Keeping junior cert students safer on results night
THE Mayo Junior Certificate Results Night Group (MJCRNG) – the only initiative of its kind in the country – is in its fourth year of keeping Mayo teenagers safer as they celebrate their state exams.
Since the group’s inception in 2012, alcohol related arrests on the Junior Certificate night out have all but disappeared across Mayo.
The Junior Cert results will be out this Wednesday, September 9.
In 2011, the year that sparked the formation of the MJCRNG, 19 teenagers ended their Junior Cert nights out with an arrest by the gardaí. In 2012, following the MJCRNG’s preventative work, this reduced to zero. In 2013, there were just two incidences recorded and last year, 2014, there were none.
The MJCRNG is made up of An Garda Síochána, the Western Region Drugs Task Force (WRDTF), South West Mayo Development Company and the Irish Society for the Protection of Children (ISPCC) and works closely with schools.
As the group starts its workshops with students ahead of the exam results, it also urged parents to talk openly with their children about how they intend to celebrate their results and the risks if those celebrations include alcohol.
Pat Conway, Mayo community liaison worker with the Western Region Drugs Task Force (WRDTF), stressed that parents are the most important influence on young people’s attitudes towards drink.
“We are definitely seeing that what we are doing here in Mayo is helping young people to enjoy their Junior Certificate night out without the risk of it turning sour because of alcohol,” Pat said. “It is perhaps a model that other counties and areas could follow.”
“We are really encouraged by the continuous trend towards zero arrests and genuinely good natured celebrations across the county,” he continued. “We think that our model of working with the children in their schools in advance of the exams, and encouraging parents to talk openly about the use of alcohol is having a very positive impact.
“The Junior Certificate exam is a major milestone for teenagers and of course such a big event should be celebrated with friends. However, it is important that these celebrations take place in safe and fun environments, without the harmful effects of alcohol.”
Since the start of term this September, the group has been visiting schools throughout the county, meeting with classes and talking to them about how they can have a memorable night out without alcohol. The MJCRNG has also distributed an information pack called Teenage Years: A parents guide to protecting your teenager on a night out to all households.
Gardaí are also visiting schools as part of the MJCRNG work to talk specifically about safety on the results night. There will be a strong garda presence on the night, with bus checks throughout the night.