Clubs in Action 2012
Summary of Clubs in Action Projects
Click on the ECO-UNESCO Clubs in Action below to see what they did in 2012!
- 29th Galway Killannin Scout Group, Co. Galway
- Blakestown Community School, Dublin
- Bridge Boys (Ossory Youth), Kilkenny
- Calasanctius College, Co. Galway
- Cavan Youthreach, Cavan
- Clara Youthreach, Co. Offaly
- Daingean Youth Club, Co. Offaly
- ECO Central (Castleblayney Central School), Co. Monaghan
- #hashtag L.F.N. ECO Club (ECO-UNESCO Peer Education Programme), Dublin
- RAWCUS ECO Club (ECO-UNESCO Peer Education Programme), Dublin
- Knockmahon NS, Co. Waterford
- Monaghan Junior Tidy Towns ECO Club, Co. Monaghan
- New Waves ECO Club (ECO-UNESCO Peer Education Programme), Dublin
- Oliver Bond House ECO Club, Dublin
- Ramelton Treesome Kids, Co. Donegal
- St. Conleths College, Dublin
- St. Felims Ballinamore PPS ECO Club, Co. Leitrim
- Youth ECO Challenge Claremorris, Co. Mayo
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1. 29th Galway Killannin Scout Group, Co. Galway
Biodiversity and Conservation Project
Categories: Other Environmental Awareness Raising Activities
Local Toyota Dealer: Tony Burke Motors, Galway City. During the group’s Action Day, Tony Burke visited the scouts in Brigit’s Garden and got involved with the activities.
Description: Eco-Scouts carried out a ‘Biodiversity and Conservation Project’ which culminated in an ‘Action Day’ at Brigit’s Garden (an environmental charity, visit www.brigitsgarden.ie) in Rosscahill, Co. Galway. As the group learned more about biodiversity from local experts, it soon became clear that some native animals are under threat. The Eco Scouts focused on kestrels, long eared owls and bats in the local area. The Scout section made kestrel nesting boxes, which will be installed on a suitable site nearby by a conservation officer from BirdWatch Ireland. The Cub section made bat roosting boxes and the Beaver section took part in a bird feeding workshop. All groups helped to make the display signs and wrote an article about the action day for 2 local newsletters.
The Action Day itself involved bird and bat watching activities (a bat walk at night), making an insect ‘hotel’ and the installation of bat roosting boxes and owl nesting baskets.
The project was facilitated by scout leaders and wildlife experts from the National Parks and Wildlife Service, Bat Conservation Ireland and BirdWatch Ireland. The project promoted the protection and conservation of the environment by engaging young people with our native wildlife and highlighting threats to wildlife.
2. Blakestown Community School, Dublin
Description: The school’s Home Economics Teacher identified a need to plant their own herb garden as buying herbs on a daily basis proved wasteful and uneconomical. By growing their own food they could reduce their food miles and carbon footprint. There are many courtyard areas around the school that are visible to everyone who passes. The Gardeners are a group of students who were initially involved in the Green Schools Committee and as such were responsible for many of the gardening and environmental projects in the school. Together with another teacher who is a keen gardener, The Gardeners designed and planted the present herb garden and used the activity as one of their key assignments for the Leaving Cert Applied programme. The planting ties in with school policy of growing home-grown produce as they also have a fruit garden and an orchard. It also improved the appearance of the waste ground outside the Home Economics area.
3. Bridge Boys (Ossory Youth), Kilkenny
Bridge Boys Renovation Project (Eco- Community Development)
Categories: Recycling, Local Clean up and Tree-planting.
Local Toyota Dealer: Our local Toyota dealership provided transport of equipment for us. They also attended the BBQ to show their support
Descriptor: The Bridge Boys comprise of a group of boys from a rural background. They meet in their local community weekly.
The community has outdoor picnic tables and community flower pots that have been vandalised on a number of occasions. The project was to renovate the public tables. The group worked with a professional gardener and cleaned up the community gardens and planted salad and flowers.
As well as renovating all picnic tables, the group also chose one old picnic table in the public park that they renovated to be a youth space. They created 2 board games (Ludo and Snakes & Ladders) on this picnic table and the games can be played by everybody.
The group also designed, built and painted 3 bird box houses which they donated to the community. One bird box was donated to the primary school for their green schools award.
Through the project the group developed a greater sense of community and they now take more ownership of public facilities.
