`Human beings," writes governor of Mountjoy John Lonergan, "need to talk and be listened to - it is not an illness or a problem, it is natural, at all stages in our lives, but", he asks, "is there anybody listening?"

Listening skills are included among the many exercises in a Mol An Oige programme, taking place here. Since my second year R.E. class - half one day, the other half the next - part company with me to attend the session, I have done some sleuth work on its content.

The title is taken from the Irish proverb Mol an oige agus tiocfaidh si, which in the vernacular, means Praise the young and they will do well. Teresa, the project leader, commands great respect and as one girl puts it, "You are able to talk to her like she is a teenager, a friend. She is not a teacher. Mol An Oige allows us to have fun while we are learning."

A Peer Evaluation Module enables pupils to learn from each other. Some of the issues being covered include, an anti-bullying programme, group-work skills, dealing with conflict, communication and observation skills. Jack reports, "I know that you cannot judge someone. You don't know their problems or what they are going through."

Separate groups visited two different prisons recently. All were in agreement that they seemed to be tough, hard locations to live in and survive in. They were made aware that prisons are stressful places, occupied by people in crisis, where there is a concentration of risk factors. Many crimes are drug-related. They, most certainly, are not holiday camps.

The smell of disinfectant still lingers in some nostrils. The lack of freedom, especially not being able to make a cup of tea when one wished, struck a deep cord. Having to share a cell with strangers was a threatening concept. Being at the coalface of prison was for them, I believe, an initiatory experience.

The programme is comprised of many other modules. The students have a group contract, which emphasises listening, confidentiality and respect for one another's views. This helps to create an atmosphere of security and trust.

Now for my verdict! Though I am not directly involved with the project, I am regaled with stories of their trips and exploits. I meet the whole class once a week and, yes, I notice that the more vulnerable participants have grown in confidence. Those who are quiet and shy seem to be mixing better and are contributing verbally in class.

But alas, one cannot expect to find old heads on young shoulders. The exuberance of fledgling "assertiveness" can bubble up and spill over at times. The book entitled Assertion Training advises me to be proactive. I must, it says, anticipate a situation before it happens, thereby preventing or avoiding the occurrence at all.

Help! Is there a Mol An Muinteoir programme out there somewhere? If so, I want to enrol straight away.