Welcome to our supports page. Here we will try and provide you with a brief overview of the services and supports that SMILE SCP can offer to both children and adults across the northside of Limerick city. We provide supports in six schools, three primary and one post primary. The overarching aim is to increase retention of pupils to Leaving Certificate.  Supports are categorised under the following headings: in school supports, after school supports, holiday supports and out-of-school supports. The School Completion Programme is both preventative and supportive and is based on the concept of integrated services and wrap-around supports.

Venetian Masks in Thomond Community College

Many of the supports are carried out in partnership with other community/voluntary and statutory agencies, which adds to the quality and richness of services offered to young people at risk of leaving school early. The programme is different in each cluster depending on the local needs, in recognition of the fact that local factors can influence early school leaving. To date we have a wide variety of projects running both in school and out of school. These include After-Schools Programmes such as soccer training, homework clubs, Nurture club and Doodle Den. Our In-School Programmes are mainly for targeted pupils comprise of one-to-one mentoring, therapy, motivational interviewing, self-esteem and personal development.  .

In School Supports

In school supports are delivered during school hours, they can be targeted or universal.  Targeted is when they are delivered in a one-to-one or small group setting.  Universal is delivered to larger groups, whole class or school. In school supports are categorised under the following headings: academic support; sports/recreation/extracurricular activities; therapeutic supports; programmes; clubs and meal provision; skills and training; profiling/monitoring; parental involvement; rewards; interagency work and support units.

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Out Of School Supports

Out of school supports are delivered to young people who have withdrawn from the formal school system. The aim of these supports is to re-acquaint young people with education and learning, and support them in their decision to return to school.  This type of support tends to be an interagency approach as factors causing a young person to withdraw from school in the first place can be complex and multi-faceted.

After School Supports

After school supports such as homework clubs, take place straight afterschool.  SMILE SCP delivers homework clubs across three primary schools and 1st years in Thomond Community College. They are considered a universal support as there is a mix of ability and not every pupil is target.  Doodle Den literacy programme is an evidence informed programme delivered to senior infants.

Holiday Supports

Holiday supports are delivered during holiday time, for example, mid-term break, Easter and summer holidays. These interventions enable services like SCP to continuously engage with young people outside of the school setting. Holiday supports are often delivered in conjunction with other external agencies, particularly youth services.

During the holidays, SMILE SCP provides students with an opportunity to get involved in our Summer Camps which run over 6 weeks from June (12-14 year olds) to the end of July (all primary school ages).  The summer provision is both universal and targeted and is part-funded by the Social Inclusion Fund (SIF) through Limerick City Council & Regeneration

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SMILE SCP would like to acknowledge that all of the programmes we run are only possible through the cooperation of the schools, parents and local agencies and would like to thank all those involved for their continued support.