The future of a Galway project which supports young mothers to stay in or return to education is in jeopardy due to a funding crisis.
The leader of the Young Mothers in Education (YME) project, Ms Eleanor Clancy, said yesterday the service will close at the end of the year if it doesn't secure a commitment for funding. The YME has supported over 100 young mothers since it was set up in 1999.
Twenty-one have completed their Leaving Cert and a number of others have gone on to complete a degree or other third-level course.
The project was initially set up and funded on a three-year pilot basis by the Galway City Partnership under the National Development Plan. So far this year the project has supported five young mothers to sit the Leaving Cert, one to sit the Junior Cert, nine to complete a PLC course, four to study IT courses, three to take part in access courses, one to complete a degree and four to complete other courses.
Although the YME project was initially started on a part-time basis, it now provides a full-time service to young women in Galway city and county.
The project provides individual support, information and grinds and runs peer support groups for young mothers, who are in education, on Saturday mornings. According to Ms Clancy, the project has been successful in breaking the cycle of welfare dependence for many young mothers.