Once the project was completed the group held a BBQ for the local community. They used the salad they had grown and served it on the benches surrounded by the flowers they planted in to community gardens.
4. Calasanctius College, Co. Galway
An Gairdín Beag
Categories: Other Environmental Awareness Raising Activities.
Local Toyota Dealer: n/a
Description: Calasanctius College biodiversity group work closely with Oranmore Tidy Towns, and over the past year have carried out a number of projects. All their projects aim to improve biodiversity and raise awareness of it in the local area. It was suggested that the group design and plant a small area of ground beside the local astroturf, children’s playground and local bus stop.
The group’s aim was to design a garden that would add colour to the area and attract insects and butterflies. They also used recycled materials where possible. Five large concrete manhole sections were recieved from Galway County Council. These five sections were painted white and decorated by the art class. Three were used as flower beds and 2 others were put on their sides in concrete. These two will be filled with timber logs and bamboo to become wildlife/ insect hotels. Two other flower beds were planted and it is planned that more will be planted in spring.
To help raise awareness of the project, articles appeared in the group’s school newsletter and packets of spring bulbs were given to people in various locations around Oranmore. They also purchased books on biodiversity and donated them to the local library.
Cavan Youthreach ECO Club
Field to Fork Horticulture Project
Categories: Other Environmental Awareness Raising Activities
Local Toyota Dealer: It is envisaged that after the Halloween break a lunch will be organised for parents and invited guests. Lunch will be made using as much of our own produce as possible. A representative from our local Toyota garage will be invited to attend.
Description: This group’s project involved renting, cultivating and planting a 1 acre allotment to grow a variety of organic produce for consumption in their centre. The project was part of an expansion to the existing horticulture project at Cavan Youthreach which also consists of a 30ft poly tunnel and several raised beds.
Members of the Cavan Youthreach ECO Club were responsible for cultivating, planting and maintaining this plot of land. The group decided to grow carrots, parsnips, turnips, cabbage and potatoes using organic products which do not use any chemicals or pesticides.
This produce was then harvested and used in the Youthreach kitchen which feeds approximately 60 learners and staff on a daily basis. Although the allotment only provided a small amount of the food that was required, the knowledge and experience gained through working on the project will help to make this a sustainable endeavour into the future.
The project promoted environmental awareness by adhering to the best practices in sustainable organic food production. The young people involved gained an understanding and knowledge of the negative environmental impacts associated with mass production and transport of non-locally sourced food through completing research during the project on the benefits of ‘growing your own’.
6. Clara Youthreach, Co. Offaly
Operation Rainwater
Categories: Recycling and other Environmental Awareness raising Activities.
Local Toyota Dealer: Fitzpatrick Toyota Garage in Tullamore were invited to a demonstration of the rainwater harvesting system, and the Toyota logo was put on the group’s merchandise.
Description: This group took an energy audit of their water usage. It revealed that they paid a lot of water charges for watering their seedlings, flowers and vegetables. They recieved a Toyota grant to buy equipment to harvest rainwater. The group then researched rainwater harvesting systems and discovered how to use a gravity flow system to carry the water from the tank to the garden. The tank also supplied the self watering table in our poly tunnel. There were a lot of both new and old skills required by the group in order to put the system in place.
The new system has been successful, the plants are much healthier and Clara Youthreach have reduced their water charges and carbon footprint. They also had a very successful exhibition in the local library and have been asked to put in the system in Clara Community and Family Resource centre. The group also engaged the youth by developing a worksheet as part of the awareness exhibition. Furthermore, Clara Youthreach passed out leaflets to the local community and gave a PowerPoint presentation at the awareness exhibition.
In addition to all the other activities they also created awareness of the environmental issues facing Ireland today by creating a board game which they presented to the two local primary schools.
7. Daingean Youth Club, Co. Offaly
Tidy Teens
Categories: Other Environmental Awareness Raising Activities.
Local Toyota Dealer: The local Toyota dealer organised a talk on wildlife for both the group and the local community.
Description: The Tidy Teens group created an educational biodiversity garden in Daingean. The garden hosts a variety of flora and fauna which are wild and native to Ireland. In order to attract wildlife in, the tidy teens built a range of habitats and eco-systems. They also planted flowers and shrubs which are known to entice birds and insects.
The aim of the project is to educate people, particularly young people, about the important role that wildlife plays in our environment.
