Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 April 2013
1101. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which her Department is in a position to focus on the issues affecting youth with particular reference to the mental and physical well-being of young people and the provision of adequate back-up facilities in respect of any particular areas of specific deficiency in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17591/13]
View answer1102. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the most predominant issues affecting young people which have been brought to her and/or her Department in the past two years; the means by which such issues have been conveyed to her; the extent to which she expects to be in a position to address these issues; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17592/13]
View answer1103. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which studies have been undertaken by her Department with a view to identification of the wide variety of issues confronting the youth of today; the level of importance she hopes to assign to such issues and the means by which she hopes to address them over a specific period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17593/13]
View answer1104. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the degree to which she and her Department have studied the various economic, social, educational or health issues that impact most seriously on today’s youth; if she has in mind a particular strategy to address any issues arising; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17594/13]
View answer1105. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the steps she will take to address issues of social or economic deprivation at school or in the workplace affecting today’s youth; if she will take specific steps to address issues of inequality and thereby economic recovery; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17595/13]
View answer1110. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the degree to which she maintains contact with the various youth organisations throughout the country with the view to offering support and identification of any specific inadequacies in services which might be beneficial to youth support services in general; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17600/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1101 to 1105, inclusive, and 1110 together.
Funding of €53.173m, including €1.75 for a new capital funding programme, has been provided to my Department in 2013 for the provision of youth services and programmes to young people throughout the country through a number of schemes.
These schemes include the Youth Service Grant Scheme, the Special Projects for Youth Scheme, the Young People’s Facilities and Services Fund Rounds 1 and 2, Local Drug Task Force projects and certain other provisions including the Local Youth Club Grant Scheme and Youth Information Centres. This funding supports the delivery of a range of youth work programmes and services for all young people, including those from disadvantaged communities, by the voluntary youth sector. There are some 1,400 youth work staff in 477 projects and over 40,000 volunteers involved in the provision of services and activities for young people.
Each year over 380,000 young people participate in youth services. Youth work and non-formal learning in its many programmes and activities; recreational, sporting, learning, volunteering and personal development, offers young people opportunities to acquire new competences and skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, resilience, motivation, creativity and leadership. These are core and transferable life skills; the 21st century skills that are so important to equip young people for the challenges in today’s world.
The role of research and consultations with youth sector interests and the young people themselves are central elements in my Department’s approach to the formulation of the youth policy services that are responsive to young peoples needs. My Department has commissioned a review of international best practice in the field of youth work to advance our understanding of the impact of youth services in the lives of children and young people. The study will inform a new Youth Policy Framework which is planned by my Department for later this year. The findings of the Growing Up In Ireland Study of my Department and other studies including EU studies have been significant in relation to providing information about children and young peoples experience of bullying and its impact on them.
The Action Plan on Bullying - produced by cross-sectoral working group on which my Department and the youth services were represented, contains a range of evidence based actions to support parents, young people, schools and community interests, in tackling this issue which can have a serious impact on young people. My Department will work closely with the Department of Education and Skills on the implementation of the Action Plan in supporting initiatives to raise awareness about the problem and implementing identified actions to tackle prejudice and promote a safer environment for our young people. The Youth Clubs funded by my Department are an important outlet for children and young people in this context. Their activities can help to build self esteem, increase confidence and strengthen friendships so that young people are better equipped to counter bullying behaviour.
The Youth Affairs Unit of my Department also provides funding towards the administration of the National Youth Health Programme. This programme is a partnership between my Department, the National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI) and the Health Service Executive. Funding of some €83,940 has been allocated to the programme in 2013 by my Department. The aim of the programme is to provide a broad-based, flexible health promotion/education support and training service to youth organisations and to all those working with young people in out-of-school settings. The programme has sought to develop the capacity of the sector and organisations to advocate on issues that affect young people and develop evidenced based resources and training to support that work. The advantage of this training is evident in the fact that Youth Work often acts as the first point of contact and referral in the interface with other youth-related services spanning the realms of care, health and welfare.
My Department works closely with the youth sector organisations to address the needs of children and young people. The National Youth Work Advisory Committee is an important source of advice and guidance to my Department in developing youth policy and initiatives. The committee is composed of a chairperson and 32 members drawn equally from the voluntary and statutory sectors involved in the administration and provision of youth work programmes and services. This committee advises my Department on matters relating to the development and coordination of youth work policies, programmes and services.
In addition, The Late Night League (LNL) Programme, for which my Department provides funding under the Young People's Facilities and Services Fund, is a diversionary programme incorporating soccer leagues at various locations across Dublin. It is aimed at encouraging at risk juveniles to participate in meaningful activities, thus reducing anti-social behaviour involving young people in the selected areas. It also provides a forum which promotes positive lifestyle choices away from problems such as homelessness. Open to young people aged 13-21, this diversionary programme takes place in disadvantaged areas during prime anti-social hours such as Friday nights. This initiative has proved to be very successful with teams from both the travelling and settled community participating and other diverse groups. The initiative is based around the concept of using football as a tool for social inclusion and learning.
There is a growing recognition in Ireland and across Europe of the significance of youth work in promoting young people’s development, health and well-being, enhancing their participation in education, training and employment and the potential youth work has, as part of wider strategies to respond to the challenges that arise. I am delighted to have hosted an EU Youth Conference in March 2013. This conference, organised by my Department in partnership with the National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI), was the flagship event in the Irish Presidency Youth Programme and it was the culmination of the EU wide consultation with youth on the theme of social inclusion in which young people in all 27 Member States are currently participating. The seven thematic areas identified were;
Employment – employment leads to inclusion
Education – inclusive education for all young people
Participation – equal rights and equal opportunities to participate in civic life
Welfare – access to welfare
Support – social and youth services for young people
Youth organisations – youth organisations and social inclusion
Quality – assuring quality in youth work to ensure social inclusion
Young people and Ministry officials from the 27 Member States have jointly defined the 21 conclusions arising from the Conference. The conclusions from this Conference will be brought forward in the current trio cycle and will inform the Structured Dialogue components of the Lithuanian and Greek Presidencies, which will ultimately inform the development of a Council Resolution on Structured Dialogue at the end of this current Presidency Trio. This is a clear and compelling example of young people’s voices and vision directly informing youth policy.
I have met, and will continue to meet, with many youth organisations and groups to try and see how we can work together to minimise the impact of the savings required under the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure and to see how we can work together to ensure the most effective and efficient use of the resources available in order to continue to support the provision of quality youth services to young people.
