Conversation Cafe will open ‘pathways for young people’ in Mayfield

Twenty-four young people from the community are set to come together tomorrow to take part in a special ‘Conversation Cafe’ where they will be able to explore future pathways open to them.

The pilot event will see the participants, who are aged from 16 to 22, given the opportunity to sit round a table with experts in the field for informal discussions on this topic.

The group of youths is made up of 12 young people who are trainees in the Mayfield Community Training Centre and 12 youths from the Foróige youth project and local schools.

The event will be hosted Cork Learning City co-ordinator Denis Barrett with guest speakers on the day including Cork College of Further Education and Training (Morrison’s Island Campus) principal Helen Ryan; Cork Education and Training Board’s senior training adviser apprenticeship services Anne Whelan; and a former Mayfield Community Training Centre trainee Leah Punch who is also a current University College Cork student and is involved in the access programme at the university.

Participants will also be provided with information on the access programme and the Cork College of Further Education and Training support services on the day.

The event is being delivered under the auspices of the Life Long Learning Neighbourhood group and has been organised by the Life Long Learning Neighbourhood steering group in Mayfield with planning undertaken by Geraldine Lynch from Foróige, Norma Byrne from UCC, and Mairead Quarry from the community training centres.

Ms Quarry said it is hoped the event, which is the first of its kind, will give young people in the community the opportunity to see the options for pathways to progression available to them.

“There are so many options now,” Ms Quarry said, highlighting the importance of highlighting these pathways to young people.

“If you can see it, you can be it,” she said.