The project was also used as a means to inform people of the devastating effects of habitat destruction. Local media publicised the story of the project and helped to get the message across.
150 students from the local primary school came to visit the project, so they could learn about the garden and its habitats.
The youth involved enjoyed the process and learned new skills around organising, planning and biodiversity. The group hope that the garden will help to conserve and protect native animals. The local Toyota dealer organised a talk on wildlife for the group and the local community.
8. ECO Central (Castleblayney Central School), Co. Monaghan
Vegetable Garden, Energy Saving and Environmental Awareness
Categories: Energy Saving, Planting and Other environmental awareness raising activities.
Local Toyota Dealer: Marrow’s Castleblayney. The dealership displayed energy saving posters and kept up to date with the project as it progressed.
Description: Through the development of a school vegetable garden, this project has provided an opportunity for the pupils and the wider school community to be responsible for, and maintain a vegetable garden at the Central School. The School Parents Association paid for the construction of the garden and the project was subsidised by the school’s Board of Management.
Working on and maintaining the vegetable garden has raised awareness of the important issue of food miles and importance of buying local produce. Additionally the pupils have acquired many gardening skills. All produce was been divided amongst a number of local families, thereby continuing to raise awareness within the school community. This project has highlighted the communities need to buy local produce or ‘grow your own’.
The Harvest Service that sent the produce home with students, allowed those directly involved to spread the word the larger school community. The resource of the vegetable garden allows the school to continue to promote the issues raised.
In addition to the vegetable garden, some of the senior students were involved in creating a number of energy saving posters titled ‘Simple Energy Saving Tips’. These posters were then displayed by the Toyota Dealership. The aim was to raise awareness of the importance of simple energy saving steps.
9. #hashtag L.F.N. ECO Club (ECO-UNESCO Peer Education Programme), Dublin
Description: The youth project leaders #LFN (Love for Nature) delivered 5 peer education workshops classes to 6th class students in Drimnagh Castle and the Assumption Primary School, educating students on biodiversity through fun and engaging activities, including creating their own shoe garden! The groups were then invited to an environmental fun day in Walkinstown Park. The project leaders began the day by themselves carrying out a park clean up – collecting 3 trolleys of rubbish from the back ‘hang out’ area of the park. Following this, the 6th class students arrived and took part in activities set up at 5 different stations around the park. The activities included biodiversity Jenga, flower graffiti, creating recycled bird feeders, planting flowers and a 3D web of life. The project has increased respect for parks and habitats and provided skills to the participants which will help them increase biodiversity in their homes, parks and schools.
10. RAWCUS ECO Club (ECO-UNESCO Peer Education Programme), Dublin
Tenacious Trees
Tenacious Trees created a short animation to raise awareness of the importance of trees worldwide and the impact of deforestation. The group planned their project over a number of months, compiling all of the information they wished to convey in their film. The group explored many film medium options before settling on stop motion animation and taking part in a one day film training course to build up their technical skills in this area. The group with the assistance of an editor blended photographs with their own voices and sound effects to create the final product. The animation was then launched to a group of 30 young people. The launch, which had a red carpet feel, was a huge success with all involved being engaged in discussion on the importance of trees and what they can do in their own lives to protect this vital natural resource.
11. Knockmahon NS, Co. Waterford
The Green Machine
Four Seasons In Bonmahon
Categories: Recycling and Other Environmental Awareness Raising Activities
Local Toyota Dealer: McConnel’s Motors. The dealership spoke at and attended the unveiling of the mosaic “Map of Bowmahon”.
Description: The Green Machine’s project consisted of a movie “Four Seasons in Bonmahon” and a mosaic map of Bowmahon made from recycled materials. Together they present an ecological view of their locality over one whole year, from the perspective of young people. The group both planned and undertook 4 field trips in spring, summer, autumn and winter. They surveyed the local habitats and ecosystems and presented their findings in the movie “Four Seasons in Bawmahon”. County Waterford’s Environmental Youth Officer (Ann O’Sullivan) presented the group with a Special Achievement Award after reviewing their film. The movie was also distributed to local houses. Four Seasons in Bonmahon” has also been viewed by group members families and past pupils of the school.
The Green Machine also spent the year planning and working on their Recycled Art Mosaic “Map of Bowmahon”. The result is an exciting living map, depicting animal and plant sightings through the use of stickers. The map is on display at the school and additions are made to it as and when new sightings are recorded.
