Canada's H.E.R.O.S. Hockey Program
to Assist At-Risk Youth in Belfast
VANCOUVER - When Brian McGinley executive director of Co-operation Ireland, U.S.A. nvited Norm Flynn, founder and executive director of Vancouver based H.E.R.O.S. (Hockey Education Reaching Out Society) to attend an Irish charity gala in New York, Flynn leapt at the opportunity.
Little did he know, shortly after meeting Tony Kennedy, CEO of Co-operation Ireland, and Senator John McCain, plans would already be in motion to export his innovative hockey program for at-risk youth to Ireland.
Flynn and Kennedy quickly discovered they had a lot more in common than just their Irish heritage and a gift of the blarney.
Founded in 1979, Co-operation Ireland is a non-political charity, working with schools, sporting, community groups and corporations on both sides of the border to create mutual understanding, peace and respect.
H.E.R.O.S.'s mission is to use the game of ice hockey to attract at-risk-youth from low income, inner city neighbourhoods in Canada to a program that offers support for education and serves as a catalyst for self esteem building and life skills training.
Flynn says, "The two programs are a natural fit even though they're located an ocean apart. Whether it's Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, Toronto's Regent Park, Calgary's Forest Lawn, or Beverly in Edmonton, each shares a lot in common with the Short Strand district in Belfast. All face the similar social problems of crime, poverty, drugs, prostitution and gangs."
Sports are a great way to unite people with a common task and goal, says McGinley. "What's great about hockey in particular and why C.I. is adopting H.E.R.O.S. into its sports portfolio, is that hockey is new to Ireland.
"Soccer and rugby have been around for many years and historically have affiliations with the different communities and some form of sectarianism. Hockey in contrast represents neutral territory.
"Plus, it's a very exciting, high impact sport and that's very appealing to Irish audiences. Most importantly," he adds, "programs like H.E.R.O.S. can help cement the trust factor in communities at the youth level, which is essential for Ireland's future."
Flynn's longtime friend Jim Yaworski, owner of the Belfast Giants hockey team offered to provide professional players as ambassadors and volunteers to support the new H.E.R.O.S. program in Belfast.
H.E.R.O.S. will be a complement to the East Belfast/Short Strand/South Finglas Initiative, the largest, fully representative, reconciliation project ever created in Ireland, Serving as an umbrella effort, the Initiative's intent is to grow basic trust between the people of these different communities on a one-to-one level in schools, corporations and the community.
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