STORY NO.

22

Fighting Words

by Roddy Doyle

Our plan

We're opening a writing centre for children and interested adults in Dublin's north inner-city, an area not unlike that surrounding 826 Valencia. We will provide free tutoring and workshops. There isn't much room for creativity in the Irish education system; we want to open a big room where young people can be creative, and become more creative. We have found premises in the courtyard of an apartment/retail development, construction of which is nearly completed. The courtyard will be called Brendan Behan Square. We're currently working with an architect, designers, the builder -- getting ready to move in during the summer, and opening for writing business in January 09. We want the Fighting Words centre to be a local landmark, or "event." We want the local community to feel that it is theirs. We're also meeting, and learning from, complementary organisations; liaising with teacher-training colleges and local schools; investigating good child protection and volunteer policies; developing workshop programmes etc. Soon we will start our search for volunteers.

What we did

So far, things are going very well. The centre will be a great space, externally, striking and amusing -- an "event." Internally, it will be as warm and as unlike a schoolroom as we can make it. Reactions from teacher colleges have been very positive; they want to be involved. We're confident we'll be ready to open the front door in January.

Our results

Early contacts with local schools and teachers indicate that we'll be welcome. For example, I recently met with teaching staff at a school for students with severe physical disability in north Dublin. There were many students who loved writing but none of the staff felt qualified to bring their writing to a new level. We hope the help the students and staff to do that.

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Maxwell Allen
Oakland, CA