Aspire NI

The objectives of the annual Year 8 programme are three fold:

To improve social and health outcomes for vulnerable young people through helping them develop the desire and the belief to succeed in both school and in life;
To support wider school efforts (St Brigid’s College School Development Plan) to build foundation literacy and numeracy skills in a fun way that is integrated into co-curricular activities and will impact outcomes at the end of year 8;
To enable pupils to build relationships with a range of providers and role models which will raise motivation, self confidence and the ability to achieve.

Aspire NI Team Members

Sharon Jones

The ASPIRE NI mandatory programme (with opt out clause) targets all Year 8 first form pupils attending St Brigid’s College each year are offered Clubs Monday – Thursday from 3.05pm-4.05 pm with a choice between a range of social, physical and wellbeing programmes that will last the full academic year.

A full time Programme Co-ordinator “Jacqueline Butler” employed by the GSAP is based within the school to develop and co-ordinate this programme of work. A range of partners contribute to this initiative, such as WELB Youth Service, Service Level Providers such as S.T.E.M. Aware, Leafair Community Association, GSCA, Goals4Youth etc… Additional Funding secured from the Extended Schools Outer North Cluster and St Brigid’s Extended Schools fund support the delivery of a range of programmes.

The content of the annual programme is developed in response to an analysis of the concerns raised by the pupils from a short pupil questionnaire completed by the pupils each September and from consultations with the pupils, the school staff and members of the steering group.

During the summer period, the ASPIRE project, delivers a Transition programme for the new intake year 8 students, to help make the move from Primary to Post Primary school easier.

Transition Programmes included: Teambuilding, Literacy, STEMnasium, Art, School orienteering, Games and sport.

Example of Some Aspire Clubs Since Commencement

Netball
Basketball
Rugby
Gaelic
Camogie
Personal development ( EA Youth Services)
Comic making
Soccer
Dance
Drama
Circus Skills (Personal Development)
Archery
Art
Digital Fabrication
Digital Comic Environment Characters
Guitar
Image
Hydroponics
Literacy Games
Numeracy Games
Tin Whistle
Pipe Band (Chanters)
Kickboxing
Boxing
Personal Development (EA Staff)
Gymnastics
Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths
Netball
Basketball

During the summer period , the ASPIRE (NI) project, with the support of Friends of St. Brigid’s is able to secure additional funding to deliver a 2-day long programme of activities in August for the new intake of pupils and their families.

Programmes included: Teambuilding, Literacy, STEMnasium, Art, a Leadership Programme, and various games.

Following an end of programme outturn evaluation of the annual cohort of participants (including feedback from parents) is carried out by the GSAP in conjunction with St. Brigid’s College and the ASPIRE (NI) Steering Committee a number of resultant achievements have been noticed, including for example in 2015/16:

100

All parental questionnaires which were returned indicated that 100% believed their children benefitted from participation in the Aspire Project.

87.5

87.5% of parents stated that they have seen a positive change in their child’s behaviour at home since attending the ASPIRE programme

87.5

87.5% of parents stated that they have seen a positive change in their child’s attitude to school since attending the ASPIRE programme

Feedback from participants

“It helped myself focus. I learnt new skills and met new people. I feel more confident. It learnt me to keep safe. I now do feel confident”

“I learned that you don’t bully or Cyber Bullying. The Club helped me by being more confident inside and outside of school. About bullying”

“It helped me learn to work in a team. To listen to Instruction. I learned new ways to keep fit”

“It made me smarter. I learned how to use I-Motion and I-Movies. I know how to use the I-Pad properly now. It helped me more with Science. I learned how to make a film. I learned how to go on new Apps”

“It helped me a lot. I met new people. I learnt how to play notes, and new songs and to be more confident”

"It got me more interested in using technology to customize and make things.This course is helping in modern technology and I am getting a qualification and I get to make new things every week using big machines".

"It helped me with different types of computer software".

"This helped me with my hurling skills and got me into this sport".

"It helped me to boost my skills as a hurler and to get fitter".

"It helped me to be confident to speak out, like read out without people making fun or mocking my voice".

"It got me more interested in using technology to customize and make things".

"This course is helping in modern technology and I am getting a qualification and I get to make new things every week using big machines".

"It helped me with different types of computer software".

"This helped me with my hurling skills and got me into this sport".

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Aspire NI Team Members

Sharon Jones

Feedback from participants

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