Galway City Comhairle na nÓg

• Coordinator name: Deirdre Bermingham
• Contact email: deirdre.bermingham@youthworkgalway.ie
• Address:
  C/O Caitriona Morgan
  Galway City Development Board
  City Hall
  College Road
  Galway
  Co. Galway
• Tel: Deirdre: 091 561637 / 087 3291931
• National Executive representative: Leo O’Connell
• Twitter:    @GalwayCityCNN 
• Instagram:  galwaycitycomhairle
• Facebook: Galway City Comhairle na nÓg

About us

Current topics

The topic for Galway City for 2022 was Invisible Disabilities and Accessibility. In 2023, the Comhairle group will work on Physical Disabilities and Accessibility, and will be able to continue to raise awareness of invisible disabilities.

You can download their comprehensive report below

Invisible Disabilities Survey Report (1).docx (1) (1)

They held an invisible disability focus group in April to hear from young people on how invisible disabilities affect their daily lives and the impact of barriers in their community to their full participation. They have also been continuing their podcast series ‘Comhairle Casts’ and have interviewed both young people and professionals on topics of interest to young people.

 

Our highlights 2020-21

Comhairle Spotlight – download our presentation here Galway City Spotlight

Past topics

Galway City Comhairle na nÓg took on the topic of Raising Awareness of Invisible Disabilities in 2021.

• They met with Niamh from NUIG School of Education to discuss Universal Design in Teaching, and how it meets the needs of young people with invisible disabilities in the classroom.
• For Make Way Day 2021, they were involved in highlighting the barriers to accessibility in Galway City

Galway City Comhairle na nÓg also continued their work on Mental Health in 2021.

Key actions on this topic:

• Design and carry out a survey on the mental health supports available in Galway City for young people.
• Print and disseminate the report, film a short video on the results using the ICT equipment purchased in 2020
• Host an event for young people, mental health professionals, schools to work on the results of the report on mental health
• PR in relation to the topic, creating podcasts with the new ICT equipment

 

Comhairle members respond to Covid crisis

In July 2020, Galway City Comhairle na nÓg launched their report on online learning survey which had been recently carried out by Comhairle members. Over 200 + young people participated in the survey. Click  here Online Learning Survey Report to read full results.

So what happens now?

• They emailed a copy of the report to all secondary schools in Galway City
• They will present the findings of the report at the Comhairle AGM
• Key recommendations from the survey was the need for better communication and consistency from schools
• On important statistic – students did better in schools that provided support during lockdown

Comhairle members have been getting creative to spread the Government message on Covid-19 and putting out positive thoughts in the virtual world about the importance of the small things we can do to mind ourselves…

Here’s a small glimpse of the amount of work they’ve been doing over the past few months: Comhairle Steering Committee Meeting September 2020

 

2020

Galway City Comhairle na nÓg were working on Mental Health in 2020. Comhairle members promoted positive mental health messages on the Galway City Comhairle na nÓg social media platforms. They have been sharing Government advice on COVID-19 on these platforms also, messages on keeping safe, wearing face coverings and social distancing.

An art analysis competition was designed to promote positive mental health messages and ways in which young people can support their mental health. They received support from St. Mary’s College;  Arts Office, Galway City Council and the Suicide Prevention Officer with the HSE to design the competition and help with judging the entries.

Comhairle members were nominated for a Mayor’s Award and were shortlisted for an award in recognition of their commitment to community and voluntary activity in Galway City.

2019

For their 2019 topic of homelessness, Comhairle members developed a budgeting workshop for young people, incorporating sustainable living. They were selected by Galway 2020 and the organisers to run the budgeting workshop in Strasbourg in May 2020 as part of EYE Youth Event, but that has now been cancelled due the global pandemic. They plan to run the workshop in September as part of Galway 2020 youth event.

 

2018

Galway City Comhairle na nÓg worked on the dual topics of  ‘Discrimination’ and ‘Homelessness’ for 2018.

For discrimination we organised a community lunch- titled CommUnity‘. We invited people from community groups and organisations that may have experienced discrimination or work with people who have experienced discrimination. The invitees ranged from 12 years to 80+. The lunch was based around a conversational menu, with the topic of discussion being discrimination and how as a community in Galway city we can work together towards unity and how we can challenge discrimination. Following on from 2017 we also linked with refugees through the topic on discrimination.

2017

Galway City Comhairle’s primary topic for 2017 was mental health, with a particular focus on promoting positive mental health in school settings. We held two workshops with the second year MA in Education students in NUIG on how they can support students deal with stress in the classroom. This was very successful with over 60 students participating.

Our secondary topic was Supporting Refugees, a joint project with Galway County Comhairle. We had fantastic success with this project and were announced the overall winners in the Community Based Youth Initiatives at the Pride of Place Awards for their work on Supporting Refugees.We undertook intercultural training to do the following: understand the Syrian Refugee crisis, support young refugees and asylum seekers to integrate in their communities, to understand the cultural differences, and to support the needs of young people leaving Direct Provision. We hosted a cultural evening to raise awareness and promote social cohesion in Galway city.

In 2016, Galway City Comhairle focused their attentions on Youth Friendly Spaces. We carried out a survey among young people in the schools to see what they wanted in terms of facilities, but also to see what is already there. We linked with local businesses through Galway Chamber of Commerce to discuss using facilities in Galway City that are youth friendly. We also organised a youth gig in the city.

We also examined youth participation issues in Galway City, including looking at the creation of spaces for young people in the city to meet. The Comhairle surveyed all schools and youth groups in the city to see what they wanted in the spaces in the city, and what they could contribute to youth spaces in the city.

Galway City Comhairle have been working on the topic of Transport and the Environment since 2015. We intend to map the cycle and walking routes in Galway City to encourage more young people to walk or cycle. We will also create and send out a survey in relation to the current transport service in the city, targeting all schools and youth groups. The results of this will inform part of our year’s work plan.

Galway City Comhairle hosted their #LetsGoMental2015 event in July 2015. Click here to read more:

Our topic for 2014 was the ‘Galway for YOUth’ event, a one-stop shop displaying all the youth facilities and clubs and services for young people in Galway City.

The second annual Youth Friendly Business Awards, designed and organised by our Comhairle, took place in 2014, awarding the shops that are welcoming and treat young people with respect.

In 2012/2013 Galway City Comhairle na nÓg’s chosen topic was bullying. The committee hosted and participated in a Youth Exchange on the topic, creating a DVD to be used as a tool to encourage young people to stand up against bullying

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