English Language Exchange Programme
| When: | All year around | Duration: | 1/2 weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where: | North West Ireland | Breesy Centre | Click to View |
| An Approved EcoBreak |
Click to Enquire or Tel: 00353 71 9822925 |
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The Breesy Centres English Student Programme.
Available all year round - contact us for availability.
Students both national and international are invited to stay in the Breesy Centre, an environmentally conscious community building that has been awarded the EU Flower symbol for environmental excellence. For one highly enjoyable week they will meet and interact with local people and local children, learn about Irish culture and participate in selected activities, bringing them closer to nature in a fun and exciting way.
We also cater for national secondary school students, transition year students and students at college level.
A residential package can be arranged to suit your requirements.
This enjoyable "home from home" ecotourism experience has been designed so that foreign students can improve their language skills thus enabling them to interact with locals and other nationalities around the world. The week long programme also gives participants an introduction into Irish culture through experiencing guided historic trips, receiving Irish dancing lessons and learning how to play the Irish sports of Gaelic Football and Hurling. Students will also gain knowledge from qualified guides about the diverse wildlife to be found in Ireland's oceans, lakes & rural countryside.
Students are invited from 11yrs up to college age, both nationally and internationally. English lessons are provided for foreign students. The programme has a range of activities from eco-friendly active sports (e.g. surfing and canoeing), through to drama, arts and crafts, therefore providing something for everyone and introducing new activities for others! As the programme is very keenly priced it lends itself to all organisations and backgrounds.
By staying in an EU Flower awarded centre, students will be encouraged to recycle waste, become more aware of their water useage and also learn about the importance of protecting our environment. The experience aims to teach students that the environment should be looked after, whether here or in their homeland, and the smallest practices can make a difference. Lots of locally grown and organic produce is available at mealtimes so students can taste the difference!
Total cost with full board - 1 week - €535 per person
2 weeks - €990 per person
For more details and a full itinerary contact Ruth at the Breesy Centre on:
+353 (0)71 9822925
breesycentre@eircom.net
www.breesycentre.com
Student Day to Day Itinerary:
Day 1 - Arrival
Upon arrival students are shown their accommodation- where they can unpack and relax before dinner. This is followed by a pre-dinner welcome from staff before the welcome dinner in the Breesy Centre dining room. After dinner students are given a health and safety briefing (shown fire exits etc) and the environmental features and general policies of the centre are highlighted along with information about the Cashelard region and what's available over the course of their stay. Then it's kick back and relax for the rest of the afternoon!
Days 2,3,5& 6
Breakfast from 8am - 9am
English Lessons 9.30am - 12.30pm
Lunch 1 - 2pm
Afternoon activities 2pm - 6pm
Free hour before dinner.
Snack served 6pm-7pm
Dinner 7 - 8pm
Evening games. 8.30pm - 10.00pm
Day 4
Breakfast 9am - 10am
Full day activity/trip 10am-5.30pm
Free time 5.30pm - 7pm
Dinner 7pm - 8pm
Movie night 8.30- 10pm
Day 7
Option of talent show & farewell party,
Depart
Afternoon activities include:
1) Breesy Hill walk where you can view 5 counties from the top.
2) Irish Dancing lessons
3) Gaelic Football/ Hurling
4) Surfing on local beaches
5) Historic walks to local Famine Pot, Mass rocks, World war II Plane crash sites, Standing stones/ Dolman
Evening games include:
Quiz, Arts & Craft, Drama sessions where the students create a 3min act and organise a show which they can share with local children on final day.
Full day activities include:
A day at local lakeside activity centre where windsurfing, kayaking, canoeing, archery, sailing etc...are all on offer.
Certified Ecotourism
All the Breesy Centre experiences including the English language programme have been certified according to the Greenbox Ecotourism Standard which means that all the key elements of ecotourism are met as part of the experience. (More details can be found on http://www.greenbox.ie/)
Environment
The Breesy centre is strongly committed to avoiding the negative environmental effects that can be generated by tourism. Electricity for the building is provided exclusively by Airtricity, an Irish wind energy company, and energy efficient lightbulbs have been installed throughout. Plans are currently in place to install solar panels that will provide free hot water for most of the year and rainwater is captured and used to water the gardens and plants. All waste from the accommodation is either recycled or composted and the compost produced is used by local farmers. Finally, in the bedrooms guests are informed of the Breesy's towel policy whereby towels are changed either every three days or on request in order to minimise the detergents and water used in laundry. In 2006 the centre was awarded the EU Flower symbol, the European Unions indication of environmental excellence.
Learning
All of the Breesy Centre experiences actively support learning about local history, culture, landscape, biodiversity and sustainability. The centres teachers and guides are highly qualified and have many years of experience. Overall the Breesy has a policy of informing all guests about the local environment and the difference people can make by their actions.
Conservation
The Breesy Centre is committed to promoting the preservation of the beautiful Cashelard area and conserving the local biodiversity. Each year they organise the Breesy Hill Walk which is open to all in the community. The walk can take from anything up to 2.5hrs to 5hrs depending on route and special guides available to ensure walkers stay on the beaten path. Along the way walkers are asked to do a 'clean up 'as they go and information is provided on the biodiversity & wildlife that can be spotted along the way. A fun table quiz will take place later in the afternoon where questions are conservation focused and relate to the local flora, fauna and landscape. Following this an art competition for children take place where the theme is to draw any flower or wildlife spotted while on the walk.
The centre has recently decided to join up with the Irish Whale & Dolphin Group and have been in touch with them regarding this. It is hoped that in return they can provide the centre with information for students who partake in the surfing lessons that are provided. As part of the Breesy's EU Flower certification they have created a biodiversity folder that is available for all guests and is informative on different wildlife guests can watch out for in the area.
Benefiting the local community
All staff employed at the Breesy Centre are local natives and live within fifteen kilometres of the building. Therefore, by deciding to choose ecotourism experiences like those above you are helping to bring employment to a rural area. The Centre is situated in Cashelard which has recently been awarded 'village' status and consists of a shop, a pub, a church and of course the 'Breesy Centre'. The spin off from visitors visiting this area is very much valued by the local shop & pub and the Breesy purchases many goods from the local shop when necessary. All guides & teachers are local and benefit greatly from groups that come to stay. The centres bus driver is also local to the area and has great tales to tell of local folklore!
The Breesy centre is a local community run centre. It was a project which was undertaken by volunteers of the community in 1995 to convert an old hall into a facility that the community could use and also attract visitors to the area. Today it has one full time manager and two part time staff from the community that run the centre. Other casual staff are called in when necessary. The manager reports to a board of directors who are made up of local voluntary people from the community. Each year the Breesy Centre runs at least one major charity event that benefits a local organisation. This year it was the Saimer Play Group which cares for children in the local community.
Providing ecotourism holidays helps bring in income for the centre and creates employment in the area for the local community. They are an essential part of keeping the facility to the standard it is today and providing a space that members of the community can enjoy also.
Cost: 1 week - Euro 535 / 2 weeks - Euro 990
Click to Enquire or
Tel: 00353 71 9822925
