More info when joining us:

 

Welcome to the club (PDF)

 

Role Description for a Foróige Club Leader (PDF)

 

Charter of Rights Booklet (PDF)

 

Attendance policy (MS-Word)

 

foroiges child safeguarding statement (PDF)

 

 

 

Child protection UPDATES from Foróige;

 

Some new child protection updates have been announced by Foróige in the last few days. A summery of these updates are on the volunteer portal and are also posted below in two PDF's. The full content of the policy will be available over the coming weeks.

 

Key point to remember, these new rule's only apply once Foróige Ireland roll out the new training. Up to that point, all current child protection training is valid.

 

As a result of changes in the Foróige child protection policy some new child protection training will be rolled out in the coming weeks/months. All Foróige volunteers within our club MUST complete this new training when it is offered to us (provided reasonable notice is given) as this is important for the protection of our members and is also for the protection of all our volunteers. Above all else, child protection takes centre stage at all times.

 

Once the new Foróige child protection training is offered to our club by Foróige Ireland and reasonable notice is given then ALL leaders must attend this training. In the event you miss this training, when offered, you will then become a new leader and the below policy will be applied.

 

All new leaders joining our club MUST complete this new child protection training within 12 weeks of joining or 12 weeks from roll out of training by Foróige Ireland. All new leaders will be assigned a partner leader (a leader that has the training done) to supervise them while they are attending club until they have their own training completed.

 

If after 12 weeks of joining or 12 weeks from roll out of training by Foróige Ireland, you have not completed this training then you will not be permitted attend club (even with supervision) as a leader until you have completed the new child protection training.

 

Foróige child protection training is pacific to Foróige, any child protection training carried out under other organizations is not recognized. Remember, these new rules only apply once Foróige Ireland start to roll out the new training, example, if you join in January and the training is only rolled out from April, your 12 weeks to complete the training starts from April.

 

Changes to Foróige Child Protection Procedures valid from 2018 AVAILABLE HERE

 

Protecting Young People - Foróige Volunteers Version valid from 2018 AVAILABLE HERE

 

 

 

 

 

Some comments as set out in Foróige training:

 

The meetings are taking too long.

Try an identify what is the cause of this happening, most agendas of 8-10 items should take no longer than 20 to 30 minutes. If disruption is the cause of this delay you must outline this to the members and try as resolve the issue. Shorting the agenda to counteract meeting disruption is not recommended as the members themselves are in charge and if they are disrupting their own meeting and causing delays then leaders can't be accountable for this, however, leaders are responsible for identifying this and pointing this out to the members present to try and keep things in track.

 

The meeting is too short:

We never do anything. We never go anywhere. Two often heard comments in a Foróige club, (thankfully, not often heard in our club). If meetings are finished too quickly by adult leaders, no member will ever say, hang on, this meeting is too short, they might be thinking it but the reason they will never say it is peer pressure, who doesn't want free time, well believer it or not, lots of Foróige members do in fact want less free time and they do want to get on with some community or Foróige projects.

 

Some of the members are only here for the craic, tea and treats, sure isn't this OK?

Used correctly, TAB time in Foróige is important to aid discussion and team building, However, we all sign up to "Foróige" and using the trusted Foróige training and planning it is the role of an adult leader to find, deliver and encourage all members to participate in something other than just been there for the craic. A leader been there just to insure members have, safe, free run of the evening to do whatever they wish is not what Foróige is all about.

 

Group sizes:

Within the guidelines of Foróige, the max size of a group should be no more than 30 members, ideally 20 or less is the Foróige Ireland recommended number. You will get more interaction form young members is smaller groups.

 

It must also be said, the demand for Foróige services nationally has placed increasing pressure on clubs to grow these numbers to twice or ever three time the recommended numbers just to cope with demand and as not to disappoint or turn young people away. Ran right under strict supervision there is no valid reason why this model can't work too but larger groups are by default harder to manage and can often be very off putting for valuable volunteers.

