At present, through the developmental work of our Youth Development Worker, Sharon Tuohy we have a Breakfast and a Homework Club in two schools in the Region. These clubs were set up by students who wanted to get involved with the Society after being visited at school by our Youth Development Officer.

The second-level students set up conferences in their schools and attend the Breakfast Clubs each morning in their local primary school to supervise the children. The aim of the breakfast clubs is to ensure that children are getting a breakfast before starting their school day. Research in schools shows that a lot of children are not receiving an adequate breakfast in the morning, which hinders concentration. The Society bears the cost of the food needed at these clubs but the students undertake to be there and to help and supervise the younger children.

The Homework Club works in a similar fashion whereupon second-level students undertake to attend the club after school and help the younger children with their homework. This ensures that the homework is getting done as sometimes homework is left undone in some households.

The Society of St Vincent de Paul's Youth for Justice Project is a School based programme, which aims to encourage students to identify and work on a project, which will help to make a difference to social justice in our community. Transition year students from around the region have been working hard on a wide range of issues, such as racism, disabilities, the elderly, world poverty and many more.

Young people have energy and an idealism, which should be harnessed if we are to make our community a better place to live. The Youth for Justice Project is an extremely valuable tool in helping to develop a Social Conscience within our student population. In order to encourage its
success and continuation, we organise an annual exhibition of projects in order to celebrate the work, which the students have given so much time and commitment to.

Last year's exhibition took place at The Westport Woods Hotel, Westport on
Wednesday 1st May to a group of over 200 people.

The schools projects included: FAIR TRADE - HOMEWORK CLUB -
CHILDREN TEACHING CHILDREN - ACCESS FOR DISABILITIES -SVP WORK IN OUR
COMMUNITY - BREAKFAST CLUB -
EATING DISORDERS - FAITH FRIENDS - SWIMMING LESSONS FOR DISABLED - NURSING
HOME VISITS - MURAL FOR SPECIAL NEEDS SCHOOL - ALCOHOL AND SUBSTANCE MISUSE
- REFUGEES -YOUTH MATTERS

The Mercy Breakfast Club was established in April 2002, by transition year students participating in the Youth for Justice Action project. The club has been hugely successful with up to one hundred primary school children availing of the service.

Our first concern was whether to invite selected students to the club or to make the service available to all. We opted for the latter so as to prevent stigmatisation of the club members. This has worked quite well, and the majority of students attending are from low-income families. The children are offered cereal, juice and fruit each morning before classes begin and teachers have noted a marked difference in many children's mood and attention span.

We aim to provide a hot drink and warm milk for cereal when the weather begins to get cooler; we expect an even greater uptake of students during this time. A big thank you to all of the T.Y. students for the early mornings and hard work and also Ms. Celia Dunleavy for her unfailing optimism and commitment.

Ozanam House Resource Centre - Ballina
The Society of St Vincent de Paul in Ballina founded St. Bernadette's Pre-School for Travellers in 1985. the pre-school prepares the children for National School and assists them to integrate in the educational system.

• Family case work and information.
• Home visitation.
• Holiday and outings for senior citizens.
• Hospital visitation.
• Thrift Shop.