(厂别辫迟听5th听2019)听The Centre for Learning & Development at Tallaght University Hospital (TUH) was the location for a听momentous听occasion听this evening听as it hosted the听graduation ceremony for the听second year of听the听Walkways programme.听听
The听WALKways听TUH Programme is a transition programme for adults with intellectual disabilities to gain employability experience in order to access paid employment in the open labour market.听听After a very successful first year,听eight of听the 11听graduates听are currently in听paid employment. Carrying on the success of the first year,听all听10 of this year鈥檚 trainees have completed the programme and are moving to paid employment or further training to enhance their career prospects.听听
Over the course of the last 12听months,听19听departments听across the TUH campus听facilitated work placements of approximately 14 weeks each. Each trainee听completed three placements across departments including the听Children鈥檚 Health Ireland at Tallaght,听Occupational Therapy,听Material Supplies,听Medical Records, Catering,听Physiotherapy, and the听Centre听for Learning & Development. Within each department, they听were听educated and provided with a range of work skills.听
The education partner to the project is Dublin and Dun Laoghaire听Education and Training Board (DDLETB).鈥疶heir adult education service听delivers听an accredited course as part of the project which supports trainees to achieve modular qualifications for what they are learning听throughout the WALKWAYS programme. Everything the trainees do is developed into an opportunity to learn and achieve.听
Of the听group that听are graduating this year,听three听are moving on听to听paid employment听of their choice听and听seven are moving on to further education and training, including听the Oireachtas Work Learning programme.
鈥淲e are delighted with the continued difference participating in this initiative has made to our working environment. Feedback from staff that have been involved has been overwhelmingly positive, the interns have developed their employability skills and lifelong friendships have been made.听On behalf of all the staff in the Hospital we would like to congratulate the interns on their graduation and wish them every success in their new jobs or next work placement.听We are looking forward to welcoming the next group of interns and continuing provide a worthwhile and fulfilling internship鈥� commented Lucy Nugent, Chief Executive TUH.听
Speaking about the success of the programme Catherine Kelly, Director of Services in WALK said听鈥業t has been a huge honour for WALK to work in partnership with TUH and鈥疍DLETB South West. The听WALKways听Tallaght University Hospital programme has provided a rich learning ground for people with intellectual disabilities to experience the world of work in a structured, nurturing and inclusive environment. The participants of this programme have grown in confidence, learnt new skills, overcome real life challenges and developed new relationships. The听WALKways听Tallaght University Hospital programme鈥痠s a major step in the journey of the听participants鈥櫶齦ives, one that should be recognised听for its immense significance.鈥櫶�
Graduates from the 2019 programme were: Fiadhnait Canning; Michael Boylan; Leia Donnelly; Gavin Burke; Laura Delaney; Riona Cullen; Gavin Gilvarry; Sarah Carroll and Ross Hughes
Editors Notes听
TUH is one of Ireland鈥檚 largest acute teaching hospitals, adult, psychiatric and age-related healthcare on one site. The Hospital has 495 adult beds with 3,000 people on staff. The Hospital is a provider of local, regional and national specialties. It is also a national urology centre, the second largest provider of dialysis services in the country and a regional orthopaedic trauma centre.听
The Hospital also has 67 paediatric beds under the governance of Children鈥檚 Health Ireland and 52 mental health beds under HSE governance. TUH is one of the two main teaching hospitals of Trinity College Dublin - specialising in the training and professional development of staff in areas such as nursing, health and social care professionals, emergency medicine and surgery, amongst many others. TUH is part of the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group which serves a population of over 1.2 million across seven counties. A new paediatric outpatient and urgent care centre is to be built at TUH as part of the Children鈥檚 Health Ireland project as a key element of an integrated clinical network for paediatric services nationally.听
The Hospital鈥檚 Emergency Departments catered for 51,084 Adult Attendance and 32,424 Paediatric Attendance in 2018. A further 267,623 patients were treated through the Hospital鈥檚 Adult and Paediatric outpatient clinics in 2018. The Hospital鈥檚 operations are supported by 200 general practitioners in surrounding communities and aligned with Community Health Organisation 7.
