Galway Advertiser 1997/1997_12_04/GA_04121997_E1_012.pdf 

Extracted text

AS WINTER begins to bite, most of us sit comfortably at home looking forward to nights by the fire. But for the many homeless young people who sleep under the stars, the chilly nights ahead spell misery and loneliness. Some walk out of home because of a family disagreement or tension building up from unemployment, parental illness or marriage breakdown. Others are experiencing abuse. More too, storm out after a simple row and vow never to return again. But when their anger cools, they have a change of heart.

a ry O 'C A h o m e from
N e w s V i e w s F a s h i o n
House. "I don't know why this is so, perhaps boys have better coping skills than girls. We have four young people living with us at present." Away from home reasons, often it is nobody's fault that they leave home. Sometimes it's as simple as a row, other times the relationship between child and parent can be strained or parents can be temporarily ill. "We've had occasions where we've had girls arrive here who said they walked out of home because of difficulties with their parents. Then their parents would come over and chat and everything would be resolved quickly and the girls would go home again that night. The fact that there was an outsider there to help them listen to each other made all the difference." young people who have stayed with us.* We are working with about six at the moment." Rice House staff visit local schools as part of its out reach service. Connell says it is important to create a greater awareness of both the difficulties which cause young people to leave home and the services which are available to them. "Lots of schoolchildren don't realise others live in distressing situations. This is a way of informing them." Former residents of Rice House have gone on to lead happy, successful lives, she says. Two are now in college, others are attending training courses or are working. Sleep rough "Others may not have Some youths sleep rough gone to university or got before Finding out about jobs but they now have self Rice House. "Many young respect and are coping well people who leave home in life." don't know where to go or The aim of the centre is who to turn to. They may to offer support for as long sleep rough for a while as it is needed. Rice House beforehand. There is a lot of recently contacted the 35 risk out there. Most who young people who have come here have heard about passed through its doors us at school, from social since it opened and invited workers or from other young them back for coffee and a people." chat. 'Twelve actually turned Leaving home at the best of times can be fraught with up. We got lots of phone difficulty, says Connell. calls from others who were Most young people who working and could not get leave to attend college or away. Many have decided to start a new job have a lot of keep in touch with people family support. This helps they met here and they hope them, especially in the early to form an after-care support stages when they are group themselves." learning to cope with the new situation. We realise the * Rice House is based at importance of this type of Upper Newcastle Road, support and offer an Galway. Telephone 528030. aftercare service to the

F e a t u r e s

The centre catered for 15 young people so far this year. The majority of teenagers who come to Rice House are aged 16 to 17 years. They come from all over the west of Ireland and for most, it is their first time away from home. "They settle in very quickly, part of this is to do with our staff. They are highly skilled and supportive. The fact that we Those who !rave home cater for both boys and girls may end up initially staying means that young people with friends or come into a normal setting, acquaintances, often in which makes it easier to Fit unsafe situations. Some in." sleep rough in doorways or They attend local schools bus stations and others seek or training courses while help from organisations staying at Rice House. "We such as Rice House in Upper like to encourage them to Newcastle which offers feel they are as good as short-term residential everyone else." says accommodation to homeless Connell. "We try to build up young people from the west. their self esteem, help them Rice House was set up in deal with any problems they 1992, originally as a hostel have and boost their social for homeless girls, by skills. If there has been a Galway Diocesan Youth cycle of unemployment in Services. In 1996, it the family, we try to break amalgamated with Cyrene this." House, a residential centre There is an increasing for homeless boys. Funded need for the type of service by the Western Health which Rice House provides, Board, it offers short term she says. "The problems accommodation and support which cause young people to young people aged 15 to to leave home are on the 18 years. increase, such as changing "We tend to get more girls family structures. than boys," says Sheila "They can end up Connell, manager of Rice homeless for a variety of

Homeless Youth Appeal
Readers have traditionally contributed towards creating a meaningful Christmas holiday for homeless young people. Please do so again this year. Send your contribution either directly to the Galway Advertiser, 2-3 Church Lane, Galway. or the Bank of Ireland, Mainguard Street. Galway. Account number 82141199. Every little contribution helps.

The aim of the centre is to offer support for as long as it is needed.