St. Gabriel's College
St. Gabriel's College is situated in a marked area of civil unrest in Ardoyne, North Belfast. The College provides an educational resource for an area that suffers from third generation unemployment and multiple generation deprivation. Coupled with these problems the College is situated adjacent to Holy Cross Primary School and was also significantly affected by the widely publicised dispute of last Autumn.
In partnership with Conservation Volunteers and the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools the College made a successful application to the New Opportunities Fund (NOF) to set up an Afterschools Environmental Club that will undertake the improvement of their school grounds over a three year period.
The project mirrors the objectives of Conservation Volunteers 'Growth in Grounds' initiative in that it aims to involve as many pupils as possible in the planning process and in undertaking the actual practical environmental tasks.
Since November, all 25 members of the Environmental Group received training at Clandeboye Environmental Centre and were involved in a host of challenging activities every Thursday during the school year from 3-5pm. These activities included tree planting, hedge laying, shrub planting, erecting benches and painting.
One of the club's most celebrated achievements has been the design, construction and planting of raised beds in the shape of a dove and a cross, two prominent symbols that appear on the school crest.
So far the club has provided an excellent opportunity to introduce pupils to an alternative way of learning that has boosted their self-esteem and confidence and raised their sense of personal achievement. Furthermore, the visual impact of the work has allowed pupils to instantly enjoy the fruits of their labour and to become even more motivated to continue the work.
On the last day of term the teaching staff and members of Conservation Volunteers presented all involved in the environmental club with trophies to celebrate their work so far. The positive achievements of the club had obviously spread throughout the local community as some parents even took time out to attend the event.
Reflecting on the club's performance, teachers involved in the project, Marie-Clare Crawford and Martin McKenna, expressed great delight in the fact that the environmental club has proved to be one of the most enjoyable, successful and well attended afterschools projects undertaken at the school.
The prospects for the next two years are therefore very encouraging. Already pupils have improved their communication skills, fostered a greater sense of belonging and participation in school life whilst behavioural aspects in the classroom have also improved. Future environmental work will involve the construction of a pond, a large willow dome and an environmental art centrepiece. The excitement and enthusiasm that the pupils have already shown may also indicate that for some a career in conservation volunteering may be quite appealing in the future.