Athboy peer education programme a success

Athboy Community School were one of 14 secondary schools in Meath that took part in the recent South Meath Response Unit Peer Education Programme in Trim. The programme is run in conjunction with the 'Positive Youth Education' programmes, drug education officer, Liz-Ann McKevitt of the HSE and the school SPHE programmes. It was a great opportunity for the young people of the county to take a proactive approach to awareness and education about smoking and alcohol. The training was delivered by Lee O'Neill and Samantha Teather and transition year or fifth year students were trained to educate first year pupils in their own school on the issues arising from smoking and alcohol consumption. The programme aims to empower young people to create change by dispelling the myths and providing the facts around smoking, alcohol and substance misuse. It educates young people about some of the problems that may affect them from substance misuse and enables them to become independent, equal and active adults in our modern society. Athboy transition year students, Jemma Deane Maughan, Patrick Conlon, Bernadette Carroll and Corina Hynes actively embraced this five-day training opportunity, guided by teacher and SPHE co-ordinator, Patricia Carney, and will now embark on a programme of educational talks and workshops for first years in the school.