Active@Work - Walking Challenge

Sligo CTC is a health promoting centre.  Last year it received the bronze award for the Active@Work Award in conjunction with the Irish Heart Foundation. This year we are striving to achieve the silver award. This award is designed to support and enable organisations to promote, develop and sustain physical activity programmes and create an environment which makes it easier to be active at work.

As part of this award staff and trainees are taking part in the walking challenge. The walking challenge involves walking for 30 mins every day for five days from 2:30pm - 3:00pm starting next Monday the 6th of July.

KEEP FIT

KEEP ACTIVE

KEEP HEALTHY

CTC Walking Challenge 2014 - Presentation of Certificates

Doorly Park Outdoor Green Gym

We are very lucky to have an outdoor green gym located in Doorly Park beside the centre. The outdoor green gym is designed to offer a workout for all abilities, from beginners to experts and from young adults to the elderly. Outdoor gyms have the same low-impact, resistance-based equipment found at indoor gyms, but with the added bonus of the lovely views and fresh air included.

Sligo Borough Council has provided a wide range of equipment to suit all needs which offers a range of exercise opportunities. This green gym provides a great opportunity for everyone to enjoy fitness and healthy active living for free.  As part of health promotion in the centre some of the trainees participated in a 6 week programme offered by Sligo Sports and Recreation Partnership.

For information on the outdoor gym programme please go to http://www.sligosportandrecreation.ie/ 

Pictured above are photos taken by trainees of the Outdoor Green Gym

Exploring Options

This is a part-time training course offering a variety of skills sampling and development tailored to the needs of each individual learner. Trainees get the opportunity to do art & design, personal & interpersonal Skills, work experience, computers and literacy & numeracy.

Catering Course

This course is for young people interested in learning to cook, or pursue a career in catering. Trainees are instructed in food safety and hygiene, cooking methods, food preparation, baking, nutrition and menu planning all to QQI Standards. The catering department was awarded The Happy Heart Healthy Eating Award from the Irish Heart Foundation in December 2014 as part of health promotion in our centre. Healthy food is produced by our canteen for all trainees in the centre using the food pyramid model.

IT Course

This course provides computer training in all commonly used software applications such as Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Access and many others as part of the ECDL and QQI awards. This course is suitable for young people who enjoy using computers and want to gain the knowledge needed to perform routine office duties.

Art & Design

Trainees get the opportunity to do Art and Design in the centre and learn about painting, drawing, fine art, 3D mask making and graphics.  This programme brings out the creative side in trainees and it is known to be relaxing and interesting.

Pictured above are some trainees drawing and painting in Art & Design

Pictured above are trainees painting, drawing and showcasing some of their mask work

Sports and Recreation Course

The sports course covers all aspects of sports and recreation. It provides trainees with an opportunity to improve their health and physical fitness through a range of activities such as gym sessions, football, running, circuit training, swimming and golf.

Pictured above trainees using the gym in the centre and playing football on the astro pitch. 

Hairdressing Course

The Hairdressing course is a popular course and introduces trainees to the exciting world of hairdressing.  It provides training in shampooing, blow-drying, setting, perming, colouring and essential hairdressing related theory.  This course also gives trainees the opportunity of completing work experience in a salon.

Pictured above are some styles created by trainees

Health Quality Award

Sligo CTC is a health promoting centre.  It was awarded The Health Quality Mark Gold Standard (2014-2017) presented by the National Youth Programme in collaboration with the National Youth Council of Ireland.

Pictured above Gavin Dykes (Manager), Lucy Robus, Kevin Lowry (Trainee HP Team)
and Mary O'Hara (Tutor)

Minister Visit

Pictured above Kevin Humphreys TD, Minister of State at the Department of Social Protection. The Minister visited the centre in April and met with management, staff and trainees.

Só Sligo Pizza Workshop

As part of the Só Sligo Food Festival, Sligo CTC hosted a pizza making workshop for young kids to attend and learn how to make pizza, the day was a great success with a turnout of 50 kids.  

Huge thanks to Denyse and trainees that took part in making sure it was a good experience for the kids that attended.

