John O’Donoghue, Minister of Arts, Sport and Tourism recently officially opened YMCA Sandymount in Claremont Road. Of course, the YMCA has been there since 1911 doing great work for the youth of the area and this opening was to celebrate its refurbishment.

In the 1990s the YMCA committed to refurbish their facilities and were forced to sell part of the grounds to finance the development.

The entire facility was completed at a cost of €3.2 million, €250,000 of which was provided by the Government. The YMCA now has a magnificent pavilion with fitness suite, six changing rooms, meeting and catering room, etc, an all weather hockey pitch with full flood lighting, cricket square, state of the art training/practice cricket nets, main soccer pitches and junior training pitch.

As well as the sports activities available, the YMCA are meeting the needs of young people in the world of work. A Support, Training and Enterprise Programme (STEP) for unemployed 16-25 year olds will be starting in the YMCA in January 2005. Mary Strain, the full-time co-ordinator, is interested in hearing from young people who have left school early who may have few or no qualifications and who are now trying to find a new direction in life.

The course lasts for 23 weeks and trainees will receive a full training allowance and travel costs. It will cover a wide range of topics, including word-processing, internet and email, communications, personal effectiveness, quality work placement and job seeking skills. For further information call Mary Strain at 6077102 or call into the STEP office in the YMCA Claremont Road, Sandymount from 9 am to 5 pm.