The Ask for Angela initiative aims to help people who feel uncomfortable or at risk while out socialising.
Vice-President of the Blanchardstown Institute of Technology (ITB) Luke Daly said he was researching sexual harassment and assault of third-level students when he came across the initiative.
“It was actually used in Waterford I.T., who adopted it from somewhere in England beforehand,” said Daly.
The Ask Angela scheme is to prevent vulnerable people from being victimised in social situations // Ian Curran
“We have been in touch with 50 venues, with Salmon’s in Mountview, Dublin 15 standing out, which is an ITB Students Union bar which hosts events for students, along with The Bell Pub in Blanchardstown Village.
“The statistics show that one in five women, one in 10 men and half of transsexual and non-binary experience some form of sexual violence, harassment, or assault during their college experience, while LGBTQ are four times more likely to experience this as opposed to their heterosexual counterparts.”
The ‘Ask for Angela’ initiative offers an escape route for uncomfortable or potentially unsafe social situations.
The person is instructed to ask a staff member for ‘Angela’, and they are then brought to a safe place and are assisted in escaping a difficult situation.
“I think it’s a brilliant idea and a scheme that all bars and places where there is plenty of social interaction should implement,” said Ashley St. Mart, a bartender in Salmon’s.
“All it takes is a couple of posters in the toilets and to inform all your staff of the procedures required should someone require to use of the service, and it could save someone’s life.”
Luke Daly has been in office at Blanchardstown Institute of Technology (ITB) as the Vice-President of the Student’s Union since July 2018, after successfully running for office in March. While Mark Doyle has been in office as the Entertainments Officer since July, after winning the vote of his peers in the spring.
What inspired you to run for office as a student representative?
Luke: “I would say I ran for all the wrong reasons really! I didn’t like what was being done within ITB. I ran out of spite to be honest! There is so much happening around health, both mental and sexual, that I wanted to make a change to the approach.
Luke Daly // Reis Caffery
“I am not trying to reinvent the wheel but simply to freshen up what was being done.”
Mark: “I was inspired after being in the college for the past three years and seeing the things that were being done both right and wrong. I felt I could make a difference to these things from an experienced student’s point of view.”
What does day-to-day work as a vice-president entail?
Luke: “What doesn’t it entail would be a better question. I am everything from an agony-aunt to a SUSI-advisor! One of the main things is something called case work, which is where I make a file or record of someone with a problem, put simply.
“One evening I might have someone come into the office saying they can’t obtain a SUSI grant because, for example, their parents are separated and they can’t prove they are. The next day someone could walk in and say they are suicidal and can’t cope.
“We have devised a great support system in here though with student welfare, diversity and inclusiveness absolutely paramount. We are organising campaigns such as disability awareness week, and KISS [Keep It Safe and Sexy] week along with the rebranding of our Mental Health week to Health and Wellbeing week, where we are telling people to focus on themselves more rather than telling others to get help.”
Mark: “Basically I am in charge of both on and off campus social events, such as mystery tours and other fun events such as Blind Dates and Karaoke nights.
“I have to try to create a buzz on campus and give students something to look forward to.”
Do you feel this work can help your future job applications?
Luke: “Well, I don’t know anyone who has been successful in office who has not gone on to do well in their post-academic life. I just completed a business degree and plan to run again next year.
“I also ran a society for three years while in college which can only be good for a C.V. or resume!”
Mark: “I have a lot of experience in the bar industry over the past few years and naturally have a huge interest in social events.
“I hope to finish my business degree and potentially move onto an event management role in the future!”
Mark Doyle// Lauren Yates
How has working as a vice-president shaped your character?
Luke: “That is actually a difficult question to answer. I believe I’ve become more direct! I have a lot of stuff to get done in a short time-frame which has forced me to become more focused and direct in my daily schedule.
“I’ve become more able to talk to strangers and people in general which is a great thing to have as a person. I’m also more mouthy and cheeky! I’m not afraid to ask ‘Why?’ when I am told ‘No’.”
Mark: “I personally struggled with public speaking and presentations and this role has certainly helped improve that over the first few months of working the job.
“Organisation is key to this work so I’ve definitely seen improvements in my own personal organisation skills in my own life.”
What would you say to someone who is considering running for a similar position?
Luke: “You are not paid enough! You have to be willing to put in a 60-hour week without any overtime. You might find yourself cancelling personal appointments for day-to-day workings in the office.
“On the other hand, it is very personally fulfilling. As they say ‘Grab life by the balls!’ I would absolutely encourage someone to go for it.”
Mark: ”I would say that hearing what your fellow students are trying to tell you is essential, but also at the same time sometimes making a decision they may not agree with, but is best for them can be difficult but part of the job.
“It is a job that demands a lot but is ultimately very rewarding.”
Irish music store Golden Discs has re-opened today in St Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre.
They have re-opened their doors to the public again thanks to a successful year of expansion.
This year they have opened stores in Cork, Blanchardstown, Swords and Newbridge. The company currently employ over 120 people across the country.
The new store will employ 12 people with a possibility of seasonal part-time jobs over the coming Christmas period.
Store manager Michaela Duggan says that today’s re-opening has been a fantastic success. “Today has been great, we’ve had a few in already and it’s only lunch time”.
Giving away vouchers for today’s re-opening
Browsing through the selection at lunch time
There was a good crowd for opening day.
Last year the company celebrated 50 years in business and with Tower Records moving from their Grafton Street location and HMV closing down last January, now is a great time for the music retailers to open up a store in the area.
Ms Duggan was optimistic about the store’s future saying, “the other shops that opened up this year have done well, so hopefully we’ll do well coming up to Christmas”.
The company are aware of the popularity of downloading music, and they stated that they intend to “upgrade its on-line download store” and will offer physical CD and DVD sales through its website by the end of 2013.
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