B&Q Cork

Down Syndrome Ireland Cork (DSI Cork) is located at the Field of Dreams and with a charity shop in Merchant's Quay Shopping Centre in Cork city. It is a branch of Down Syndrome Ireland. DSI Cork supports families and empowers individuals with Down syndrome throughout their lives. Our Mission is to ensure that our members, from birth throughout their whole life are given every opportunity possible to fulfil their potential and live a happy and productive life. DSI Cork supports nearly 400 members throughout Cork city and county. DSI Cork provides a positive environment to the Down syndrome community to help develop support networks amongst members and their families. We offer a diverse range of programmes tailored to the needs of individuals with Down syndrome at every stage of their development including; early intervention, playgroups, parent & sibling support, speech and language therapy provided by our fully qualified, CÓRÚ registered and experienced therapists, social activities, summer camps, social activities, advocacy, education staff training, horticulture, adult education programmes and employment support. DSI Cork at the Field of Dreams offers diverse education programmes focusing on further education, employment readiness, personal development, wellbeing, skill-building, and community engagement. The emphasis on horticulture provides hands-on activities, cultivating practical skills and a deeper connection with nature. DSI Cork’s charity shop is a profitable enterprise that offers a Retail Training Programme for adult members who are supported by an Employment Support Specialist. Making the transition into employment is not easy for our members and to help ensure their success we provide ongoing employment support for both the employee and the employer. This support from our employment support specialist has been critical in successfully integrating our students into the workplace and also providing practical advice for workplace transitions. We strive to empower people with Down syndrome to reach their full potential by delivering high-quality supports, fostering inclusion, and building environments where individuals feel valued, respected, and connected to their community.

We are a men's she'd and our primary interest is the wellbeing of men's health, we also do a lot of community work.

Section 9 of the education act, 1998 9.a recognised school shall provide education to students which is appropriate to their abilities and needs and, without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, it shall use its available resources to (a) ensure that the educational needs of all students, including those with a disability or other special educational needs, are identified and provided for, (b) ensure that the education provided by it meets the requirements of education policy as determined from time to time by the minister including requirements as to the provision of a curriculum as prescribed by the minister in accordance with section 30 , (c) ensure that students have access to appropriate guidance to assist them in their educational and career choices, (d) promote the moral, spiritual, social and personal development of students and provide health education for them, in consultation with their parents, having regard to the characteristic spirit of the school, (e) promote equality of opportunity for both male and female students and staff of the school, (f) promote the development of the irish language and traditions, irish literature, the arts and other cultural matters, (g) ensure that parents of a students, or in the case of a student who has reached the age of 18 years, the student, have access in the prescribed manner to records kept by that school relating to the progress of that student in his or her education, (h) in the case of schools located in a gaeltacht area, contribute to the maintenance of irish as the primary community language, (i) conduct its activities in compliance with any regulations made from time to time by the minister under section 33 , (j) ensure that the needs of personnel involved in management functions and staff development needs generally in the school are identified and provided for, (k) establish and maintain systems whereby the efficiency and effectiveness of its operations can be assessed, including the quality and effectiveness of teaching in the school and the attainment levels and academic standards of students, (l) establish or maintain contacts with other schools and at other appropriate levels throughout the community served by the school, and (m) subject to this act and in particular section 15 (2) (d), establish and maintain an admissions policy which provides for maximum accessibility to the school.