Photos taken by Lucy Robus of the pizza making workshop at Sligo CTC, Be sure to check out Lucy's blog here

Yeats Day 2015

As part of the celebrations for Yeats Day Sligo CTC had their vintage cupcake cart set up on O'Connell Street . We gave away free cupcakes made by the catering department with complimentary Yeats poems on a scroll. The cupcakes were very popular and even with 640 cupcakes most were gone by 2.30pm!. There was street celebrations, stalls displaying their crafts, face painting and a street carnival. There was a great atmosphere and Sligo CTC enjoyed being part of the very successful celebrations for Yeats birthday.  

The cupcake cart

Celebrations on O'Connell Street

Denyse meeting Joanna Lumley

Final Preparations for Yeats Day

Preparation for Yeats Day

Catering Trainees working hard in preparation for Yeats Day.  The theme for the cupcakes is  a verse out of a poem written by William Butler Yeats called "The Song of Wondering Aengus".  "The Silver Apples of The Moon, The Golden Apples of The Sun"

Out and about on a nice summer afternoon

Sligo CTC trainees and staff are lucky enough to have a beautiful nature walk less than 500 meters away from the centre.  As part of health promotion, trainees and staff tend to use this nature walk to keep fit and healthy. This nature walk in commonly known to the locals as "The Back Avenue".

Pictured above are photos taken by trainees of our encounters on our walk along the Garavogue river.

Pictured above are photos taken by trainees of the Garavogue river, Benbulben and the walking trail alongside the river.

Green Ribbon Mental Health Campaign

The Green Ribbon is a campaign brought to us by SeeChange. It is a Campaign in which they plan on raising awareness for mental health around the Country, having given away more than 500,000 Green Ribbons so you can show your support for the cause and spread the word.

SeeChange is a national programme to change the minds of Mental Health around the Country.

Trainees from the Catering department were involved recently in baking for an event in the Sligo City Hotel to raise awareness for mental health.

TheGreenRibbon.ie
www.SeeChange.ie

Jake and Lucinda with the  Green Ribbons

Delicious scones baked by the Catering Trainees

Baking for Pieta House

The trainees in the catering department were recently involved in baking for the Darkness Into Light Fundraising event. A charity event in aid of Pieta House, the centre for the prevention of suicide and self harm. The event took place in Sligo on the 9th of May and Marian took part in the walk.

Gavin, Denise, Marian and Catering trainees.

Só Sligo Festival

Sligo CTC in conjunction with Só Sligo Food Festival are  hosting a Pizza Making Workshop for children aged 7-12 years on Sunday the 14th June from 10am - 4pm.

For more information check out:
www.sosligo.ie

Mobile Vintage Cart for Yeats Day

Finishing off the Mobile Vintage Cart for Yeats day on Saturday the 13th June.  

Mark painting the wheels

Catherine decorating the Vintage Cart

Declan working on the cart

Yeats Day 2015 - Vintage Cart

Sligo CTC is linking with The Yeats Day Festival to celebrate the 150th birthday of W.B Yeats.  Over the past number of years the trainees from the CTC have linked in with the Yeats Day Festival and baked cupcakes that were handed out as part of the street celebrations. For the 2015, 150^th birthday celebrations the CTC intend to develop the idea and introduce a mobile vintage cart. 

The Catering Tutor (Denyse Gray) and Art Tutor (Catherine Fanning) are working with the CTC trainees to create a mobile vintage cart, which will be painted and decorated in the colours of the CTC centre logo.  The cart will be run by three trainees dressed in 1930’s waiter/waitress outfits. The trainees will be handing out cupcakes that have been baked and decorated in the centres kitchen.

To build the structure of the cart we have enlisted the help of the Men’s Shed Project. The cart is made with wheels so it is mobile and can work its way around the different areas of the street celebrations.

Denyse and the catering trainees visiting the Men's Shed Project.

Some of the trainees working on painting the mobile vintage cart in art class.

Courses

Sligo CTC provides training, educational and employment related services for young people aged 16 to 21 years in a friendly and informal manner. Courses available in the centre are Computers, Catering, Sports & Recreation, Hairdressing and Exploring Options. Additional modules include Art, Careers, Sports activities, Personal development, Maths and Communications.  

All programmes are QQI certified and are recognised on the National Framework of Qualifications.

Our Blog

Welcome to Sligo CTC’s blog.  This blog is updated and maintained by trainees in the computer group in the centre. We will post information on courses and activities taking place throughout the centre. Sligo CTC is about giving young people the opportunities and skills required to progress their training and education.

We hope you enjoy it!