Page 58 - The Gonzaga Record 1987
P. 58
COMMUNITY SUPPORT went across to the Institute one day
GROUP and met them sewing, making rugs
and putting together boxes for com-
After considerable discussion and pames.
research by the staff - the notion of The project finished, much to the
a Community Support Group was Autistics disappointment, just before
introduced to the Fifth Year students Easter. It was very successful and I
at a seminar early in January. An out- believe will be continued next year
line was given of four activities which maybe for a longer duration.
they could engage in for approximately Thanks are due to Mr Byrne and Ms
a ten week period. Within two days Nevin for their co-operation m oper-
every Fifth Year student, without ating the sessions.
exception, had volunteered to take part
in one of the four schemes. It was John Heffernan
quite a response.
What is even more remarkable is Sport for The Travelling Children
that throughout the term, their
enthusiasm and participation didn't Each Wednesday lunchtime during the
wane. When one realizes that the same second term nine of us met and
students simultaneously ran probably organised soccer and basketball for
the most successful 'Project' so far, it approximately twenty 14 year olds
speaks very highly of them. from the Junior Training Centre in
Milltown. Various efforts at coaching
P.E. for the Autistic ball skills floundered. It was often
difficult to maintain order and we
Thirteen of us elected to take part in found that things generally worked
this scheme in which The Ghee) best when we played with them.
Institute for Autistics which is situated The difficulty of working with these
just beside the college, sent a group of children can be gauged from an
Autistic people, both male and female incident in the first soccer match,
and ranging in ages from 16 to 30, to when, within minutes of one side
the school each Tuesday lunchtime. scoring a goal it became clear that
During these half hour sesssions, they several of the losing team had changed
took part in a P.E. class which we over to play with the winning team. In
hoped would improve their basic skills spite of various difficulties we all
in sport, for example, dribbling, enjoyed and looked forward to these
throwing, and bouncing a ball. Each sessions and thanks are due to Mr
of us had been assigned a partner O'Sullivan and Mr O'Brien for their
during the first session and we worked support and participation.
with the same autistic each week.
Most of us had never even spoken to Christopher O'Connor
an autistic person before and they were
certainl y different to what we had Home Improvement for the
expected. Even though they were
handicapped, they could be very adept Elderly
at certain skill s. However, they found it This scheme involved redecorating one
difficult to concentrate on anything or more rooms in five different houses.
for long periods and their minds often The living conditions of some of the
wandered when you tried to explain elderly we met were found to be
something to them. Throughout the distressing. The pupils and staff
term, they played basketball, volley- involved provided most of the hard-
ball, badminton and did numerous ware that was needed and twenty litres
exercises using a ball. A group of us of white paint were very generously
56
GROUP and met them sewing, making rugs
and putting together boxes for com-
After considerable discussion and pames.
research by the staff - the notion of The project finished, much to the
a Community Support Group was Autistics disappointment, just before
introduced to the Fifth Year students Easter. It was very successful and I
at a seminar early in January. An out- believe will be continued next year
line was given of four activities which maybe for a longer duration.
they could engage in for approximately Thanks are due to Mr Byrne and Ms
a ten week period. Within two days Nevin for their co-operation m oper-
every Fifth Year student, without ating the sessions.
exception, had volunteered to take part
in one of the four schemes. It was John Heffernan
quite a response.
What is even more remarkable is Sport for The Travelling Children
that throughout the term, their
enthusiasm and participation didn't Each Wednesday lunchtime during the
wane. When one realizes that the same second term nine of us met and
students simultaneously ran probably organised soccer and basketball for
the most successful 'Project' so far, it approximately twenty 14 year olds
speaks very highly of them. from the Junior Training Centre in
Milltown. Various efforts at coaching
P.E. for the Autistic ball skills floundered. It was often
difficult to maintain order and we
Thirteen of us elected to take part in found that things generally worked
this scheme in which The Ghee) best when we played with them.
Institute for Autistics which is situated The difficulty of working with these
just beside the college, sent a group of children can be gauged from an
Autistic people, both male and female incident in the first soccer match,
and ranging in ages from 16 to 30, to when, within minutes of one side
the school each Tuesday lunchtime. scoring a goal it became clear that
During these half hour sesssions, they several of the losing team had changed
took part in a P.E. class which we over to play with the winning team. In
hoped would improve their basic skills spite of various difficulties we all
in sport, for example, dribbling, enjoyed and looked forward to these
throwing, and bouncing a ball. Each sessions and thanks are due to Mr
of us had been assigned a partner O'Sullivan and Mr O'Brien for their
during the first session and we worked support and participation.
with the same autistic each week.
Most of us had never even spoken to Christopher O'Connor
an autistic person before and they were
certainl y different to what we had Home Improvement for the
expected. Even though they were
handicapped, they could be very adept Elderly
at certain skill s. However, they found it This scheme involved redecorating one
difficult to concentrate on anything or more rooms in five different houses.
for long periods and their minds often The living conditions of some of the
wandered when you tried to explain elderly we met were found to be
something to them. Throughout the distressing. The pupils and staff
term, they played basketball, volley- involved provided most of the hard-
ball, badminton and did numerous ware that was needed and twenty litres
exercises using a ball. A group of us of white paint were very generously
56
