New LWETB funding to help Mullingar youth projects

New government funding for the Longford and Westmeath Education and Training Board (LWETB) has gone into health and safety upgrades and the purchase of equipment for Mullingar and Athlone Youth Projects as well as Longford Youth Services and Foróige Athlone.

The funding approval is from the Dept of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and totals €54,540.

New funding has also been awarded through LWETB for additional youth worker hours in the Mullingar Youth Project and the ACT Gateway Project, Athlone.

Maria Fox, youth development officer with LWETB, commended the work of the local youth projects and staff for "their innovation and energy throughput the pandemic and their ongoing provision of vital youth work supports to some of the most marginal and disadvantaged young people in our communities".

A further €59,171 has also been allocated to 26 voluntary youth clubs and groups across Westmeath and Longford for 2021.

Liz Lavery, chief executive, LWETB, stressed the growing importance of the Youth Work Function in LWETB referring to the year-on-year funding increase and how the Youth Work Unit is on course to administer 11 individual funding schemes totalling close to €1m in 2021.

Ms Lavery said: "The work we support benefits up to 850 young people weekly across Longford and Westmeath and complements their formal, academic or vocational education and training."

School extension

The LWETB also announced the approval of a major new extension for Lanesboro Community College, which is one of eight second level schools under the administration of the board.

Ms Lavery said she is delighted that such an excellent school will benefit from the provision of additional specialist rooms and SET learning spaces, and the LWETB director of Schools Youth and Music, Brian Higgins, said it will be a great boost to the community and the news is welcome as the school is growing in numbers.