Early Childhood Education Students work with Home-Start Ireland

Lecturer: Anne Fitzpatrick

As part of the BA Early Childhood Education (DT572) 3rd year students taking the ‘Working With Families’ module worked with Home-Start Ireland to produce a publication to celebrate 21 years of Home-Start’s work in Blanchardstown in North West Dublin. Also contributing to the project as part of her course was MA in Professional Design Practice (DT548) student Gina Honeyman and very generously, on a voluntary basis, a fourth year BA Journalism (DT553) student, Karl Doherty. 

Home-Start Ireland is a voluntary organisation in which volunteers offer regular support, friendship and practical help to families with young children, in their own homes, helping to prevent family crisis and breakdown.

In 2008 Home-Start staff approached lecturer Anne Fitzpatrick of the School of Social Sciences and Law to discuss how they might cooperate to mark twenty-one years of Home-Start in Blanchardstown and together they decided that a book documenting the experiences of mothers, fathers and volunteers over the years would be a fitting tribute. 

So as part of the BA Early Childhood Education programme, 39 3rd year students taking the ‘Working With Families’ module collected the stories in interview style during an informal gathering of Home-Start parents and volunteers in Blanchardstown. Karl O’Doherty, a fourth year BA Journalism student then very generously, and on a voluntary basis, edited the stories. For her final project on the MA in Professional Design Practice, student Gina Honeyman designed the book and prepared it for publication.

On Monday 21st September Home-Start celebrated its 21st birthday and the beautiful publication Tea and Friends, with a foreword by Tony Bates, was launched. Lynn Sullivan spoke on behalf of the BA Early Childhood Education students. She spoke of how much she and her classmates enjoyed this novel learning experience.

Tony Bates also wrote an article praising the project for the Irish Times. Click here to read the article.

What do the students get from it?

The students were greatly enthused by the novelty of the project. They developed a greater awareness of Home-Start’s work and an appreciation for the help it offers families through real contact with those families. They developed skills in research and interviewing techniques and confidence in carrying these out. They also learnt to be flexible and adaptable in communication as they encountered families of different cultures and backgrounds.   

What do the community get from it?

Home-Start was able to fulfill its aims and objectives with respect to creating a publication to celebrate its 21st birthday. Home-Start’s work also became better known to a large body of Early Childhood Education students, important work which will remain with these students as move into their professional careers.

Community partners:

Home-Start Ireland