JRS Homework Club Quiz in Clondalkin Towers

Last Thursday to mark the end of the second term, JRS Ireland held a quiz for asylum seeking children who attend the JRS Homework Club two afternoons per week. 

The Homework Club is held in Clondalkin Towers, a state provided accommodation centre for people seeking asylum. The Homework Club involves a chat and a snack to start with, assistance with school work for an hour and then playing board games.  It is coordinated by JRS Ireland’s Integration Officer, Elizabeth O’Rourke and co- lead by JVC Volunteer Steve Hayes.  The team has three other volunteers - to help with the education and the crowd control. 

Elizabeth notes, “Life in an accommodation centre is not easy and family life is particularly constrained.  The children have to share a room with their parents and siblings and have nowhere to do homework or space to play.  Sometimes the parents of the children cannot speak English or have a low level of educational attainment, so there is an important role for JRS in supporting the children through school.”   It should be remembered that many of the children have been subject to traumatic situations in and fleeing from their home countries.  “In Ireland the children living in direct provision centre can face further challenges in their local community – they have been labelled as the ‘hostel kids’ in school. Yet their resilience and good humour in dealing with the difficult hand that life has dealt them is always inspiring”.