Transition Year

June 2025

Dear Parent/ Guardian,

Please see relevant information relation to TY (Transition Year) Programme for 2025/26. Students are required to undertake some preparation over the course of the Summer months. We greatly appreciate your assistance with this, as it ensures that every student is organised in advance.

Cost of TY Trip

The cost of the TY Programme for the 2025 / 26 academic year is €500 (2 installments of €250).

Installment 1: Due 20th September.

Installment 2: Due 20th February.

Overseas Trip

If you are considering the overseas trip, students and parents need to be aware it has an estimated cost of €700. Students also need to get the following completed over the course of the Summer:

1. Passport: Apply for a passport online
2. EHIC Card: The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) lets you get healthcare abroad for free, or at a reduced cost. Link to website: Apply for an EHIC in Ireland - HSE.ie

GAISCE (Bronze Award)

All TYs will be completing the Bronze Award over the course of TY. You will be assigned a PAL (Link Teacher) once we return to help you register. This teacher will check in regularly to see that you are completing your three activity areas.

1. Presentation: Link to GAISCE Presentation: Gaisce Award Introduction Presentation – Copyright Gaisce Learning Hub
2. Start looking at the Presentation and chatting at home to get ideas and have a plan of what you are going to do under the 3 areas for when we return to school in August. (i) Personal Skill; (ii) Community Involvement; (iii) Physical Recreation.
3. Skellig Stars have 20 spaces available for those interested in doing 13 / 26 weeks of their Community Involvement element of GAISCE. Email Ms Golden has forms.

Work Experience

Please see information in relation to TY Work Experience:

• All students will do 4 weeks Work Experience
  • Week 1 20th-24th October
  • Week 2 1st-6th Dec
  • Week 3 2nd-6th March
  • Week 5 20th-24th April
• Work Experience must to relevant to a possible career area you are exploring.
• 1 Week must be with a Voluntary Organisation (see list of ideas in the 3rd year Team).
• 2 Weeks outside of South West Kerry is recommended as an option e.g. Staying with Family / Family friends / Commuting using local link to companies in Tralee / Killorglin/ Killarney, subject to parental approval.

Websites to help find Work Experience:

1. Careers Portal Nationwide Work Experience Search. There are currently 250 Work Experience Employers on the list Places Available: https://careersportal.ie/workx/student_search.php
2. Companies offering Work Experience Places: This is a list of companies and Organisations that run specific TY Work Experience programmes which you need to reach out to and contact. Some have details on their individual websites / others just want an email/ also networking if you know someone who works in one of these and they can look at getting you one of the placements. https://ty.ie/work-experience/
3. Failte Ireland Hospitality & Tourism Work Experience Places available: https://tourismcareers.ie/sectors/sectors.php?sector_id=16

A calendar of events /activities/ academic initiatives will be issued in due course.

Wishing you a lovely Summer and to welcoming you back on Tue 26 August,

Jamie O'Sullivan (Year Head),

Elaine Carey O'Shea (Programme Coordinator),

Padraig Murphy (TY Coordinator)

Mary Golden (Career Guidance)

General information TY

The Transition Year Programme is a unique one year programme that promotes the personal, social, vocational and educational development of students and prepares them for their role as autonomous, participative and responsible members of society. TY provides a bridge to enable students to make the transition from the more dependent type of learning associated with Junior Cycle to the more independent learning environment associated with Senior Cycle. It encourages the development of a wide range of transferable critical thinking and creative problem solving skills.

Transition year offers students a marvellous opportunity to learn and develop. Make the most of this opportunity and invest in T.Y.

WHAT THE PARENTS HAVE TO SAY:

‘My son benefitted a lot from doing Transition Year, he was very young and needed time to decide what he wanted to do after school, this was a great year for him to experience new opportunities, to take on extra responsibilities and to gain a confidence. I’ve never seen anyone more content, happy and loving the year.’

(TY Parent)

WHAT THE STUDENTS HAVE TO SAY:

‘Transition Year is full of opportunities…You get to try things you would never have thought you could do.’

‘We do so much that we can put on our C.V.’s’

‘TY is an amazing experience. You have so much fun and make loads of new friends.’

‘Every week we do something new and there’s always something happening.’

“Doing the Drama was a real bonding experience and my self confidence grew by being on stage.”

“We have all grown and matured and developed new skills and grown closer as a group”