Donegal Daily
  • News
  • Sport
    • Sport

      Applications re-open for ATU Donegal New Entrant…

      3 hours ago

      Sport

      RunDonegal Women’s 5K raises €1,300 for Donegal…

      14 hours ago

      Football

      Former Finn Harps striker Tunde Owolabi scores…

      1 day ago

      Football

      Harps suffer fourth consecutive defeat as Dundalk…

      1 day ago

      Athletics

      RunDonegal Women’s 5K next Sunday to benefit…

      1 week ago

      Athletics

      Pictures: Claire McGuigan is ‘first lady’ in…

      1 week ago

      Athletics

      Ireland’s first World Cup mountain race to…

      1 week ago

      Athletics

      Mooney, HSE and Aurivo take honours at…

      2 weeks ago

      Boxing

      Venue swap for Brett McGinty fight next…

      6 days ago

      Boxing

      Donegal boxers claim Ulster 9 County titles…

      1 week ago

      Boxing

      Brett McGinty to return to boxing in…

      3 weeks ago

      Boxing

      Night of Support being held for West…

      3 weeks ago

      Football

      Former Finn Harps striker Tunde Owolabi scores…

      1 day ago

      Football

      Harps suffer fourth consecutive defeat as Dundalk…

      1 day ago

      Football

      No time to ‘feel sorry for ourselves’…

      2 days ago

      Football

      Finn Harps condemn racist abuse aimed at…

      3 days ago

      GAA

      Picture special: Donegal fans in Clones for…

      1 day ago

      GAA

      Podcast reveals how French company thought they’d…

      2 days ago

      GAA

      Donegal Ladies defeated in Ulster final by…

      2 days ago

      GAA

      ‘Sometimes sport can be cruel’ – Luke…

      2 days ago

      Golf

      McDonald’s manager Victor Byrne supporting a charity…

      2 days ago

      Golf

      Prize fund of €2,500 for Letterkenny Golf…

      7 days ago

      Golf

      Top 10 finish for Ryan Griffin in…

      1 week ago

      Golf

      Downings on course to host week-long festival

      2 weeks ago

      Hockey

      Four Donegal players named in Ireland hockey…

      3 weeks ago

      Hockey

      Hockey: Raphoe go down fighting

      2 months ago

      Hockey

      Hockey: Raphoe lose out in crucial relegation…

      2 months ago

      Hockey

      Raphoe Ladies reach Irish Hockey Trophy final

      3 months ago

      GAA

      Match Report – Casey inspires Tyrone in…

      1 week ago

      GAA

      Mickey McCann reacts to heartbreaking defeat to…

      1 week ago

      Hurling

      Brave Donegal hurlers miss out on another…

      1 week ago

      Hurling

      SHL – Strong second half sees St…

      2 weeks ago

      Rugby

      Donegal girls feature for Ulster in provincial…

      3 weeks ago

      Rugby

      Last gasp drop goal clinches dramatic Gordon…

      1 month ago

      Rugby

      Donegal girls selected for underage Ulster Rugby…

      1 month ago

      Rugby

      Watch: Paul O’Kane targets silverware in Ravenhill…

      1 month ago

  • Courts
  • Jobs
  • Travel
  • Features
  • Business
  • Property
  • Council News
  • Politics
  • More
    • Advertise with us
    • Haircare
    • Cooking
    • DD Pets
    • Hairdressing
    • Motors
Tuesday 14°CWednesday 14°C