 

Role description of a Foróige leader as set out by Foróige Ireland. You Will Be Part of a Team of Leaders Doing the Following Tasks:

 

1. Developing good relationships with the members, focused on assisting their development

2. Supporting the club members with their club committee and the club meeting

3. Involving all members actively in managing the affairs of the club

4. Agreeing a set of rules with the young people covering behavior in the club.

5. Involving members in “learning by doing” through choosing, planning, doing activities including in the community

6. Attending occasional meetings with the other leaders

7. Getting parental permission and keeping contact with parents as needed

8. Having the club represented at District Council and attending Interclub events

9. Following Foróige procedures for safe practice in work with young people

 

All our full time senior leaders have signed up to the above in the hope more new leaders will also do the same. Some of our fantastic leaders have signed up for supervision only and this is great too, we are delighted to keep you on in that role. As set out when you joined us, "you can have as much or as little interaction with the members as you are comfortable with" and this statement still rings true for everyone.

 

 

 

Local events:

 

 

 

County and national events:

 

 

THANK YOU:

 

Louisburgh Foróige is nothing without YOU the Foróige volunteers, whether you have been here 5 years or 5 minutes, we really do appreciate all our leaders on the same level and we are delighted to have you onboard.

 

Thank you so much for choosing to be part of Louisburgh Foróige.

 

 

Some key points to keep in mind:

 

One really valued rule in our Foróige and that is, no matter the hours, no matter how much travelling or supervising you do and no matter what effort you put in, this is not your club, Foróige is older than us all and as a volunteer leader we will all reach a point where we too WILL move on, your aim is to simply leave our club a little better than it was when you joined us. We all have something to add.

 

The protection and safety along with the physical & mental wellbeing of our members is a number one priority within our club. Nothing is more valued and nothing is more important within our club than our members.

 

Want to know something, ask, there is no such thing as a stupid question in Louisburgh Foróige and we really do mean than, ask loads of questions, every week!

 

Have an opinion or something to say, say it, no point agreeing with everything and then being unhappy in club because you didn't speak out, have your say, we're not mind readers, your way might just be better and maybe it isn't but hey, if not done already, lets try it and see, likewise, your idea for an outing might just be the exciting trip our members would enjoy, lets go find out. You are part of the team and everyone in our Foróige is just as important as the next.

 

Never be out of pocket for Foróige, if you buy something for the club or if you lend money to members while on an outing (yes they will ask) always look for the money back from the club, Foróige should cost you no more than your time.

 

 

FORÓIGE CHARTER OF RIGHTS:

 

Every member of our club has the following rights;

 

THE RIGHT TO SELF EXPRESSION & FREEDOM OF SPEECH The right to express your opinions, ideas and feelings - to be yourself - to think and act as an individual - to be different - to express unique strengths and talents.

 

THE RIGHT TO KINDNESS & RESPECT The right to be treated with dignity - to be accepted and valued - to positive relationships where you are affirmed and encouraged - to guidance and support.

 

THE RIGHT TO BE LISTENED TO & HAVE YOUR VIEWS CONSIDERED The right to be listened to with empathy and without prejudgement - to have your voice heard and your views taken seriously.

 

THE RIGHT TO BE SAFE FROM ANY TYPE OF BULLYING & THREATS TO WELLBEING The right to be safe from threats such as: bullying, abuse, humiliation and physical danger. The right to privacy and to choose what you want to reveal about yourself.

 

THE RIGHT TO EQUAL PARTICIPATION The right to be treated equally in a group and to be free of discrimination of any kind.

 

THE RIGHT TO DEVELOP YOUR PERSONALITY, INTERESTS & ABILITIES The right to cultivate your strengths and what you love - to learn new things - to develop skills for a good life - to direct your own development - to become the best you can be.

 

THE RIGHT TO CONTRIBUTE & TO IMPROVE THE WORLD IN SOME WAY The right to help others and to be helped - to make your unique contribution - to have an influence - to improve the community - to participate with others in creating a better world.

 

The charter or rights is available to download here.

 

 

 

Current Club Officers:

 

Chairperson
Treasurer
Secretary
PRO

 

These roles are just in name only, everyone works with everyone else and the main reason we are so successful as a club is because we all pitch in and help each other out.

 

In the last five years, we have expanded from 4 leaders to our current team of 14 and we have grown our membership from 16 members to almost 120 today, all spread out over three clubs, over two nights, in two venues.

 

 

Our Club A.G.M.

 

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Leader (Tuesday) Rota: