Donegal ETB has appointed a new Coordinator to its Gortahork Youthreach Centre. Caitriona Cullen has been appointed following the former Coordinator’s move to a new post. Gortahork Youthreach is based in Donegal ETB’s Gortahork Adult Education and Training Centre.
Caitriona has been working as the Acting Coordinator of the Leixlip Youthreach centre on a number of occasions and as a full-time teaching staff member (resource) for the previous eighteen years. A native of Kilmacrennan, she’s delighted to have found an opportunity to move back home to the county and to continue working in Youthreach. Speaking about her new appointment, Caitriona said she was delighted to be taking over the management of one of Donegal ETB’s six Youthreach centres around the county, “Youthreach is a fantastic education programme for young people aged 16-20 years who may have struggled with the former education system previous to joining the programme. I’m really looking forward to building on the good work and strong relationships created by the two previous Coordinators.”
Youthreach is the Department of Education and Skills official education, training and work experience programme for young people aged 16–20 years who have left school early or for whom the formal education system has proved difficult. It offers young people the opportunity to gain qualifications and identify options for progression within their lives.
Speaking about Caitriona’s appointment, Donegal ETB’s Director of Education Cróna Gallagher said, “Tá lúchair orainn fáilte a chur roimh Chaitríona agus í ag dul i mbun a cuid oibre i gCumasóige i nGortachoirce. Tá ceangal mhór idir an chlár agus an pobal sa cheantair agus tá mé cinnte go leanfar ar aghaidh le seo. Youthreach is just one of our many Further Education and Training (FET) programmes across the county and the Gortahork centre has an important contribution to make to our FET service delivery.”
Caitriona took up her appointment on 06 November. Gortahork Youthreach can be contacted on 074 91 35218 or through the Donegal Youthreach Programme’s Facebook and Twitter accounts @DonegalYR.
Youthreach is co-funded by the Irish Government, the European Social Fund and the Youth Employment Initiative as part of the ESF Programme for Employability, Inclusion and Learning (PEIL) 2014-2020.