Donegal Daily Donegal Daily

  • News
  • Sport
    • Sport

      Applications re-open for ATU Donegal New Entrant…

      3 hours ago

      Sport

      RunDonegal Women’s 5K raises €1,300 for Donegal…

      14 hours ago

      Football

      Former Finn Harps striker Tunde Owolabi scores…

      1 day ago

      Football

      Harps suffer fourth consecutive defeat as Dundalk…

      1 day ago

      Athletics

      RunDonegal Women’s 5K next Sunday to benefit…

      1 week ago

      Athletics

      Pictures: Claire McGuigan is ‘first lady’ in…

      1 week ago

      Athletics

      Ireland’s first World Cup mountain race to…

      1 week ago

      Athletics

      Mooney, HSE and Aurivo take honours at…

      2 weeks ago

      Boxing

      Venue swap for Brett McGinty fight next…

      6 days ago

      Boxing

      Donegal boxers claim Ulster 9 County titles…

      1 week ago

      Boxing

      Brett McGinty to return to boxing in…

      3 weeks ago

      Boxing

      Night of Support being held for West…

      3 weeks ago

      Football

      Former Finn Harps striker Tunde Owolabi scores…

      1 day ago

      Football

      Harps suffer fourth consecutive defeat as Dundalk…

      1 day ago

      Football

      No time to ‘feel sorry for ourselves’…

      2 days ago

      Football

      Finn Harps condemn racist abuse aimed at…

      3 days ago

      GAA

      Picture special: Donegal fans in Clones for…

      1 day ago

      GAA

      Podcast reveals how French company thought they’d…

      2 days ago

      GAA

      Donegal Ladies defeated in Ulster final by…

      2 days ago

      GAA

      ‘Sometimes sport can be cruel’ – Luke…

      2 days ago

      Golf

      McDonald’s manager Victor Byrne supporting a charity…

      2 days ago

      Golf

      Prize fund of €2,500 for Letterkenny Golf…

      7 days ago

      Golf

      Top 10 finish for Ryan Griffin in…

      1 week ago

      Golf

      Downings on course to host week-long festival

      2 weeks ago

      Hockey

      Four Donegal players named in Ireland hockey…

      3 weeks ago

      Hockey

      Hockey: Raphoe go down fighting

      2 months ago

      Hockey

      Hockey: Raphoe lose out in crucial relegation…

      2 months ago

      Hockey

      Raphoe Ladies reach Irish Hockey Trophy final

      3 months ago

      GAA

      Match Report – Casey inspires Tyrone in…

      1 week ago

      GAA

      Mickey McCann reacts to heartbreaking defeat to…

      1 week ago

      Hurling

      Brave Donegal hurlers miss out on another…

      1 week ago

      Hurling

      SHL – Strong second half sees St…

      2 weeks ago

      Rugby

      Donegal girls feature for Ulster in provincial…

      3 weeks ago

      Rugby

      Last gasp drop goal clinches dramatic Gordon…

      1 month ago

      Rugby

      Donegal girls selected for underage Ulster Rugby…

      1 month ago

      Rugby

      Watch: Paul O’Kane targets silverware in Ravenhill…

      1 month ago

  • Courts
  • Jobs
  • Travel
  • Features
  • Business
  • Property
  • Council News
  • Politics
  • More
    • Advertise with us
    • Haircare
    • Cooking
    • DD Pets
    • Hairdressing
    • Motors
EducationFeaturesNewsSponsored Content

‘Youthreach was one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life’

written by Rachel McLaughlin October 6, 2021
Facebook0Tweet0LinkedIn0Print0

A young Donegal man is on his way to carving out a legal career after getting a second chance at education with Youthreach.

Pierce Butler, aged 23, is in his third year of a Law degree at LYIT. 

He didn’t take the usual route to college, having left post-primary school in fourth year. Pierce’s path was through a programme called Youthreach provided through Donegal ETB’s Further Education and Training (FET) Service, and it suited him perfectly.

The young Falcarragh man dealt with illness during post-primary school. It caused him to miss most of third year, and he struggled with having to repeat fourth year. He decided to leave school, but he didn’t really want his academic time to be over yet.

“I thought that was me, my education was over, until a friend suggested Youthreach.”

Pierce Butler, LYIT student and former Youthreach Participant

Youthreach is a free education, training and work experience programme for young people aged 16-20 years who have left school early. The course provides a weekly training allowance to support students on the full-time programme, with six centres across the county.

Pierce saw the programme as “someting to do” with the support of a weekly allowance. Soon after he started at the Gortahork centre, he learned it was an invaluable experience for learning and self-development.

“I’m really, really glad I did go to Youthreach, albeit at the start it was for trivial reasons, ultimately it was one of the best decisions I’ve made in my young life,” he said.

Pierce, who has dyslexia, particularly enjoyed the way each subject was taught. In Youthreach, students explore a wide variety of subjects including the core modules of maths, English and computing, along with arts and crafts, computers, childcare, hairdressing, office skills, woodcraft and personal development (subjects vary from centre to centre). Tutors use flexible, individualised and student-centred approaches to deliver the curriculum.

“There are so many different ways to learn that you are given in Youthreach that you can’t get in schools,” Pierce explains.

“The structure couldn’t have been better. The approach is much more personal. You know your tutor’s first name and they don’t mind being called by their first name. I took it more seriously because there was that mutual respect. The tutors really take the time to encourage you and help you understand properly.”

Pierce also benefitted hugely from the life skills element of the programme.

