Davy Hickey promotes support for Citywest Outreach/Access Programme
- 13 October 2009

Brendan Hickey, MD of DavyHickey Properties, is encouraging fellow Citywest companies to invest in the 'Citywest Outreach Programme' which promotes participation in higher education in the Dublin 22 and Dublin 24 region.

He addressed representatives of Citywest companies at an event in the DCU Ryan Academy who are in partnership with the Citywest Outreach Programme. These companies include Colgate Palmolive, SAP, Goldman Sachs, Xilinx, Sage Ireland, Panasonic Ireland, Growcorp and Glanbia.

The initiative, which has already received over EUR460,00 from Brendan Hickey, was attended by Access students from the local area who have benefited from the programme, and included athlete Brian Gregan, who is National Senior Mens 400m champion, and ranked 5th in the Junior World Athletic Championships.

Also under the programme, transition year students take part in entrepreneurial workshops under the auspices of the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE).

According to Brendan Hickey, "At Citywest, we are all extremely proud of the level of participation in these initiatives. Last year, two of 'our' students came first in the All Island NFTE Business Competition, which gives great encouragement for future participation in the programme. Our hope is that the programme will help discover young entrepreneurs and inspire others to become involved. Added to this, we currently support 18 students from the local area in DCU Access scholarships. To date, over 36 annual scholarships have been provided to students of DCU".

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Currently only 40 per cent of leaving certificate students in the Dublin 24 area go on to third level education.

Major surveys of links between earnings and education over the past decade have demonstrated that individual earnings are between 8-10% higher for each year an individual spends in third level education, so young people from disadvantaged areas are further losing out in potential earning power later in life without a degree.

The Ryan Academy workshops also CAO workshops for both students and parents and career development workshops for teachers, parents and students, as well as promotion of the health benefits of physical activity.

In addition, Trinity College Dublin and University College Dublin are providing local partnership support in delivering the programme into their local Access jurisdictions. Such cross institutional partnership forms an impressive unified platform designed to enhance effective community outreach in the Dublin 24 area.