Programme aims on demystifying third level to national school pupils

Ballyfermot College of Further Education is working with local national schools to help demystify the ideas of going to college for pupils.

Arts4Success is to start this month; it will include the areas of painting, photography and sculpturing. It follows an animation programme last year for national schoolchildren called Animation4Success.

The projects are run by arts lecturer Louise Boughton with the help of BCFE students, while the schools involved are the Dominican Convent Schools, St Michael’s, St Raphael's and St Gabriel’s, as well as the De la Salle Boys School.

“The main aim of the programmes is to de-mystify the prospect of going to college by inviting the children into the college on a normal working day to work with art students in a fun environment and learn some artistic skills," said Boughton.

Boughton says the projects, which are followed by a exhibition the students’ work, are also aimed to build links between the college and the local community.

“We hope to build a certain confidence and pride in the children with regard to their work by having the screenings and exhibition. Another aim is to branch out into the community more and provide links between it and BCFE”.

She adds: “We also emphasise the link with teachers in the schools and hope they can bring back some of the techniques to the classroom”.

- Cian Ginty