Shifting Focus: Everyone Gains

8th October 2010

An attendee at the Shifting Focus Conference, hosted by IPRT, Barnardos and IAYPIC, on 23rd Sept 2010, responds to the event here:

For me one of the most significant things I became aware of and learned from the conference was that there are people in positions of power that do actually care about the plight of the less well off and  disadvantaged in our society, and these people fully understand the needs and mindset of the less well off. It was a bit of an eye-opener for me because I would have felt that there wasn’t really anyone I could turn to or trust who actually understood what I was going through or went through as a child growing up and being in need of some of the many services available today.

I thought Prof Pat Dolan was very good and found what he had to say very interesting, especially when he explained that some people need help but won’t always admit this or to help them directly can sometimes add to their sense of shame, so in order to help people like that there are ways of giving them hidden support. He also spoke of the Hardiker model which was very interesting and he thought that Prevention Policy was overlooking the centrality of relationships, which I totally agree with and feel there should be a lot more emphasis on this particular issue from policy makers.

Prof Lesley McAra was very good too. I thought it was very interesting that she spoke about being able to identify at risk teens and children quite early on. Wouldn’t it be a great idea to get Pat Dolan and herself together on some kind of board or committee for helping these kids because between both of them they seem to have it cracked? But that would be in an ideal world and if they were given unlimited funding or even a decent budget.

Prof Nick Frost pointed out with the example of Perry/Highscope in America that they found for every $1 spent on investing in educating and programmes for at risk communities, they saved $12.90. Wouldn’t you think that with savings like that, Governments would sit up and listen? And so when no action is taken with all this evidence in front of them it would make one suspicious as to why no action is taken.

I enjoyed listening to Dermot Stokes talk about Youthreach and when he finished I shook his hand and introduced myself and told him of my days in Youthreach, and he remembered the guy that ran the one I attended - so it was nice meeting him.

I went into the Diversion talk in the afternoon, which was very interesting too. Hopefully Rose Sweeney will have her way and we will see a lot more Garda diversion programmes in place soon and more like her in the force. Eddie Darcy was very good too; and is well respected by the people in the community where he works.

One idea that I do think is relevant is that instead of sending people to prison for shoplifting or minor stuff, they could ask these lads to get involved in building schemes that build new houses for the homeless or the many people on the housing list. If you only knew the amount of wasted talent in prison!! From highly skilled brick layers to cabinet makers and carpenters and welders and many of these guys are in for petty stuff related to drugs.

To me it just makes so much more sense for guys to be given the opportunity to give something back to the communities that many of them come from. It saves the taxpayer almost €80,000 per year, not having to pay for another guy’s keep in prison, the particular community benefits from the work done, and helps restore confidence/self esteem to the person doing the work and reduces stigma of being an ex prisoner. These are just some of the benefits, so in my opinion everyone gains. 

For more information about the Shifting Focus conference and project, click here.