Rehab trainees in Lee longboats launch
Fourteen trainees from the National Learning Network — the training and education branch of the Rehab Group — launched their six-oar boats from the banks of the river in the city’s Fitzgerald’s Park.
The group from Rehab’s newest outreach centre, based in Ballincollig, rowed them under the Shakey Bridge and tested them fully for seaworthiness. Both vessels passed with flying colours.
The group, aged from their early 20s to their early 50s, spent the last 10 weeks building the boats from scratch, under the guidance of expert boat-builders Meitheal Mara.
The organisation has two six-oar longboats and has plans to built a fleet of six.
They will add the boats built by the Rehab group to their collection which will ultimately be used in various river races, including the Ocean to City race in Cork next year.
Rehab instructor Paula Hurley said their training programmes are designed to help reintegrate people into the workforce and into the community.
The boat-building programme had been a huge success, she said.
“We all found it very worthwhile. It boosted our trainee’s self-confidence and self-esteem,” she said.
“The boat-building project was particular to our group and it helped build teamwork and communication skills.”
Rehab’s National Learning Network is based in Bantry. But it expanded its service and set up an outreach centre in Clonakilty two years ago.
It set up another outreach centre in Skibbereen and developed the Ballincollig centre, based at Great Island Industrial Park in Innishmore, within the last few months.
There are four such learning centres in the country with large centres in Nenagh, Listowel and Midleton.
Rehab has plans to develop more outreach centres around the country.
