The Young People's Facilities & Services Fund
What is the Fund for?
The Young People's Facilities and Services Funding (YPFSF) was established
in 1998 to assist in the development of preventative strategies/initiatives
in a targeted manner through the development of youth facilities, (including
sport and recreational facilities) and services in disadvantaged areas where
a significant drug problem exists or has the potential to develop. The objective
of the Fund is to attract "at risk" young people in disadvantaged areas into
these facilities and activities and divert them away from the dangers of
substance abuse. The target group for the Fund are 10-21 year olds who are
marginalised through a combination of risk factors relating to family background,
environmental circumstances, educational disadvantage, involvement in crime
and/or drugs, etc.
Areas covered by the Fund
Up to recently, the YPFSF has focused on the 14 Local Drugs Task Force (LDTF)
areas (12 in Dublin, Bray and Cork) and 4 urban areas (Galway, Limerick,
Waterford Cities and Carlow Town).
In line with the commitment in the Programme for Government, in March 2008 it was announced that the Fund was being expanded to 4 additional towns - Athlone, Dundalk, Wexford and Arklow.
Who can apply?
Applications for funding under the YPFSF are made through the relevant Development
Group who determines the suitability of proposals against priorities identified
for the area. Detailed targets and objectives should be agreed between the
project promoter and the funding agency (channel of funding). Generally,
the Development Group comprises of one representative from the relevant Drugs
Task Force, who usually acts as Chair of the Group, and one representative
each from the relevant Local Authority and the relevant VEC. The Development
Group's primary role is to develop the YPFSF plan for their area, taking
account of local strategies and they have a continuing role in the co-ordination
and implementation of the plans.
Criteria for Allocation of Funding
At national level, a National Assessment Committee (NAC) -chaired by the Office
of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs - was established by the Cabinet
Committee on Social Inclusion to prepare guidelines on the procedures to
be followed in establishing the YPFSF and on the criteria that would apply
in relation to approving applications for funding at the level of local plans
and projects. The committee is made up of representatives from: Government
Departments, Statutory Agencies, the National Drugs Strategy Team (NDST)
and the voluntary and community sectors.
The role of the NAC during the initial development of the YPFSF included assessing plans submitted by Development Groups (DGs) and making recommendations on funding decisions, through the Inter-Departmental Group, to the Cabinet Committee on Social Inclusion. The role of the NAC was to ensure that local plans and projects approved for funding actually addressed gaps in provision at local level. The ongoing role of the NAC includes monitoring the implementation of local plans, including approving any major changes in plans, liaising with the National Drugs Strategy Team (NDST) to ensure co-ordination and integration between projects funded under the YPFSF and projects funded by the Drugs Task Forces (DTFs) and putting in place monitoring and evaluation systems, including the setting of targets and performance indicators.
Type of Projects Funded
To date approx €150m has been allocated under the YPFSF to support in the region
of 500 facility and services projects. The initiatives being supported include
(i) the building, renovating or fitting out of community centres, youth facilities
and sports clubs so as to provide suitable accommodation for programmes and
services geared for the most "at risk" young people in an area,
(ii) funding a number of purpose-built youth centres which will provide a
focal point for youth activities in an area and (iii) youth, outreach and
sports development workers have been appointed to work on the ground with
the target group offering developmental activities, sporting and educational
programmes for young people who have traditionally found themselves outside
the scope of mainstream youth work.
During the first round of the YPFSF (1998-2003), funding was allocated to almost 300 facilities and services projects that were approved for implementation in the 18 locations covered by the programme (ie. the 14 LDTF areas and the four urban areas of Carlow, Galway, Limerick and Waterford). In 2004/2005 104 youth work projects were mainstreamed to the Youth Affairs Unit. Additional funding was allocated under Round II of the Fund in March 2004 and in subsequent years. This part of the Fund is administered by the YPFSF Team in the OMCYA.
Funding
Projects are funded by the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs
through other funding agencies - channels of funding. Since it was established
in 1998, the Government has allocated over €150m under the Fund of which
over €66m has been provided for capital developments, which include the building,
upgrading, fit-out and refurbishment of approx. 220 youth and community facilities
in the different target areas.
In 2008, current funding of the order of €16m was provided to support the employment of over 408 youth and outreach workers, centre managers, sports development officers and administration staff.
Contact us:
Orla Mc Govern
Young People's Facilities and Services Fund
Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs
Department of Health and Children
Hawkins House
Dublin 2
Tel: 01 674 3249
Email: orla_mcgovern@health.gov.ie
