Any secondary school student (between 14-19 years old) can join Pearl World Youth News Service as a reporter after successfully completing the "PEARL World Youth News Reporter Certification Course".

The course, which is available online and free of cost, aims to help students get started as international correspondents for the global youth news service. Students are asked to do three assignments as part of the course to demonstrate that they have understood the reading materials. Their assignments are reviewed by students and alumni from the Graduate School of Journalism at Columbia University in New York City, US.

After successfully completing the course and getting their first story published on this website, students receive a certificate from us. They also get the opportunity to meet PEARL Reporters from different countries and work together to report stories on issues that they care about.

If you are a secondary school school student interested in taking the certification course or if you'd like to view the course materials, please contact pearlnews@pearl.iearn.org.
Visit our Website here
http://www.pearl.iearn.org/pearlnews/

Never, ever, be afraid to ask for help!
Talk to family or contact one of the free, friendly and confidential services below:

Drugs Awareness Programme (Drugs) 01 8360911 info@drugsawareness.ie
Victory Outreach (residential drugs treatment programme) Drogheda. 0419800874
North Louth Drug Outreach and Counselling Service 042 93 57516
South Louth Drug Outreach and Counselling Service 041 98 43531
Louth Alcohol Addiction Service –Drogheda 041-9842368,
Dundalk 042 -9326156
Citizens information (Info/contacts) 1890 777121 callcentre@comhairle.ie
Samaritans (Any issue) 1850 609090 jo@samaritans.org
Bodywhys (Eating Disorders) 1890 200444 info@bodywhys.ie
Sexual Health Center (STIs etc) 0214275837 info@sexualhealthcenter.com
Sexuality 01 8721055 info@gayswitchboard.ie
Women’s Aid (Abuse/Violence) 1800 341900 info@womenaid.ie
Rape Crisis Centres (Rape/Abuse) 1800 778888 rcc@indigo.ie
AI-Teen (Family Alchohol Problems) 01 8732699
Positive Options (Pregnancy) Free Text “List” to 50444
Childline (Any issue) 1800 666 666
NEHB Information Line (24 Hr Helpline) 1850 24 1850
G.P. Out of Hours Service (NEDOC) 1850 777 911
Aware (Depression Assistance) 1890 303 302
Schizophrenia Ireland 1890 621 631
RIAN Counselling (Adults who were sexually abused) 1800 234117
Senior Helpline (Older Peoples Information) 1850 440 444
Victim Support (Injured, alone, isolated, anxious) 1850 661 771
CURA (Pregnancy Counselling) 1850 622 626
Mount Oliver Centre (Bereavement Support for Adults and Children) 042-9371235
Dundalk Citizens Information Centre 1800 252353
Turas Aftercare Programme (Those recovering from addictions) 042 9338221/9338224
Louth Smoking Cessation Service 042 9334701/ 041-9874732

The Irish Youth Music Awards is a new youth work and music project which aims to make youth services the natural place for bands, song writing, performing and rehearsing. The Awards also aims to help and encourage young musicians from the ages of 12 to 19, from all areas of music, in 22 regions around the country.

Running from November 2008 to April 2009, the Irish Music Awards includes:

* 52 live music events that will happen in 26 regions on the island of Ireland.
* 26 teams of young people will be formed as mini record companies/ promotional companies.
* The Irish Youth Music Awards will take place on Saturday 4th April, 2009 at The Village Rock Venue on Wexford Street, Dublin 2.
* This event will be screened live to approximately 16,000 viewers throughout youth clubs and local gathering areas, via the Internet.
* A full length album will be recorded for later release on the Irish market.

The Awards is an initiative of Youth Work Ireland and Garageland.ie, and is also supported by the City of Dublin Youth Service Board and Youth Action Northern Ireland.

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European Youth Commission Website.
In the field of youth, the European Commission has a double mission:
to develop a framework for political co-operation and to
manage the Youth in Action programme

The Commission facilitates co-operation amongst the ministries in charge of youth in the Member States and promotes a structured dialogue between policy-makers and young people and their organisations. The aim is to promote the active citizenship of young people, to foster their social integration in society and to ensure that a youth dimension is taken into account in other EU policies.

This policy work is supported by concrete action in the form of a specific programme for young people: the Youth in Action programme. The Commission’s role is to ensure the smooth and effective management of this programme and to monitor its implementation at national and European level. The Commission is also responsible for ensuring the coherence of the Programme, while further developing its various Actions, particularly by elaborating an overall strategy and priorities.


Furthermore, the Commission seeks to guarantee the visibility of EU action in the field of youth, as well as the effective dissemination and exploitation of the results of the Youth in Action Programme.

Check out out website here http://ec.europa.eu/youth/index_en.htm