Today the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) opens a photo exhibition showcasing the work the College has done in the local community over the past six years. The exhibition is being held in the Concourse and will run from today until Thursday, 5 September. All members of staff are encouraged to visit the exhibition over the next fortnight.

The College recognises the significance of education and health management in both the life of the individual and the community and is committed to community engagement through a programme of outreach initiatives. The REACH RCSI programme (Recreation Education And Community Health.) was established in 2007 and is the community outreach and access programme at RCSI The initiative is aimed at encouraging and facilitating third level participation and enhancing life chances for those traditionally underrepresented at third level, particularly those from Dublin's south inner city.

This RCSI programme, in tangent with other outreach initiatives which have been run in the College for the past number of years, works directly with the local community and in partnership with local schools, youths and sports groups. RCSI staff and students volunteer across the various outreach initiatives of the College and are integral to the success of the programme.

The exhibition features pictures from various outreach events run by RCSI over the past six years. These include the REACH RCSI Grinds Club, Sports Day, Dublin and Waterford Transition Year programmes, children's Science Workshops, free health checks at Mercers Medical Centre, the annual Ballroom of Romance, the Senior Citizens Christmas party, the Primary Science Teachers Summer Course and the RCSI MiniMed School Open Lecture Series to name but a few.

The photo exhibition is in line with the RCSI Strategic Plan 2013-2017 for the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences states that the vision of RCSI is "to be recognised internationally as a leading centre for professional education, research and innovation in healthcare". Having a focus on the local community in the catchment area of the College is key to this vision. There will be plenty of volunteering opportunities within these outreach programmes in the near future so please watch out for future calls for volunteers from Maria Kelly, REACH RCSI Manager.