THE NEW SCALA

New Home for Scala
Redemptorists Expand Services for Young People in Cork

VIEW PRESS RELEASE

The Redemptorists are delighted to announce a new expansion of services to meet the growing needs of youth and young adults in Cork. They have secured the landmark building of Castlemahon House, Blackrock as the location for their youth ministry and training campus, Scala.
Scala is a dedicated centre for Redemptorist Youth Ministry. As a team of Redemptorists and lay people, they have been working with young people in Cork since 1988. Since 1997, Scala has been renting facilities at Bessboro in Blackrock, where young people have been helped to explore major life issues through their retreat and leadership programmes.

Fr. Noel Kehoe, Coordinator of Scala stated “Every year we work with thousands of young people, who are given opportunities to safely explore and deal with issues like peer pressure, drugs, alcohol, bullying and relationships. Through our leadership programmes such as “Meitheal” the young people acquire important life skills and values of service, justice and working on behalf of others in their communities.”

"This is a time of recession" Fr. Kehoe added. "But the needs of young people remain and indeed increase during such times. Investment in our young people is the key to the future of our country, its economy and its stability."

With over 3,500 young people availing of its existing retreat and leadership programmes, Scala has had to look for a new location in order to meet future needs.

"This is a huge financial risk on our behalf" said Fr. Kehoe. "But we believe passionately that the needs of young people cannot be put on hold because of a recession."

With the consolidation of its existing services, Scala will incorporate the work of its partner organization SERVE, a development and volunteering organisation committed to working with the poorest people in the world.
Castlemahon House, the new location for Scala dates back to 1798 and in more recent times was used as a private nursing home.
Extensive renovations are required to convert the former nursing home into a suitable facility for young people.

The new facilities will include conferencing and meeting facilities, providing Cork's youth, young adults and other community groups with training opportunities in leadership skills, active citizenship, spirituality, and through its justice and development education desk, volunteering opportunities at a local, national and international level.
To help finance the redevelopment, a major fundraising campaign will be launched in the coming weeks.

All enquires are welcome by contacting:-
Fr. Noel Kehoe C.Ss.R.
Scala
Bessboro
Blackrock
Cork.
Tel: (021) 435 8800/(086) 304 8557

Email: coordinator@scala.ie.

A New House For Cork's Young People - Key exchange L-R: David Nolan (volunteer coordinator SERVE), Garrett Lucas - SERVE German volunteer,  Mr. Kevin Watters, previous owner, Sebastian Siepen - SCALA German Volunteer, Fr. Noel Kehoe, Fr. Derek Meskell (Scala)