There are three main strands to the Clondalkin (Co Dublin) Partnership's strategy to counter the effects of long-term unemployment. It tackles language and reading skills at pre-school and primary level and it has set up initiatives to prevent dropout at second level and to raise third-level participation.

The strand that targets preschool and primary children and parents includes the Clover Early Reading Project. A pack comprising story books, nursery rhymes, reading tips, library details and a list of available material is handed to each parent when enrolling children in four targeted primary schools. They also meet a speech and language therapist and get advice on reading material.

The partnership was established in 1995. The greater Clondalkin area's population is 48,000 and 40 per cent are under 15 years. Unemployment averages 26 per cent and exceeds 40 per cent in some districts.

The running costs of the project are low - £3,000 a year for 300 children. The partnership is looking for corporate sponsorship to meet costs. The Clover Early Reading Project approach was developed after the partnership established that the average reading age in schools in the Clondalkin area was well below the national average.

The Apple Language Skills Project is another Clondalkin initiative. A school is providing space where the speech and language therapist meets parents individually, offering the opportunity to take part in a training programme to improve communication and language skills of their children. The parents are given a six-part training programme.

The Teach Project is for children who are behind in their reading level but who do not have any learning disability. A group of about a dozen children are given extra language and reading training after school two days a week. And there is parental involvement in a shared reading programme.