Edmund Rice Awards

Do you have pupils in your class or school who are involved in social outreach activities and who make a difference to other people’s lives?

The Edmund Rice Awards recognise young people who give of their time, energy and commitment to those around them. They encourage young people to respond to the needs of others in their school and local community.

 

                                                

                                               

Showing concern for other people is at the very core of the Awards Scheme. In responding to these concerns, the teacher encourages the students as they seek appropriate and practical responses in meeting the needs within their own local community. This in turn, will impact on their school, creating a caring community.

A minimum of twenty hours of social justice work must be completed by the student. Work needs to be spread over a number of weeks or months to allow for ongoing reflection on the work.

In the context of the Edmund Rice Awards, reflection might be understood as thoughtful consideration of work done, in the light of the Gospel and the person of Jesus Christ, who inspired Edmund.
It involves taking a realistic look at our world, our society and at ourselves, so as to be inspired into action for others.

 

To be nominated for an Edmund Rice Award students must engage in a social justice activity within their local community and spend time reflecting on this activity.

Students are then invited to attend an Awards ceremony at the end of the academic year, where they will have an opportunity to share about the social justice work they were involved in and receive an Edmund Rice Award certificate.

 

Resources available for Teachers

                                            

 

Background

Once, while walking along the quay, Edmund noticed a black slave

on the deck of a moored ship.      

            

Anxious to help the boy, John Thomas, Edmund bought him from the ship's master and placed him in the care of his friends in the Presentation Convent. When John became a young man Edmund helped him set up his own business, which was a success, and on his death his property, two houses, was left to the Christian Brothers and the Presentation Sisters.                  

Edmund wanted to do more than help a few individuals and decided to devote his life to God and to the education of the poor. To help finance his first purpose-built school Edmund sold his uncle's provisioning business to his friend Thomas Quan for £3,000 and used the money to acquire three acres of land at Ballybricken. He spent the remainder on the building of a new school and residence there. The school opened in 1804.

Visit the International Heritage Centre, Mount Sion, Waterford and view the image above.

 

Vision

Edmund Rice looked into his own heart. He took his inner journey of faith very seriously. Looking at the world of his time he saw people who were very poor, people neglected by others, people who were lonely, afraid and without direction in their lives. He realised that God was leading him to do something to make life better, especially for neglected young people. He prayed, he struggled and he sought advice from others about what he might do. He wanted to make a difference. Within a community of Brothers, he sought to effect radical change for the good of his fellow human beings.

Through the Edmund Rice Awards, students are opened up to similar realities of social injustice and marginalisation. Like Edmund, their actions and reflection can make a real difference to the lives of others in their community. The students are also influenced by their experience, thus enabling them to understand more deeply the connections between life and Christian values. Students who undertake this challenge learn about themselves, their abilities, their world and their faith.

Criteria

  • A minimum of 20 hours voluntary service in school or in the community is required. It is the responsibility of the teacher to ensure that participants fulfil the hours of work.
  • Service activities undertaken by students should have some social justice component and should allow for students to work with and for others in their school community or local community.
  • Ongoing reflection, led by their teacher and supported by the Awards Coordinator, on the person of Edmund Rice and on their own voluntary work.
  • The types of service in which participants engage should be in line with the vision of the Scheme and appropriate to the abilities and maturity of the participants.
  • An Awards ceremony is held in April/May and participants are required to attend to receive their Edmund Rice Award.

Sample Projects Undertaken:

  • Mentoring and tutoring young children in academic subjects and sport
  • Assisting a voluntary organisation e.g. Meals on Wheels, St Vincent de Paul
  • Visiting older people and the sick
  • Assisting people with special needs
  • Helping in a soup kitchen or charity shop
  • Training or coaching a club of young people who require extra support and assistance
  • Organising a music group for the benefit of the school or community
  • Peer ministry or Faith Friends.

Nomination of Pupils

You are invited to nominate pupils you feel deserve an Award for their social justice work. Individual pupils or groups of students can be nominated to receive an Edmund Rice Award. An application form is available from the Awards Co-ordinator. The Form can be downloaded here and emailed to me at erawards@eircom.net when completed. On receipt of the returned application form the teacher will be contacted by the Co-ordinator to arrange a school visit.

 

 

Award Ceremonies

 

Award Ceremonies take place at regional venues throughout Ireland during April and May of each academic year - normally in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Belfast, Portlaoise and Waterford.

At the ceremonies the work undertaken by the students is recognised, as well as the contribution of their teachers.

 

 

Certificates are presented to each pupil and to each school

 

If you would like to find out more about the Awards please do not hesitate to contact the Centre.

 

Anne Reilly ,
Edmund Rice Awards Co-ordinator,
Edmund Rice Centre,
North Richmond Street,
Dublin 1

Tel: (01) 819 6781
Email: erawards@eircom.net