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Kilkenny Youthreach students create special tree in support of Amber Women’s Refuge One Million Stars Against Violence campaign

It's been installed at City Hall as part of Yulefest Kilkenny

Students of Kilkenny Youthreach are the latest to show support for the Amber Women’s Refuge One Million Stars Against Violence campaign. 

The young people have weaved hundreds of items for the initiative and they’ve created a special tree to display them.

That’s now been installed at City Hall as part of Yulefest Kilkenny.

Kilkenny Youthreach is a full-time education programme that gives a second chance to early school leavers aged 15-20years. Operated and managed by Kilkenny and Carlow Education and Training Board (KCETB), it offers young people the opportunity to achieve a Leaving Certificate qualification in an out-of-school setting and develop social and personal skills in a safe and supportive environment. Learners progress to further education and training, and/or employment.

Welcoming the participants to City Hall, the Mayor of Kilkenny, Cllr David Fitzgerald, congratulated them on their work while they had an opportunity to speak with him about the value of projects like the One Million Stars Against Violence for the community.

KCETB Youthreach Co-ordinator Michelle Murphy commented, “It is wonderful to see recognition from the Mayor and from Kilkenny County Council for our learners’ work on this project. The students came up with the idea of making a star tree that visually represents their protest against domestic violence. Amber Women’s Refuge and Siobhan McQuillan were a huge support to them throughout the process by providing education talks and weaving workshops.”