CDVEC Separated Children’s Education Service

The CDVEC Separated Children’s Education Service has been working with Separated Children Seeking Asylum since 2001. It offers a range of education related services as well as an outreach and youth work service to separated children living in Dublin.

Its aim is to empower separated children and young people aged 15 -21 to live independent and healthy lives and to integrate into and participate fully in society.

Services include:

• A full time “Access Programme”: (covering a variety of subjects and initiatives to prepare students for main stream education).
• A Youth “Drop In Information Service” where young people receive advice, support and referral pertaining to a wide variety of issues: health, recreation, education, finance, asylum case, accommodation, employment, psychological well being etc.
• A Big Brother Big Sister “Mentoring Programme”: where young people are matched with a designated adult volunteer for the purpose of developing a long term supportive friendship.(over 45 matches made to date).
• A Homework Club: where Leaving,  Junior Certificate and Third Level students receive evening individual tuition in a variety of subject by a designated adult volunteer (average of 50 students receiving support every week).
• A variety of recreation and personal development programme’s: Multi Media, Dance, D.J Mixing, Football, Swimming, Outdoor Pursuit’s, Communication Skills, Sexual Health, Right’s and Entitlement’s, etc
• Outreach service: providing a range of supports to those living in direct provision accommodation as well as to those young people who have recently moved from direct provision into private rented accommodation or have been family reunified.
• English Language and literacy Assessments.
• Annual Summer and Easter programmes.
• Information and support for schools with Separated Children.
• Advocacy and promotion of best practice.
• Referral to appropriate services.