face to face, by phone or e-mail. The centres also hold exhibitions, and workshops, and help with CVs and application forms.
Last November President Mary McAleese presented ten Foróige groups with Youth Citizenship Awards in recognition of their work demonstrating good citizenship in local communities. The winning projects embodied practicality and imagination.
One club, for instance, produced an information sheet of services and useful phone numbers for newcomers to their area. Another club raised a massive €33,000 to buy computers, schoolbooks and tools for the Petauke region in Zambia.
Life-changing experience
Finally, the last word goes to Hugh, who probably speaks for many in describing his early Foróige involvement as lifechanging. ‘As a teenager in Foróige, you learnt the art of compromise, listening to other voices, because everyone has something to contribute, also to stand back and view something a second time.’
He is now fulfilling a long-held ambition to train as a teacher. ‘I wouldn’t be at this point without what I first learnt in Foróige. One of their mottoes was that the easiest way to learn something is to do it. I saw how shy people develop if you get them involved. I learnt the value of education, not only what you learn in books, but letting people try something for themselves and seeing how it turns out. I think that kind of learning has a real benefit, and it’s something I hope to encourage in the classroom,’ he says.
(Foróige, Block 120, Joyce Way, Park West, Dublin 12 Tel. 01-6301560 Fax 01-6301568 www.foroige.ie)
This article first appeared in The Messenger (May 2007), a publication of the Irish Jesuits.
