Pages 6 June - City of Dublin Youth Services Board

Special Feature:
Youth Work
in the new
Ireland
Aged Out & Edged Out
Children Seeking Asylum
A Positive Climate
for Youth Work
Jim Lawlor Profile
25 years effecting change
Mary Davis on active citizenship
Young People’s Platform
YOUTH WORK NOW. NEWS. FEATURES. DEBATE. OPINION.
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NEW MAGAZINE
City of Dublin
Youth Service Board’s
plus
Ballyfermot Youth Service
Finglas Traveller Youth Project
Garda Vetting/ Bradóg Youth Service
Common Ground: arts and young people
Jimmy Hendrick & Bulfin Youth Club/ Reviews and events
Ballymun Regional Youth Resource/ and much more...
Summer 2007

editorial
welcome
Published by City of Dublin Youth Service Board
© City of Dublin Youth Service Board
70 Morehampton Road
Donnybrook
Dublin 4
Tel: +353 1 432 1100
Fax: +353 1 432 1199
info@cdysb.cdvec.ie
www.cdysb.ie
CDYSB is the Youth Work Development Agency of the
City of Dublin Vocational Education Committee
It’s time to tell the story of the inspiring
secret successes of youth work
writes Mary Mooney, Director of CDYSB
On behalf of CDYSB I would like to
proudly welcome you to the first
edition of our magazine ‘Y NOW’ an
important initiative for the Youth Work sector.
This exciting publication is aimed at youth work
staff, volunteers, members of projects and clubs,
and those in related services.
I believe the title of the magazine ‘Y NOW’
sends a powerful signal. In a positive sense it
places young people (‘Y’) at the centre and at
an important moment in time in their lives
(‘NOW’). But the title also suggests a question
– ‘Why Now?’ That’s because it has become
apparent to us and our frontline colleagues
that the mission carried out by paid staff and
volunteers, with the voluntary participation of
over 30,000 young people in the city, is not
fully recognised and appreciated in many levels
of our society.
Wonderful, creative and hugely successful
developments are happening all the time, but
often, only those directly involved know about
these vital projects and stories. The reports we
receive back to CDYSB and the material
presented to government departments contain
a wealth of information on youth work – but
this is not readily available to the sector in
general. These are the hidden, secret
successes of youth work in the city and indeed
all over the country.
Whenever we bring youth groups and
projects together there is a really warm and
supportive curiosity in what other services are
This issue is kindly supported by
The Transition Support Project
Designed and edited by Public Communications Centre
Editorial Committee: Mary Mooney, Gerry Seery and
Charlie O’Neill
Issue 1, Summer 2007
Submissions deadline for next issue: August 30.
The views expressed in the content of this publication do not
necessarily reflect the views of CDYSB or CDVEC. However, we
wish to encourage the use of Y NOW as a platform for healthy debate,
celebration and visionary thinking.
developing and providing. In ‘Y NOW’ we hope
to give a sense of what is happening in youth
work, particularly in the city but also nationally
and internationally. This magazine is not an
academic journal; it is designed to be
attractive, informative and easy to read.
However, for future issues, we also offer it as a
platform for heart-felt opinion, robust debate,
advocacy and a stimulating interrogation of all
our work practices.
We intend to publish a number of issues each
year. Each issue will have a major theme – this
one is about the challenges and opportunities
that interculturalism brings to our work. There
will be news and analysis of the sector. Regular
features like ‘Secret Successes’ where we
profile the great work that’s happening. We’re
offering a space for young people to have their
say in ‘Young People’s Platform’. And we’ll
have on-going profiles of leadership in ‘Upfront
and Personal’ – included in this issue is a
profile of Jim Lawlor and his 25 years of
inspiring service to young people in Rialto.
So, please, let us know what you think. If
you’ve something that stimulates and excites
the sector, if you’ve a worked-through view of
the challenges ahead; if you want to question
policy and leadership; if you know of a model
project or programme that’s been neglected,
or; if you have a powerful human story from
the sector to tell, here’s your opportunity to
tell others ●

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Welcome to Our Services
CDYSB provides support services to
communities so they can develop youth work
programmes, projects and services in response
to local community needs and the changing
needs of young people in Dublin city.
These services include:
• a grant scheme for clubs and groups
• training in codes of good practice, child
protection and working in creative ways
with young people.
• supporting youth work staff by offering
individual and group supervision.
• advising and providing information to
management committees on human
resource issues and managing finance.
• assisting management committees in
planning , reviewing and evaluation.
• providing a varied arts and programme
development.
• offering a part-time teachers scheme -
CDYSB maintains a panel of qualified
teachers to aid programme development -
subjects include art, cookery, computers,
drama, dance, music, literacy,
photography, and swimming
About Us
The City of Dublin Youth Service Board
(CDYSB) was established in 1942 by the City
of Dublin Vocational Education Committee
(CDVEC) to support development of youth
work in Dublin city. Since that time it has
grown to become an organisation with 150
full and part time staff who work to
support youth projects and youth clubs in
Dublin city.
The Board of CDYSB has the
responsibility to make recommendations to
the CDVEC on policies, strategic priorities
and grant allocations. Currently we
administer €18million on behalf of
Government Departments to 70 youth
projects and over 200 youth clubs in the
city. Over 30,000 young people between the
ages of 10 and 21 years of age are involved
with CDYSB-funded projects and clubs.
The Board membership is composed of
six nominees of CDVEC who are usually
city councillors, a staff nominee from
CDYSB and up to six members nominated
from a range of voluntary youth
organisations representing the broad
City of Dublin Youth Service Board
70 Morehampton Road, Donnybrook, Dublin 4 Tel: +353 1 432 1100, Fax: +353 1 432 1199
info@cdysb.cdvec.ie, www.cdysb.ie
CDYSB is the Youth Work Development Agency of the City of Dublin Vocational Education Committee
spectrum of groups that are supported and
work alongside CDYSB in youth service
provision
Services are provided to communities to
develop and support youth work and
educational programmes in response to
the changing needs of young people in our
city.
CDYSB also manages five projects
throughout the city in partnership with
local advisory committees.
CDYSB works in partnership with a
range of public service bodies and
voluntary youth organisations including
Dublin City Council, Area Partnership
Companies, Local Drugs Task Forces, and
communities in the development of youth
projects and services at local level.
On policy matters, CDYSB works closely
with the National Youth Work Advisory
Committee, the National Drugs Strategy
Team, the Young Peoples Facilities and
Services Fund (National Advisory
Committee) and the City Development
Board.

