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Monday, October 3rd 2011:

President of Ireland Mary McAleese today launched Frontrunner and Pitstops, two innovative active citizen programmes for third level students run by Common Purpose at DIT's Grangegorman Campus.

President McAleese stressed the value of these innovative programmes,

"I would like to thank and congratulate Common Purpose Ireland on the launch of these valuable programmes which seek out leadership potential and enable it to develop. Each participant in the programmes, by broadening their own insight and understanding of the mechanics of leadership, will become stronger and fitter for the difficult and sometimes lonely journey that leadership demands. The investment in each participant is an investment in community, society and country for these are the fields that are ploughed and planted by leaders and these are where the harvest of good is reaped".

Common Purpose, an educational, not-for-profit organisation that brings together people from a wide range of backgrounds to help them become more effective leaders in society, has been running and growing in Ireland since 1996.  Over this time, thousands of participants and engaged leaders have connected, inspired and sustained one another through its programmes. Although majoring in adult programmes, Common Purpose broadened its offering three years ago with the development of the Your Turn programme for teenagers.  Your Turn has been successfully running in Dublin, Cork and Limerick since then and this success had a significant impact on the organisation's decision to develop third level programmes.

Frontrunner is a four-day residential programme aimed at third level students in Ireland who have already shown evidence of leadership skills in civil society through their activities.  A Pitstop occurs over two days and is opportunity to challenge perceptions of leadership and change, as well as an opportunity to reflect on one's own role as a leader

The launch event brought together students who have done the Your Turn programme from Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Kerry, as well as representatives from DIT, LIT, Cork College of Commerce, UCC, UCD, Trinity College, CIT, NUI Maynooth, UL and the Royal College of Surgeons. Programme sponsors from HSBC, Veolia, the Vodafone Foundation and IRD Duhallow were also acknowledged and thanked.

Jackie Butler, Common Purpose Ireland CEO, said, "The Your Turn programme, coupled with the new Frontrunner programme and Pitstops symbolise a new beginning for Common Purpose. The fact that we can now engage teenagers and young adults, whilst also working with emerging leaders on our Navigator programme and established leaders on the Focus and Meridian programmes, presents a new life-long learning path for leaders in Ireland". 

Follow this link for a full copy of President McAleese's Speech: http://www.president.ie/index.php?section=5&speech=1017&lang=eng

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