Community Links

Links with ARD Community Group

Merlin College values its strong partnership with the ARD Community Group. The Principal and Deputy Principal attend monthly meetings with representatives from a range of local agencies and support services to strengthen collaboration and promote the wellbeing of young people in our community.

The group includes representatives from:

• Primary School Principals
• An Garda Síochána
• Family Support Services
• TUSLA
• Social Work Services
• Addiction Counselling Services
• Foróige
• ARD Community Resource Workers

Merlin College Links with Foróige

Coláiste Mhuirlinne / Merlin College works closely with Foróige to deliver a range of programmes that support the personal, social and emotional development of our students. Many of these initiatives have a strong pastoral focus and promote positive wellbeing, resilience and leadership.

Foróige operates the Eastside Youth Service, a youth development project for young people aged 10–18 years. Through this partnership, students have the opportunity to participate in a number of valuable programmes, including:

The Forest Schools Programme provides young people with opportunities to develop valuable life skills in a safe, positive and healthy outdoor environment.

This personal development programme focuses on building:

• Social skills
• Emotional wellbeing
• Leadership skills
• Self-confidence
• Self-awareness

Students take part in a variety of fun, creative and educational outdoor activities, games and challenges designed to promote positive mental health and personal growth.

Programme Duration: 6–10 weeks.

The Foróige Leadership Programme is offered to Transition Year students and consists of:

• 15 hours of facilitated group sessions
• 1 additional hour each week for personal reflection and independent learning

Throughout the programme, students explore a wide range of topics including:

• Leadership styles
• Communication skills
• Teamwork
• Self-awareness and personal values
• Global citizenship
• Community involvement
• Personal goal setting and action planning

The programme encourages students to develop the confidence, skills and knowledge needed to become positive leaders within their school and wider community.

Reading Buddies

Together with the (TY) English class and a selection of 5th year students, we established a Reading Buddies group that went out to visit the junior classes of Merlin Woods and read stories to them.

The aim of this program is that;.

• By pairing older and younger students together to read aloud to each other, both students' reading and listening skills will benefit
• It will allow our students the opportunity to develop fluency as well as a sense of pride in their accomplishments
• It will also promote good practices and gain self-esteem
• It will provide students with a reason to read also