The young people were encouraged both as a group and individuals to learn about the ecosystems and habitats. This helped the young people to recognise the need to protect and conserve the area.
12. Monaghan Junior Tidy Towns ECO Club, Co. Monaghan
Clean Up Monaghan
Categories: Local Clean-Up
Local Toyota Dealer: Toyota mentioned in press releases.
Description: Monaghan Junior Tidy Towns (JTT) has been a success story for Monaghan Tidy Towns. Groups carried out a litter pick every week under supervision.
Each group had a leader responsible for activities. Children were awarded a sticker for every litter pick / activity in which they participated. Four stickers earned a badge while eight stickers earned a Junior Tidy Towns baseball cap. Each group established their own insect hotels.
Cluain Lorcan’s group were taken on a trip to the local recycling centre and had a reward trip at the end of the year to Tayto Park.
Killygoans group visited Knockatallon for a bog walk followed by eco workshops and activities at Tanagh Outdoor Education Centre.
Coolshannagh Walk’s group are now preparing to follow the other groups by establishing their own insect hotels.
Photos and reports of many activities are available on the groups website: http://www.jttmonaghan.com
The group promoted eco awareness through their activities. The idea was to promote their aims by gettin out and cleaning up the area, with children very visible in their high vis vests and bright blue caps.
The group also promoted their aims through regular press releases to local press, our website, radio and in the schools that the youth attend.
13. New Waves ECO Club (ECO-UNESCO Peer Education Programme), Dublin
Description: ECO-UNESCO Peer Educator group the ‘New Waves’, planned and held a festival style environmental awareness day in Father Collins Park, Dublin, Ireland’s only wholly sustainable park. The aim was to raise awareness and engage young people on the issue of transport and energy in their own lives. The park’s wind turbines powered the band’s PA equipment. The band provided entertainment for the whole day – showing that being ECO is cool! The day included a number of activities including running a home made peddle powered smoothie bike which invited participants to make their own organic fruit smoothies! The day coincided with International Nelson Mandela Day, so the group incorporated the theme of youth “taking action and inspiring change” by creating a Nelson Mandela statue from recycled materials. The day was a great success and was attended by the South African Ambassador, his Excellency Ndou, staff from the embassy and 140 people from all over Dublin.
14. Oliver Bond House ECO Club, Dublin
Oliver Bond House Community Clean Up
Categories: Local Clean-Up
Local Toyota Dealer: The local Toyota dealership was consulted at the start of the project in relation to the application. It was agreed that a display would go up in the showroom after the June clean-up.
Description: Oliver Bond House is a council house complex in Dublin’s Liberties area, an area renowned for its great community spirit.
Many of the children living in Oliver House are related and they enjoy playing together in the two playgrounds. The children decided that they wanted to clean-up their playground because it was vandalised and had graffiti, rubbish and weeds.
During 2012 the group held 3 clean-ups of the area around the playground and our display contains photos from October 13th. During the day, the local children were helped by local volunteers from St Catherine’s church, Thomas St.
Posters and certificates were printed with the help of Dublin City Council. Jobs completed included; (1) drilling and putting up 25 hanging basket for older people (2) clearing the weeds from a garden, where an older resident lives, (3) cleaning graffiti off the playground equipment, (4) sweeping up the autumn leaves, (5) replacing broken and missing washing lines, (6) sweeping up rubbish.
The main achievement has been encouraging the children to take care of their local environment. It has also built their confidence, through a feeling of achievement as they helped turned an urban space that was broken and filled with rubbish, into a beautiful, tidy and fun place.
15. Ramelton Treesome Kids, Co. Donegal
Raising Environmental Awareness Through Practical Actions
Categories: Recycling, Local Clean-Up, Tree-Planting, Other Environmental Awareness Raising Activities.
Local Toyota Dealer: Kelly’s Toyota (Letterkenny) endorsed the Clubs in Action application and were kept informed of the project by being a ‘friend’ on the Facebook page. Toyota branding was included on club sweatshirts.
Description: The Treesome Kids raised environmental awareness by example. During 2012 the group undertook numerous projects to highlight environmental concerns in the community. The centre-piece project was the development of a youth heritage garden on wasteland in the town. This brought a wide range of people and groups together to develop a new community amenity.
Treesome Kids activities have drawn a wide range of people together to cooperate on community development/environmental concerns.
