Youth Club

[Rachel]

Right so I run a Youth Club with UCDSVP for kids in Rosemount Estate in Dundrum, it's for children aged 7-12, we try and do something different with them every week, which so far has included lots of different activities in and around UCD. Just wondering if anyone thinks it would be possible to get them out in boats, on the Dodder maybe...? Or Dun Laoghaire?

Im sure there is HUGE insurance problems with this, but I have to ask. These children don't get to do much without this youth club and each new experience is making them more confident.

Another thing, I dunno about fitting them into our gear, they're, em, well, children.. but sure, we can just roll up the wetsuits on them..?

Oh, they can swim, they have started lessons on thursdays. And we could just not put spray decks on them..

So, someone tell me it's not possible so I can move on and think of far less fun things for them to do. 

[Matt]

The Irish Canoe Union run a lot of youth courses, and they run trips for schools and youth groups. It might be worth talking to them about organising something. I'll send you on contact details - they might be better able to help since they have gear especially for kids.

[finch]

Ye - you won't be able to use our gear - UCD are really strict even about letting members take them out

[kmck]

I just checked, SVP covers it's members with it's own liability insurance. So any event taking place under the SVP is covered by it's own insurance. UCD view the boats as theirs and as such only members from UCD canoe club can use them. I'm with matt on this one contact the ICU and see what they are willing to do. Also contact Tom Bannon as he was involved with a group of paddlers on flatwater a few years ago. You could also try Kipper at http://www.totalexperience.ie/total-experience-youth-groups.php.  Now either option will cost money, to get this you need to contact the dublin region office on sean mcdermot street. I think Rose Mcgowan is president of the dublin region.

[bambi]

Hey, not sure how UCD would see it with the gear issue but any instructors with current ICU membership are insured/covered to take a group out so I'd be willing to take a group out. Not sure how many kids are in the youth club so you might need to take them out in two or three groups. Also given the number of trainee instructors that the club has I don't see you having any bother getting suitable helpers. I think that on a flat water session with a couple of trainee helpers I could take out 8 beginners.

In relation to using the gear, you have a few options... If the session is run with proper instructors I'd be inclined not to tell UCD, just make sure the ratio's etc. are in keeping with your safety statement and guidelines of best practice. They'd look pretty bad telling you not to use your gear a couple of times a year to help out SVP. Alternatively talk to UCD and explain that the club wants to do something for the community with proper instructors etc. and ask could you loan out the gear. Another alternative might be to talk to high school in Rathgar as they have some gear they might be willing to loan you for one or two sessions. Or even ask the ICU could you borrow some of their gear when they're not using it and get UCD instructors to volunteer their time to run the session.

It'll probably be a bit of work to organise but I think it'd be a great thing for the club to do and would totally be worth the effort.

Caoimhe

[Nuala]

It would be a great idea if we could do it. If you are part of the UCD SVP society we could just tell UCD we are running a joint event and I doubt they'd have much of a problem if it was all run correctly.

How old/tall are they though because we'd need to make sure that the BA's fit them? There are a few quite small wetsuits in there and the helmets are adjustable but they'd need proper BA's. Also how many would there be?

[kmck]

Approach the safety office with the joint event between UCDsvp and UCDCC, it is children as such all instructors will have to have done a child protection course and been gardai vetted, not a problem for the instructors as they are done to get one.
Point out to the safety office that all mebers of SVP are covered by the SVP public liability and instructors by the ICU's the only question is the use of ucdcc gear.
Still think you can get money from the Dublin region of the SVP and just book gear from the ICU or other group.

[Rachel]

McKevitt, it's not really an issue of funding, UCDSVP is a really big society and we do a lot of fundraising so we could cover the cost it is kinda more about UCD.

The way we run the club is that every second week we're based in Rosemount and the other week we get them a bus and they come into UCD. They've tried climbing, squash, trampolining, they've looked at all the stuffed animals in the Biology department, all sorts of things. Part of the reasoning behind it is to get them thinking about 3rd level education, they are local to UCD and we're trying to show them all that there is to do as well as getting them comfortable with the place.

In a way I'm asking because we're running out of fun things and always looking for new ideas for things to do with them. Mainly though I'm asking because I think that kayaking is better than everything else and I wanna show them that! 

There are usually about 10 kids and usually 2 adults from Rosemount as well as myself and 3 other UCD students, 2 of which did actually join the Canoe Club this year. They're quite small, aged 7-12 so a few of the younger girls would be very light.. Maybe we could borrow a few small BA's..

I don't mind trying to get clearance from UCD but equally, I doubt the Rosemount end would mind if it wasn't cleared if we had proper instructors and safety.

Caoimhe, thanks a mil for the offer! I'll keep you posted 

[Evan]

Like Caoimhe said, get on to High School. Throw in Maebh/Clare/Rowan/my name (or all 4 for good measure) and see what happens. They have gear suitable for 1st year old girls so it should suit you and they're always looking for a chance to show how nice they are to the community. You might even get a few TYs volunteering at the youth club if you play it right

[clarec]

hey, i can ask dad, he's trying to hand the kayaking in school over to the younger members of staff but he's still involved! hmmm in terms of BAs some of the club ones are probably better than the hsd ones but i derno really, its been awhile...

reckon it would prob be cool with them if you were doing it on the dodder or something but i can check it out if ya like?

[Evan]

Get Ciarán Flynn onto it if he's still there. That guy is the greatest teacher in the world

[joey]

Hope i can be of some help here, seen as i work as a youth worker I should be able to be!!

Rachel, you will haev to check with Svdp to see what their insurance requirements are. I know the organisation I work for needs 3.6 million public liability insurance and not quite sure if the ICU would cover that. Also you would have to look at the issue of child protection for the people teaching the kids, this is a very serious issue at the moment in the sector.

Another thing to think about would be the issue of changing rooms and facilities. this again comes back to the child protection issue adn woudl be something to keep in mind.

Having run stuff like this before myself in different youth projects i would say it can be easier to go thru a company such as total experience as they will haev all this covered.

Also there is a facility run in ballyfermot along the canal which is run by the CDYSB that jsut do kayaking with young people from youth projects in dublin. From what I kney run from the abse project in Ballyfermot.

Not trying to ruin your idea here, Kayaking is great to do with young poeople and tehy love it. Just want to amke sure you have everything covered and dont get yourself in any trouble!!