“The funny thing about Youthreach for me, towards the end of it, I was more happy with how much I developed as a person, not just by getting back into the academic side of it, I developed in confidence, people skills, and things that are important in life,” he said.

Class sizes are small, and Pierce recalls that the majority of his classmates happily progressed to new things afterwards.

Pierce, with the encouragement of Robbie Matthews, an Advocate in Youthreach, identified that he would like to continue learning and go to college. He had gained QQI Level 3 and 4 qualifications, which helped him begin his journey through the Access programme at LYIT. The Access electives gave him a taste of the courses on offer there. From day one, he knew that Law was the one for him. Now he is in his third year of a Level 8 degree. The Curve (Learning Support Unit) has always been there to support him with his studies in college.

“Without Youthreach, I wouldn’t be in college that’s for sure. You definitely don’t need to go to college to be happy in life, but I think I would have been very hard on myself throughout life if I didn’t try.”

Donegal’s six Youthreach centres are now enrolling. If you, or someone you know, is thinking about joining the programme, you can find more information at this link: http://www.donegaletb.ie/schools-youth-services/youthreach/ or check out Donegal ETB’s 2021-2022 FET Prospectus at: https://bit.ly/3zjjntc.

For any enquiries, fill out the online web form and the team will get back to you: https://www.donegaletb.ie/donegal-youthreach-enquiry-form/

You can also call the Youthreach Centres on the following numbers:

  • Ballyshannon (Paula) – 071 98 51286
  • Buncrana/Glengad (Jayne) – 074 93 62626
  • Gortahork (Caitriona) – 074 91 35218
  • Letterkenny (Gillian) – 074 91 22585
  • Lifford (Aidan) – 074 91 42114

Facebook: DonegalYouthreach

Twitter @DonegalYR

YouTube: Donegal Youthreach Programme

Youthreach is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union.

‘Youthreach was one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life’ was last modified: October 7th, 2021 by Rachel McLaughlin
Facebook0Tweet0LinkedIn0Print0

Tags:
accessDonegal ETB Further Education and Training (FET) ServiceeducationLYITYOUTHREACH
Rachel McLaughlin

LEAVE A COMMENT

You may also like

Gardai hunt BMW owner after minibus struck

3 hours ago

Applications re-open for ATU Donegal New Entrant...

3 hours ago

Report into LUH flooding still not published...

3 hours ago

Council’s award-winning Thatch Repair Grant Scheme opens...

3 hours ago

Kinnegar Brewing celebrates Indie Beer Week with...

4 hours ago

Medical scientists suspend strike action to enter...

5 hours ago

Apology letters issued to Letterkenny residents after...

5 hours ago

‘Secrecy’ over cardiac services at LUH causing...

7 hours ago

Car seized after motorist caught speeding on...

8 hours ago

Donegal company through to finals of National...

8 hours ago
Advertisement
Advertisement

MOST POPULAR

Donegal County Council
Advertisement

Sport Hub

  • Stay up to date with Donegal Sport Hub on Facebook

    5 months ago
  • Donegal links rank in Top 100 Golf Courses in the World

    6 months ago
  • Bundoran 10 Event set for March 2022

    6 months ago
See More

Donegal Woman

  • Special weekend ahead for Relay For Life 10th anniversary walk

    9 hours ago
  • Entrepreneurs in Donegal invited to join business support programme

    9 hours ago
  • RunDonegal Women’s 5K raises €1,300 for Donegal Domestic Violence Services

    12 hours ago
See More

Columnists

Group Holidays - Travel Department

See the world with holiday discounts from Travel Department

1 day ago

At Home with Hegarty's - Hegarty's Home Interiors

At Home with Hegarty’s: Sit back and relax in the stylish Positano Corner

5 days ago

Motoring - Brian McDaid

Brian McDaid: A picture in words

6 days ago

Healthy Living - Sorcha McElchar

Sorchas Healthy Living: Is snacking bad?

2 weeks ago

Career Advice - Rory White

Career Guidance with Rory White: Choosing your senior cycle subjects? Keep your options open!

1 month ago

See All Columnists
Advertisement
Donegal Daily Jobs

Read More

  • News
  • Sport
  • Courts
  • Jobs
  • Sales & Services
  • Obituaries
  • Features
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Council News

Information

  • Contact Us
  • About
  • Advertise WIth Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Terms & Conditions

Our Sites

Donegal Woman
Donegal Woman
Donegal Daily

© 2022 Donegal Daily. All rights reserved.
Website by owenod


Back To Top.

Posting....