Immersion Programmes
Aidlink supports linking and immersion visits involving schools in Ireland to Ghana.
This evolved from Aidlink’s relationship with the Irish Spiritans and initially the schools involved were Spiritan schools in the Dublin area who were committed to furthering the ethos of the school and to witnessing at first hand mission and development in action - Irish and Ghanaian missionaries, Irish and local NGOs working together.
Aidlink has facilitated four immersion visits of transition year and 5th year students from St Mary’s College, Rathmines and Templeogue College, Dublin to Ghana. As part of this programme, Irish students attended regular classes with Ghanaian students at St James’ Senior Secondary School in Sunyani and visited development projects supported by Aidlink. On return to Ireland the students and the schools have promoted shared learning among the wider school community through workshops, exhibitions and fundraising activities.
In the summer of 2007, Aidlink facilitated a teachers immersion programme involving teachers from St Mary’s College Rathmines and Seamount College, Kinvara, Co Galway in which the Irish teachers taught in 3 separate schools in Kumasi. The aim of this programme was to establish new links with Ghanaian schools and to build strong leadership and commitment among the Irish schools for future immersion programmes. Furthermore, it is envisaged that these teachers on return to their Irish schools will further develop their development education initiatives in the schools.
Immersion Programme 2010
In June 2010, sixty students and teachers from St Mary’s College, Rathmines in Dublin, will participate in a two week immersion programme in Ghana. The Immersion project is part of the Development Education programme in St. Mary's College, and is assisted by Aidlink, with the Holy Ghost (Spiritan) Fathers in Ireland and Ghana.
In Ghana, the Irish students will be embedded as fully as possible into the local community. The boys will spend one week as secondary school students with their Ghanaian counterparts in Sunyani, and one week in Kumasi helping primary school children practice their English. They will also visit projects run by the Holy Ghost Fathers as well as those funded by Aidlink, the Irish Government, and Concern Universal. This will be the fourth visit to Ghana by St. Mary's groups.
The students and their families pay their own flights, medical expenses, uniforms and equipment. A fundraising campaign will assist with in-country expenses such as accommodation and transport. Funds raised will also be directed to education and water projects in Ghana.
On their return, the boys will give presentations to each class in their school, and also speak to class groups in local primary schools. Aidlink believes that immersion in a different culture can be a powerful form of development education. The Ghana Immersion visits have created new connections between young people in Ghana and Ireland and have helped mobilize more people in Ireland to take an interest in development and justice issues.
