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Youth Unemployment Measures

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 November 2013

Tuesday, 12 November 2013

Questions (394, 395)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

394. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the programmes that are in place in each county to aid youth on social welfare who come under the remit of her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47924/13]

View answer

Catherine Murphy

Question:

395. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the programmes in place under her Department remit in each county to combat youth unemployment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47926/13]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 394 and 395 together.

The Government has a range of measures in place to tackle youth unemployment and these include programmes and initiatives in education, training, job search assistance/ work experience and to encourage job creation. Youth unemployment is a particular concern because of the prospects it holds for young people themselves, their personal development and for social inclusion. My Department works closely with the Departments of Education and Skills, Social Protection, Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and others as part of a cross-departmental effort to realise Government objectives for employment growth and improved access to the labour market for young unemployed people.

In 2013, funding of €53.498m, including €1.75m for a new capital funding programme, has been provided to my Department for the provision of youth services and programmes to young people throughout the country 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 these services at local level and each year over 380,000 young people participate in a range of activities and programmes designed to enhance their learning and self development.

As Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, my aim is to promote the potential youth work can play, as part of the response to the challenges facing young people today including the youth employment challenge, through collaboration with other interests. Youth work and non-formal learning in its many programmes and activities; recreational, sporting, learning, volunteering and personal development, offer 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 including training and career readiness.

There is a growing recognition in Ireland and across Europe of the potential of youth work services to enhance young people’s development including their employability and the programmes funded by my Department are supporting these youth work services at local, regional and national level. A range of innovative programmes have been introduced by youth sector organisations to respond to young people's needs. These include mentoring and guidance programmes, entrepreneurship projects, volunteering and social enterprise and mobility initiatives to enhance young people’s experiences and their employment readiness. County level information about such initiatives in the youth sector is not readily available to my Department.

As I have said, my Department is working closely with the Departments of Education, Social Protection and Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, to identify in what ways the youth sector can contribute to the shared policy objectives for youth employment. In particular, my Department is examining the potential of non-formal learning to reach out to those young people not in education, training or employment and to support measures implementing the Youth Guarantee. The National Youth Work Advisory Committee, whose members include representatives of voluntary youth work organisations, is also considering issues to do with progressing this important agenda for our young people.

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