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Funding Programmes and Initiatives

Youth Grants part-funded by the National Lottery

Click here to view payments made in 2009

Young People's Facilities and Services Fund

The Government established the Young People's Facilities and Services Fund (YPFSF) in 1998. The YPFSF aims, through the provision of services and facilities funded by the programme, to divert at risk young people in disadvantaged areas from the dangers of substance misuse.

The YPFSF is being implemented in 18 locations, 14 of which are areas in which a Local Drugs Task Force (LDTF) has been established. The other four are the urban areas of Carlow, Galway, Limerick and Waterford. The majority of the funding is allocated to the 14 areas in which a LDTF has been established. The YPFSF is funded under the National Development Plan 2000-2006.

The National Assessment Committee of the YPFSF evaluated Round 1 YPFSF projects and as a result decided to mainstream a number of them. Responsibility for 80 mainstreamed projects transferred to the Youth Affairs Section on April 1st 2004, with a further 24 projects being transferred to it in 2006.

The YPFSF Unit of the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs has responsibility for ALL other aspects of the YPFSF (policy, funding of non mainstreamed projects, enquiries on new projects etc.).

For further information contact:

Orla McGovern
Youth Affairs Section
Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs
Department of Health and Children
Hawkins House
Dublin 2
Tel: 01 674 3249
Fax: 01 674 3224
Email: orla_mcgovern@health.gov.ie

National Youth Arts Programme

The National Youth Arts Programme is a partnership between the Youth Affairs Section of the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, the Arts Council and the National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI). The programme is delivered by the NYCI.

The programme is dedicated to the development and advancement of youth arts in Ireland. It aims specifically to realise the potential of young people through good quality arts practice in the Youth Service and to develop appropriate policies and activities at local, regional and national level.

Five key work areas are prioritised by the NYAP for its strategy for developing youth arts in Ireland:

Advocacy (Policy and Practice)
Networking
Models of Practice and Related issues
Information and Resource
Support and Development.

For further information contact:

The Youth Arts Officer
National Youth Council of Ireland
3 Montague Street
Dublin 2
Tel: 01 478 4122
Fax: 01 478 3974
Email: arts@nyci.ie
Web: www.youth.ie

Youth Arts Programme Homepage

National Youth Health Programme

The National Youth Health Programme is a partnership operated by the National Youth Council of Ireland with the Youth Affairs Section and the Health Promotion Unit of the HSE respectively.

The Programme aims to provide a broad-based, flexible health promotion/education support and training service to youth organisations and to all those working with young people in the non-formal education setting.

This work is achieved through the development of programmes and interventions specifically for and with youth organisations throughout the country and the training and support of workers and volunteers implementing these programmes.

For further information contact:

The Youth Health Officer
The National Youth Health Programme
National Youth Council of Ireland
3 Montague Street
Dublin 2
Tel: 01 478 4122
Fax: 01 478 3974
Email: nyhp@nyci.ie
Web: www.youth.ie

Youth Health Programme Homepage

Youth Information Centres

The Youth Affairs Section provides resources for the development of a network of Youth Information Centres.

Youth Information Centres provide young people with easy access to information on rights, opportunities, benefits, health, welfare and other matters. This service also helps those looking for advice and help concerning emigration and mobility within Europe.

This Scheme is administered by the Vocational Education Committees on behalf of the Youth Affairs Section of the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs.

Applications for funding under the scheme are made through the Vocational Education Committees and in some instances through the National Youth Work Organisations. Contact details for the VECs are at Appendix A

Due to budgetary constraints and in an effort to consolidate and preserve existing provision where possible, new applications for admittance to this funding scheme will not be accepted. The available resources will be directed at existing funded centres.

Further information is available from your local Vocational Education Committee or by contacting:

Tina Murphy
Youth Affairs Section
Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs
Department of Health and Children
Hawkins House
Dublin 2
Tel: 01 674 3259
Fax: 01 674 3224
Email: tina_murphy@health.gov.ie

Youth Information Homepage

Local Youth Club Grant Scheme

This Scheme which was introduced in 1999, aims to make provision for the support of youth work activities at a local level. These grants are made available to youth clubs and groups through the local Vocational Education Committee.

The Scheme was revised in 2008 to respond to the realities and practicalities experienced by local voluntary youth groups in the provision of activities to young people. It is intended that the Scheme, will be more inclusive, have greater reach and will both support and promote volunteerism as well as club activity at local level.

Types of Grants:

In recognition of the diverse range of voluntary youth clubs/groups in existence, the 2010 LYCGS provides grant-in-aid under two separate categories as follows:

a) Youth Work Club Grant and

b) Youth Activity Club Grant

The maximum grant to any one club, whichever category being applied under, is €3,000.

This Scheme is administered by the Vocational Education Committees on behalf of the Youth Affairs Section of the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs.

LYCGS 2010 Information
LYCGS 2010 Information - Irish

LYCGS Application Form
LYCGS Application Form - Irish

All applications for funding under the scheme must be made through the Vocational Education Committees. Contact details for the VECs are at Appendix A

The closing date for receipt of applications is 29th October 2010. Late applications will not be accepted in any circumstances.

Further information is available from your local Vocational Education Committee or by contacting:

Mary McGrane
Youth Affairs Section
Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs
Department of Health and Children
Hawkins House
Dublin 2
Tel: 01 674 3257
Fax: 01 674 3224
Email: mary_mcgrane@health.gov.ie

Special Projects to assist Disadvantaged Youth

A scheme of grants is made available in respect of special out-of-school projects for disadvantaged young people. Priority is given to projects in the spheres of special youth work initiatives, young homeless people, young substance abusers and young travellers. Grants are allocated to organisations and groups for specific projects which seek to address the needs of young people who are disadvantaged, due to a combination of all or some of the following factors:

high youth population
youth unemployment
dependence on social welfare/unemployment assistance
social isolation
drug/substance abuse
homelessness (including temporary homelessness)
problems of juvenile crime, vandalism and truancy
failure or non-existence of mainline youth services
inadequate take-up of ordinary educational opportunities.

The grant-aided youth work initiatives aim to facilitate the personal and social development of participants to realise their potential and in particular to equip them with the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary for their appropriate integration in society. In addition, they present opportunities for young people to undertake actions corresponding to their own aspirations and to assume responsibilities within their local communities.

This Scheme is operated by the Vocational Education Committees on behalf of the Youth Affairs Section of the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs.

All applications for funding under the scheme must be made through the Vocational Education Committees. Contact details for the VECs are at Appendix A

Further information is available from your local Vocational Education Committee or by contacting:

Eithne O'Neill
Youth Affairs Section
Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs
Department of Health and Children
Hawkins House
Dublin 2
Tel: 01 674 3256
Fax: 01 674 3224
Email: eithne_o'neill@health.gov.ie

Youth Service Grant Scheme

Funding for the support of voluntary youth work is made available on an annual basis to national and major regional voluntary youth organisations through the Youth Service Grant Scheme. The continued funding of voluntary youth organisations through the Scheme is intended to ensure the emergence, promotion, growth and development of youth organisations with distinctive philosophies and programmes aimed at the social education of young people. The work of these organisations is based on the following philosophy:

it is educational in design and objective
it is concerned with the personal, social, recreational, cultural and spiritual development of young people
it rests upon the concept and practice of voluntary adult involvement with and for young people
it promotes the concept and practice of youth participation in the programme and life of the organisation itself, local communities and society in general
it promotes co-operation among youth and youth work organisations
it seeks to respond to the real needs of youth.

This Scheme is administered directly by the Youth Affairs Section of the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs.

For further information contact