And the winner is - Jumping Jellybeans! The Outstanding Volunteer of the Year Award at the Ireland Involved Awards has been won by Conor Malone and Conor Kavanagh in Milltwn Foróige Youth Club. The two Kildare teenagers were honoured at a prestigious ceremony organised by Volunteer Ireland at Dublin Castle last night in the presence of President Michael D. Higgins. Jumping Jellybeans is a club set up by Milltown Foróige in Kildare which brings all young people together including people with special needs. Many of the club members have Autism, Down Syndrome and Cerebral Palsy. Both Conor's along with their friends, saw that local young people with special needs had no outlet outside of school, and decided to set up the club as a place to meet friends and hang out.

 

Each Special participant has a peer to mentor alongside them, a fellow teenager from their community, who helps introduce them to others and gets them involved in the club’s activities. The clubs offer fitness, drama and basketball classes.  The work of these volunteers allows children with special needs to become more involved with their peers and helps with social interaction, social and verbal communication, co-ordination, fitness and also allow their parents to meet up each week while their child is at the class. The difference to the children's lives is amazing. Conor K and Conor M have had a huge impact on their own community in terms of social inclusion, respect for difference and a willingness to lead by example. Building on the success of the Milltown club, both men have started expanding the group to different locations – there are Jumping Jellybeans initiatives in Newbridge and Naas.   The clubs now have 140 members with 70 volunteers – almost all are teenagers.

 

The two Conors were not the only Foróige volunteers to be championed at the awards. Foróige legend John Sullivan won first prize in the Children and Young People Category, having volunteered with the organisation for almost 50 years! Not only has he volunteered in his local Cuffesgrange-Danesfort Foróige Youth Club in Kilkenny since 1964, John is also Chairperson of Kilkenny District Council, has served on Foróige’s National Council and has been the National Chairperson of Foróige - not once but twice! A HUGE congratulations to all three – they are a true inspiration to us all!