Erin McGreehan
Question:155. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the steps being taken to move towards the improvement of pay and conditions for youth workers. [20801/25]
View answerTuesday, 29 April 2025
Questions (155)
Written answers
Youth workers are central to the delivery of youth services. The relationships which young people develop with their youth workers can be transformative in a young person's life.
As part of the Opportunities for Youth: National Strategy for Youth Work and Related Services 2023-2028, my Department has committed to producing a Workforce Development Strategy in respect of the youth work sector, to support the recruitment and retention of staff in the sector. The Strategy will include consideration of training needs and the requirement for high-quality, accessible and inclusive youth services.
In 2025/2026 consultations will take place with a broad range of stakeholders to inform the key thematic areas of focus in the Strategy. Stakeholders will include youth workers, youth organisations, young people and providers of youth work education and training. Officials will continue to engage with the youth sector throughout the development of the Strategy.
A workforce survey was developed in late 2024 and disseminated to youth workers working in the sector to establish baseline data and information on the workforce. The data and information is currently being analysed. In March 2025, a high-level questionnaire was issued to the CEOs/Boards of Management of youth organisations to enable them to contribute to the development of the Workforce Strategy and provide my Department with a broader and more in-depth understanding of the challenges experienced by the youth organisations in the recruitment and retention of the ‘youth work’ workforce. As the youth organisations are the employers of youth workers, matters relating to the pay and conditions for youth workers is outside the remit of my Department.