The programme operates on two levels, National and European. Schools are required to complete the National level of the programme before being elevated to European status.

The National Level

With a national project, the students carry out a journalistic enquiry on a local environmental problem and become directly involved with the bodies or the individuals concerned. They then inform the regional public of their findings via the local media. This can be done through television, radio, newspapers or exhibitions. The YRE project provides invaluable experience for students as they come into direct contact with the key players in their community. As well as activating an interest in the local environment, it improves their communication and journalistic skills and encourages team work among the class.

What is involved?

In addition to acting as National Co-ordinator for the YRE programme, An Taisce will organise and co-ordinate the following:

National Seminar:
This national seminar for participating schools will include workshops and expert speakers on the specialist topics of the YRE programme, namely Waste, Energy, Coastline, Cities, Agriculture and Water. Each school will present their findings on the local environmental issue investigated, opening discussion for comparison and contrast with the information and findings from other areas. The seminar will also provide an opportunity for each school to meet with their 'twinned' school.

Web Forum:
Articles written by the teams will be posted on this website. All instructions and relevant information will also be made available online.

National Awards:
An Taisce will host an awards ceremony with certificates for every student who successfully completes the YRE programme. Prizes will also be awarded to the winners of the best three articles. These three articles (the maximum allowed) will then be submitted to the European Awards Scheme. Those schools that achieve at National Level are then permitted to participate at European Level.

The European project enables Young Reporters to extend the scope of their investigation from a local to an international level. For this purpose, a website has been set up by FEE: http://www.youngreporters.org.

Monitoring & Evaluation:
An Taisce will monitor the progress of each school and evaluate all articles and presentations.

Missions:
With available interest and funding, students have the opportunity to travel to different countries to carry out special investigations into particular environmental issues. The focus of the YRE missions in 2003 has been sustainable energy usage.

Mary Carty, from Colaiste Colmchille, Ballyshannon took part in the latest YRE mission in Grenoble, France Sep 27th-Oct4th 2003. The students investigated themes associated with clean and renewable energy. The mission focussed on, among other issues, the challenges associated with changing people’s perceptions of sustainable energy usage. The Young Reporters investigated public transport energy conservation, social housing energy efficiency, as well as cogeneration: the most efficient means of conserving energy in power generation. The Reporters, coming from ten European nations, as well as Morrocco, co-operated in the production of a series of articles discussing the pertinent issues. They presented their findings on the YRE website, as well as on Grenoble TV, Radio and in the local French Newspapers.

Another eight Young Irish Reporters took part in a bilateral, Portugese-led mission to the Azores Archipelago in September. The Mission successfully investigated issues surrounding energy and the ocean. The Irish students hailed from Gorey, Enniscorthy, Birr, Newtown, Nenagh, Castleblaney and Roscrea. Issues investigated included geothermal energy, volcanism and sustainable agriculture and development. The mission was a resounding success in terms of the production of articles and the generation of intercultural links.

For more information or to register your school in the YRE Programme, please contact:

Carina Dolly, YRE Manager
An Taisce, Tailors' Hall, BackLane, Dublin 8
Tel: 01 707 7067 Fax: 01 454 1802 E-mail: yre@antaisce.org