Representatives of NIPSA and staff from the four local County Down outdoor education centres received welcome support from Newry Mourne and Down District Councillors last night (Monday 5 December 2016) just before a full Council meeting.
The cross-party show of solidarity from the councillors demonstrated that the Council is whole-heartedly backing the centres to stay open following a consultation announced by the Department of Education which will run until 6 February 2017.
The centres under pressure in County Down are Delamont, Ardnabannon and Kilowen  Outdoor Education Centres, and already trade unions and staff and supporters have waged a strong campaign to oppose these cutback proposals.
Register your support by voting on the petitions at:
www.change.org/p/save-delamont-outdoor-education-centre
www.change.org/p/save-ardnabannon-outdoor-education-centre-from-closure
www.change.org/p/northern-ireland-assembly-save-killowen-outdoor-education-centre
and check out: www.eani.org/consultations
Newry Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson Councillor Gillian Fitzpatrick said: “I am delighted that this campaign has received the cross-party support from our councillors who are very determined to see our OEC’s at Delamont, Ardnabannon and Killowen remain open and viable.
“I would encourage everyone to sign the online petition and to lend what support you can to this campaign. It is attacking the infrastructure that many over the years have build up in Down. These centres probably introduce the Mourne’s and Strangford Lough to many who in later years may come back as visitors to enjoy these unique environments in Down.”
Councillor Billy Walker said: “One of the key points about the OEC’s is that they offer a neutral environment for young people who, possibly for the first time, are meeting other young people from the other side of the community. These centres encourage tolerance and understanding and must be kept going. They play a very valuable role in our transition to a more peaceful society.”
Kieran Bannon, senior NIPSA representative, said: “Altogether there were twelve outdoor centres affected by the consultation process. We are now determined to make representation to the Minister. We have been campaigning widely and strongly on this issue and hope that many people support the petition. No-one is supporting the proposals put forward by the Department.
“Our understanding is that the current OEC’s under threat are turning over participants at approximately £52 per head and to replace these with alternative facilities it will cost over £150 per head. This is just not on. The fundamental valuable learning experiences that so many young people enjoy will be lost and certainly Down will drop down the pecking order of venues no doubt for OEC’s.
“The decrease of four centres, one from Bushmills and the other three in Down must be opposed. The four centres under threat have a turnover of 23,000 young people and that should speak volumes for the demand for this sort of outdoor education.”
Greg McCann, Delamont Outdoor Education Centre, said: “We are delighted to see the cross-party support here tonight. It reflects the wider support we are receiving in the community. To date we have been strongly opposing any rationalisation of the outdoor education centres and we have held meetings, lobbied unions and politicians and we have been on the streets with leaflets.
“It looks as though staff would be redeployed to other centres or offered voluntary redundancy. That sort of shake-up just seems to be causing a huge loss in staff experience gained over years. County Down offers huge outdoor resources for our young people and that is the reason why there are more centres here.”
Late News:Â
Colin McGrath MLA speaks at Adjournment debate (2.30pm) at Stormont – 5 December 2016.Â
Mr McGrath said: “I welcome the opportunity to lead in this important adjournment debate.
“I approach this debate too from an interesting position. I have been an avid user of outdoor education centres over the past 25 years as a young person, student youth worker and youth club leader.
“In fact, I have stayed at two of the four centres in the past and one of the ones proposed for closure on many occasions.
“I have brought groups of young people to the centres and can detail to you Minister the roles, purpose and benefit of them and also the absolute loss and tragedy there will be if they are shut.
“From the onset I must seek clarification about something. You mentioned to the house two weeks ago during question time that the reason for the rationalisation was due to financial pressures yet at the presentation to the education committee Wednesday week ago the Education Authority said that the reason for the cutbacks was to rationalise and provide an enhanced and better service.
“Which is it. Because if it is the latter we can surely make a good case for their retention.
“So, why do we have outdoor centres? Well Mr Speaker they are hubs. A space for young people to come together and to learn / in an experiential way.
“They learn important life skills, team work skills, communication skills and much more.
They use the methodology of the outdoors and action activities such as mountaineering, hill walking, canoeing, sailing, bouldering, abseiling, nightlines and other outdoor pursuits to educate.
“Exciting for children, thrilling for teenagers and a delight for the youth worker and teacher / to use this medium to educate young people, especially those that don’t often excel in the academic setting is invaluable.
