Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 7 October 2021
316. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the extent of the dialogue his Department has had with the youth sector throughout the country over the past three years; the degree to which he has identified specific needs arising therefrom; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49013/21]
View answerMy officials and I maintain close contact with 30 national youth organisations which it funds under the Youth Service Grant Scheme. Formal meetings are held with these organisations twice a year to share knowledge and information on developments or challenges in the youth sector. Although this schedule was impacted by Covid-19, meetings resumed in July of this year. This provides a forum for organisations to give information on national issues but also identify specific locations that require additional focus.
My Department has engaged with the youth sector during the pandemic to develop sector specific guidance which are updated in tandem with the evolving Covid-19 developments. My officials continue to engage regularly with youth sector representatives in relation to the impact of the pandemic and associated health restrictions on young people and youth services.
DCEDIY also provides funding to all 16 Education and Training Boards (ETB) around the country to support youth services in their area and that each ETB has a Youth Officer. Youth Officers provide an important support role to my Department in the co-ordination and administration of youth services at local level. My officials hold quarterly meetings with them and these meetings assist my Department in identifying service needs and emerging issues, particularly for vulnerable young people.
A key tenet of the UBU scheme is the production of evidence of local need. In allocating funding under the scheme, each ETB carries out an Area Profile, Needs Assessment and Service Requirement process . This process draws upon quantitative and qualitative information to objectively identify the needs of young people within the ETB’s functional area. This analysis leads to the development of a Service Requirement, which is then used as the basis for discussion between ETBs and service providers in terms of service delivery to meet the needs of young people in the area. This approach ensures that DCEDIY can target supports to the young people most in need of intervention and that funding is allocated on the basis of evidenced need.
Officials from my Department also meet formally with youth organisations on an individual basis when the need arises and also maintain informal contacts.
As we begin to move beyond the pandemic, the Department will continue to ensure there is sufficient engagement with this important sector which provides enormous value to young people.
