bridge the information gap between awareness and availability. The Website and social media updates are available for free and are constantly updated to serve as reminders of upcoming events.


For Further information contact Edwin Landzaad 089 -212 1417 transitionyearireland@gmail.com


French immersion in a Swiss boarding school


Amy Whelan from Coláiste Chathail Naofa, Dungarvan, receiving her Gold Award


The President’s Award


No Transition Year coverage would be complete without a reference to Gaisce – one of Ireland’s most prestigious and respected Award programmes. The Award is nothing less than an invitation from the President of Ireland to all young people in Ireland aged between 15 & 25 to discover their potential and go that extra mile – for themselves and their community.


There are three Awards that


participants can work towards: Bronze, Silver and Gold. There are four areas of participation for each award level; Personal Skill, Community Involvement, Physical Recreation and an Adventure Journey. An additional Residential Activity is required for the Gold Award only. Ably supported by the significant number of TY teachers that are also Gaisce PALs, many young people sign up to do Gaisce in their Transition Year, progressing to the Silver and Gold award in later years. Just last month, Gaisce welcomed a new CEO, Yvonne McKenna, to the team. Yvonne was attracted to the role by the simple and ambitious vision Gaisce has for ‘an Ireland where young people dream big and fulfil their potential’. This coming year will be an exciting time for Gaisce as 2015 marks Gaisce’s 30 year anniversary.


For more information on the Gaisce programme visit the website www.gaisce.org or email mail@gaisce.ie


Chantemerle International School has long been known as a premier international boarding school for boys and girls ages 12 to 16. Throughout the year, Chantemerle welcomes individuals and small groups of students who wish to spend several weeks in a French-speaking environment. Ideal for TY Students that wish to improve their French the students attend 4 hours of intensive French class every morning. In small groups, under the supervision of experienced native teachers, the student naturally gains confidence and progresses rapidly in the French language. In the afternoon, during the winter season, student can go skiing and ice- skating. Classes also often go out around the school to put their language skills to good use – at the local market, at the museum, the city centre or an exhibition. Several evenings per week, an activity is organised, such as a quiz night, moonlight snowshoe tour in the forest, games or cinema evening. Chantemerle strives to provide quality service at a reasonable cost. Individual and group prices are available upon request. An accompanying teacher is warmly welcome to join the camp alongside their experienced FLE (Français Langue Etrangère) teachers.


Irish contact: Anne White contact@chantemerle.ch www. chantemerle.ch


Water Sports for Schools TY Ireland a Transition Year Resource Initiative


With increasing numbers comes an increase in awareness and opportunities. It also comes with an increased demand on resources, which are in many cases already stretched to capacity. Transition Year is a unique opportunity for students to experience a different approach to learning. The focus shifts from students being reactive to being pro- active, and the community becomesi ncreasingly involved in the overall learning experience, with the school acting as an anchor point rather than as the sole knowledge provider. In order for students to capitalize on these opportunities, timeous information is a critical factor. Students often miss opportunities presented outside the school due to lack of (or late) information about specific events / activities. Transition Year Ireland tries to


Together Surfdock and Wakedock offer a unique range of water sports that are fun and exciting for students to learn, all in the safe surroundings of the Grand Canal Dock in Dublin 4. Their location is easily accessible by public transport, only 5 minutes walk from the DART and 10 minutes walk from the LUAS. They offer all year round tuition in wakeboarding, kayaking, sailing, windsurfing and stand up paddleboarding for students from 8 years onwards. Whether it is for a once-off outing or a series of lessons, they are happy to tailor the sessions to your school’s requirements. A typical lesson runs for 3 hours from start to finish and can be arranged for any time during the day to suit your schedule. Their series of classes has proven very popular for Transition Year Groups and activities can be used towards students attaining the ‘Gaisce’ Award. All watersports equipment and wetsuits are included.


Contact Details: courses@surfdock.ie www.surfdock.ie 01-6683945


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