Two promising young people from Dublin have been awarded bursaries worth up to €2,000 each, under a new partnership between Liberties Training Centre (LTC) and local business Bricolage.
Liberties Training Centre provides training and support to young people – aged 16 to 21 – who are early school leavers and/or unemployed. With support from Bricolage, the Centre has selected two of its most promising graduates in 2021 to receive bursary that will enable them to continue their education and training journey.
The scholarship recipients are:
1. Mostafa Fudal, age 21, came from Sudan to live in Ireland with his family in late 2017. In Sudan, he had undertaken one year of high school, with an ambition to become an engineer. Now, he is graduating from LTC’s Pre-Apprentice Engineering and Office Skills Programmes, and – with support from the Bricolage bursary – is progressing to a Certificate in Engineering Technology course in Coláiste Dhúlaigh College of Further Education this September.
2. Mickala Gumble, age 18, is from Dublin 7. She left secondary school before finishing the Junior Cert year. She has now graduated from LTC’s Office Skills and Catering Programme and is progressing to a Special Needs Assistant: Special Education certificate course at Liberties College, Dublin 8, with the support of the Bricolage bursary.
The LTC-Bricolage Bursary awards provide up to €2,000 per recipient to cover further education costs, such as registration fees, purchase of a laptop and buying necessary books or materials. Mostafa and Mickala will also each receive continued support from LTC, alongside mentoring provided by the Inspire Mentoring Programme for young people aged 18-25 years.
Commenting, Leanne Young, general manager of Liberties Training Centre, said, “I’m delighted Bricolage is sponsoring these two young people to progress on to further education. Education is the best defence against unemployment, and anything that removes a barrier for a young person is amazing. I’m particularly proud of these two young people, Mickala and Mostafa; they have been a joy to teach and they have come a long way in their time in Liberties Training Centre. They are why we do what we do.”
Photos: Mark Stedman
Viv Chambers, Bricolage MD and Director of Strategy, said, “We believe strongly that everyone has a unique contribution to make and the potential to make their mark on the world, but not everyone is blessed with the opportunities we have been given in our careers. When we visited Leanne and her team at LTC here in Dublin 8, we couldn’t help but be inspired by the work they do and the impact they have on their students’ lives. For some students, we know there are a lot of headwinds working against them, but they work extra hard to break through regardless. We want this bursary to be a recognition of their achievement and hopefully provide a small boost towards the next stage of their journey.”
Bricolage and Liberties Training Centre established the bursary programme this year to recognise excellence, maximise employment and training opportunities, raise educational aspirations, and relieve the financial burden of progressing to further education.
To qualify for the LTC-Bricolage Bursary, applicants must have completed a training programme with Liberties Training Centre and been offered a place on a Further Education and Training course or an apprenticeship.