The club acts as a junior branch of the Ramelton Tidy Towns Committee, and has been recognised and acknowledged as playing an important cohesion role in the town.
An active communications campaign (press, Facebook, other online activities) has reinforced a continuing stream of environmental messages to Ramelton and beyond.
Participants have developed personal skills, knowledge and confidence through the programme.
Participation in various public events has been a great confidence builder. Active environmental projects (e.g. clean-ups, the ‘Doggy-Poo’ campaign) have had an immediate impact and have influenced other people to be more environmentally aware.
The Eco Unesco Clubs Programme / Young Environmentalist Awards have made a significant impact on both the members and the wider community. Ramelton now considers itself an ‘ECO-UnNESCO’ town.
16. St. Conleth’s College, Dublin
Eco Geekos, St. Conleth’s College
To create a greener and more aesthetically welcoming school grounds
Categories: Tree Planting
Local Toyota Dealer: n/a
Description: Eco Geeko’s project involved the sourcing, purchasing and planting of trees and shrubs in our school grounds.
Although St. Conleth’s is located in a leafy suburb, the grounds lack greenery. The group decided to plant shrubs and small hedges into their almost bare flower beds, in the staff car-park. They also decided to create a more welcoming feel to the school by placing a large potted shrub on each side of the main door of the school. The group sourced the plants from a nursery in north Co. Dublin and came into school on a Saturday morning during September to dig the flower beds and plant the shrubs.
Both teachers and students have commented that the schools now looks more aesthetically pleasing and also seems even more welcoming.
This project certainly promoted the aims of ECO-UNESCO through a number of channels. By planting trees the group helped with the conservation and protection of the environment. Through their project they learned a variety of different skills such as how to prepare an area for planting aswell as how to plant shrubs correctly. They also learned about what type of plants are suitable for growing, at what time of year and under what conditions.
17. St. Felim’s Ballinamore PPS ECO Club, Co. Leitrim
Ballinamore Post Primary School Garden Club.
From Seed to Feed
Categories: Recycling, Tree Planting and Other Environmental Awareness Raising Activities
Local Toyota Dealer: Presented with a basket of vegetables following the completion of the project and kept up to date with the group’s progress.
Description: Through this project Ballinamore Post Primary School Garden Club learned how to sow seeds, bulbs, fruit trees and tubers (potatoes) in containers along with how to manage them while growing. They used donated recycled pots to transplant the seedlings to the garden and poly-tunnel. The aim of the project was to show how easy it is to grow seeds and reap the rewards of having a harvest feast in September. The plants and vegetables in the school garden that reached maturity over the summer were entered in local agricultural shows and the group even won prizes. They also sold surplus plants and vegetables at local fairs and festivals. The money raised was donated to charity. The project won first prize in Co.Leitrim Floral Pride Competition in the Best School Display category.
This programme has created a great team spirit in our school towards gardening. While 60 students were directly involved in the project, the whole school were aware of it through classes and information newsletters. The group promoted and raised awareness around the areas of self-sufficient growing, protection, conservation and food miles. They really enjoyed carrying out this project and felt a great sense of accomplishment when they saw a mere seed feed all their classmates.
18. Youth ECO Challenge Claremorris, Co. Mayo
Categories: Local Clean-Up & Other Environmental Awareness Raising Activities
Local Toyota Dealer: The group contacted the local Toyoto Dealership and invited them to launch the event at community garden when the young people had completed the clean-up.
Description: The group carried out eco workshops and a practical action environmental project including a peer education element for 16-18 year olds from Claremorris, Co. Mayo.
Workshops included a sustainable development workshop; art workshop; media workshop; investigation of wetlands and investigation of archaeological heritage.
The group discovered the biodiversity of their local wetlands at Mayfield and at a community public park at Clare Lake. They looked at plant and animal life, water sampling and identified native plant species. They learned how to do a harvest knot using rushes from the wetlands.
The group completed a clean-up project at a community garden where they gave a water reservoir tank a complete make-over, painting and decorating it to make it a real focal point in the garden.
They also recorded their experiences and interviewed local people about environmental projects at their local community radio station.
The project introduced the topic of sustainability and a discussion of what it means. It was opportunity for young people to discover environmental resources in their own community and value their wetlands, lake and community garden. The young people spoke to people involved in local environmental projects such as a community garden, rainwater harvesting and food composting at a housing association for the elderly.
