A path to health community enhancement and fitness project, by Ratoath Foróige Club in County Meath, has been crowned winners of the Youth Citizenship Awards 2014.
The group was amongst the 12,000 young people from around the country who participated in the Foróige Youth Citizenship Programme this year.
Inspired by research into what their community needed, the group found there were no safe walking routes in their area and set the change in motion to create a looped 4km walk in the village, complete with bespoke signage and lighting.
Ciara Fennessy from Ratoath Foróige Club said: “We’re thrilled to be crowned Youth Citizenship Award Winners. We wanted to promote physical fitness in our village – all while bringing our community together.”
Community involvement was a key aspect of the project, with the group holding consultations with local schools and businesses about what was needed for Ratoath.
The group raised €3,000 for signage, printing and a mapboard of the walk by asking local businesses to sponsor the project. They also met with a local historian so they could earmark local historical points of interest along the route.
“We wanted to create a lasting legacy in our village that could be enjoyed for years to come and I think we achieved that,” added Ciara.
Speaking from the Foróige Youth Citizenship Awards which took place in Dublin Castle today, Seán Campbell, Foróige CEO, said, “This project is deserving of the Foróige Youth Citizenship Award title. The group researched the needs of their village and created a simple yet effective and engaging project that has benefitted their community greatly.
“That’s what our citizenship programme is all about – empowering young people to make the change themselves. It’s truly inspiring to watch teenagers strive to make their communities and their world a better place to live.”
The finalists showcased at the awards were:-
Barnacarroll Foróige Club, Co Mayo
A Cystic Fibrosis and Organ-Donation Awareness Project
Killeevan Foróige Club, Co Monaghan
An innovative ‘bed-push’ fundraising project
Foróige SUB Garda Youth Diversion Project, Co Offaly
A film project to promote positive mental health
WEB Girls and Boys, Dublin 15
A massive Traveller-site clean-up project
Ratoath Foróige Club, Co Meath
A ‘Path to Health’ community enhancement project
The Swamp Foróige Club, Dublin 6W
A rock concert project in aid of charity
Loughglynn Foróige Club, Co Roscommon
A community genealogy and grave-mapping project
Artissimo’s Youth Group, Dublin 15
An anti-littering project to create a more family-friendly local park