“Outdoor Centres & outdoor education is an essential and integral element of our education system and one, Mr Speaker, that many in the world are jealous of.
“I can vouch having brought groups from Louth, Kerry, Cork, Scotland, France, Hungary and Finland to stay in them.
“They have facilitated our young people to host guests from far and wide to make friends and share cultures but more importantly they have helped our young people to open their minds and stretch their personal horizons far and wide too.
“Why or why would we cut back on this and reduce our capacity?
“I turn now to the consultation. Once again I have to say I am disgusted that we have a consultation ‘Northern Ireland style’ – one that has the outcomes of the process included in the introductory paperwork. What a joke.
“What a humiliation to the good people of Northern Ireland and what a farce this makes of the consultation process.
“But I would like to highlight a number of the elements of the consultation and the flaws I see with them”
Occupancy Rates
Mr McGrath added: “There is some concern at the way that these figures have been calculated and used in the consultation document.
“The occupancy rate that all centres are benchmarked against is those from the hotel industry.
“That is a highly competitive industry that achieves big profits when it has high occupancy rates around 75%. At this level it is doing well and is able to deliver reasonable profits to the owners.
“There is no such need for profits in the Outdoor industry. Covering their costs or breaking even would be perfectly acceptable when it comes to profits and therefore to benchmark them against the Savoy or the Europa is both unfair and crass.
When benchmarked against all Outdoor Centres in the rest of the UK the centres the ones that are proposed to close compare very favourably indeed.
“The building status is another fallacy that is trotted out in this document.
The building survey that has been completed isn’t just the essential and urgent work that is required but rather a list of what could be done to the buildings which includes some urgent remedial work.
“Let me compare that to a holiday. I could go to Barbados and the Caribbean for my holidays, but will probably only be able to afford somewhere in Europe if I’m lucky and maybe add a few weekends here and there – maybe even to North Down.
“There is a difference between what one can do, would like to do and what one actually does.
“To use this as a factor is a little unfair especially when it results in one centre being picked over another to be closed down.
“Regarding incorrect figures, there is also a glaring inconsistency in the figures in the document used to calculate the rank order of those centres that are to be closed.
“In the review document supplied to us the order has Shannaghmore is listed as 3rd, Killyleagh is listed 4th and Bushmills 5th and Ardnabannon 6th, yet in the evidence document Bushmills is listed as 3rd, Shannaghmore 4th and Killyleagh and Ardnabannon as joint 6th
“This decision will see people lose their jobs, have to relocate, villages have the heart ripped out of them and a lifetime impact on our youth – are you prepared Minister to allow such a consultation proceed with such school-boy errors in such an important document?
“I can hear the judicial reviews being warmed up from here.
“On the Interim Head & Interim CEO, I worry too about the fact that this decision – with all its enormity and impact, its employment consequences and emotions stirred… is being delivered by an Interim Head of Youth who will report through to an Interim Chief Executive.
“Is it fair that the Minister of Education wants these momentous decisions to be taken by people in Interim roles?
“If it all goes wrong, could it cause your own position to be interim too.
“The review is being carried out as a response to the Priorities for Youth document of a few years ago.
“It stated and I quote ‘This will include a review of the youth Service estate and Outdoor Education centres.’ And Outdoor Education Centres. Not merely outdoor education centres.
“One would have thought that the reviews of Youth Service Estate and Outdoor Education Centres would be undertaken in a complimentary manner – not picking one sector and then doing the other.
What if rationalisation in the Youth Service estate consultation saved money which could deliver the vision for the outdoor centres?
“Why is this being done in such a disjointed way? Questions need to be asked.
“Therefore, I appeal to to the Minister:
* You have the power to intervene here.
* You have the capacity to stop this massacre of our Outdoor Centres It’s too early in the Education Authority’s life for this decision.
* It’s being taken for the wrong reasons.
* Our children will have fun in these places.
* They will learn.
* They will gain new skills, they will make long and lasting friendships, they will break down barriers and help develop our country.
* They will be the leaders of tomorrow and we owe them the opportunity to learn the skills they need.
“Let’s not cut the provision and make Outdoor Centres the preserve of the chosen few, but rather a luxury we offer to the many.
“I therefore plead to you as Minister  of Education, to intervene and keep all our Outdoor Education Centres open.”
