Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 3 February 2022
348. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the degree to which he continues to liaise with youth services throughout Ireland with a view to ensuring the availability of appropriate supports in circumstances in which a need has been established; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5759/22]
View answer350. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the extent to which he continues to liaise with various youth services throughout County Kildare and throughout Ireland with a view to making available an equality of support services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5761/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 348 and 350 together.
My Department provides funding to all 16 Education and Training Boards (ETB) (including Kildare/Wicklow ETB) to support youth services in their area and to support the work of the 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 the ETBs and these meetings assist my Department in identifying service needs and emerging issues, particularly for vulnerable young people.
The UBU scheme which is operated by the ETB's is underpinned by the Area Profile, Needs Assessment and Service Requirement (APNASR) process.
The APNASR Tool allows each Education and Training Board (ETB) to gather and use available demographic data and local knowledge to produce an area profile of their functional area.
The ETB carries out an analysis of the quantitative and qualitative data to identify and evidence the needs of young people. This results in a Service Requirement that is the basis for an application by organisations under UBU Your Place Your Space. This process ensures equality for all youth services applying for UBU Your Place Your Space Funding.
DCEDIY also maintains close contact with 30 national youth organisations which it funds under the Youth Service Grant Scheme. The Minister and officials meet formally with these organisations twice a year to share knowledge and information on developments or challenges in the youth sector. This provides a forum for organisations to give information on national issues but also identify specific locations that require additional focus. Throughout Covid-19, the Department engaged with a representative group from the sector on pandemic specific issues including the regular updating of national guidelines for the youth sector relating to COVID.
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.