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16
also in this issue
Be Our Guest
‘Young people are not citizens in waiting’
writes Mary Davis of Special Olympics Ireland,
our guest columnist for this issue.
Aged Out & Edged Out
Itayi Virri on the plight of ‘aged-out’ minors as they move into
the Direct Provision System.
Leadership in Service
Maurice Devlin argues that we’re in a positive climate for Youth Work.
Riches in
Diversity.
Diversity of
Problems.
An 8-page special feature exploring the main theme of this unique
issue on youth work in the new Ireland.
Secret Successes
A regular feature on the hidden gems of youth work
from around the city.
EDITORIAL MARY MOONEY page 1
BALLYFERMOT YOUTH SERVICE page 8
INTERNATIONAL YOUTH WORK & IRELAND page 10
FINGLAS TRAVELLER YOUTH PROJECT page 12
EQUALITY IN YOUTH WORK/ BRADÓG YOUTH
SERVICE page 13/ BIG BROTHER, BIG SISTER (TSP)
page 14/ PROFILE OF JIM LAWLOR page 15
JIMMY HENDRICK & BULFIN YOUTH CLUB page 16
COMMON GROUND: ARTS AND YOUNG PEOPLE page 16
BALLYMUN REGIONAL YOUTH RESOURCE page 17
YOUTH CAFE IN DRIMNAGH/ SPHERE 17 page 18
YOUNG PEOPLE’S PLATFORM/ THE YOUTH WORK ACT page 19
THE CAVAN CENTRE/ GARDA VETTING page 20/ REVIEWS page 21
The views expressed in the content of this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of CDYSB or CDVEC.
However, we wish to encourage the use of Y NOW as a platform for healthy debate, celebration and visionary thinking.
3

4
‘Young people are not citizens in
waiting’ writes Mary Davis of
Special Olympics Ireland.
‘They are already participating
citizens primed to make even more
of a difference if encouraged and
supported’.
be our guest
a platform for key influential people to speak to the sector✍
children
seeking
asylum
Active citizenship can be as simple
as taking the time to chat to your
neighbours, exercising your vote,
volunteering at a local club or
community group and sharing a
sense of responsibility for others as well as
ourselves. It is about being aware of what is
happening around us and how people can play
an active and responsible role in their
community.
Ireland has changed vastly in a short period of
time. We have experienced rapid economic
growth where foreign direct investment has
replaced unemployment as the buzzword. We
have transformed from a relatively homogenous
society to an ethnically and culturally diverse
country. There is no denying the fact that
modern life is challenging.
I saw first-hand the outpouring and good will
of people of this island when we hosted the
Special Olympics World Summer games in 2003.
30,000 volunteers and 170 communities across
Ireland were involved in that magnificent event.
The Taskforce on Active Citizenship has just
recently presented its report outlining a set of
recommendations to government on ways in
which it can encourage greater participation,
locally and nationally. It also advises the
Government on measures that contribute to the
development of strong, civic minded,
independent citizens.
Young people are not citizens in waiting; they
are citizens, they are participating, they are
making a difference through their own
participation in their area and will continue to do
so if they are encouraged and supported to think
beyond individual needs to collective good.
As part of our consultation process we held a
series of public seminars during the autumn and
met representatives from different sectors,
including higher education, to hear views and
ideas of individuals and groups on active
citizenship in Ireland today. Throughout our
consultations, the Taskforce put great emphasis
on hearing the views of young people at all
levels in order to ensure that we promote a
sense of civic engagement and responsibility
early in life.
It is also our strong belief that young people
are more than happy to take up any opportunity
to get involved, if we put the right systems in
place to allow them to do it.
This effort to make a difference is the essence
of what it means to be an active citizen in a
modern democracy. It’s about developing a spirit
of self-help and mutual help that, together with
the state, can really make a difference.
For more information go to
www.specialolympics.ie

The Transition Supports Project
coordinates, integrates and delivers
services to Separated Children
Seeking Asylum (SCSA) and ‘aged
out’ minors (AOMs) between the ages
of 17 to 21 years. The TSP is led by CDVEC through
the Curriculum Development Unit, its aim is to
support these young people in their transition
from the care of the Health Service Executive into
the Reception and Integration Agency ‘direct
provision system’. The idea is to enable them to
participate in education, both formal and
informal, with a view to preparing them for adult
life in Ireland or in their country of origin.
With separated children seeking asylum
coming from at least 60 countries, the bottom
line for all of them is that Ireland should be a
place where they feel safe from the kinds of
strife they faced at home. Generally, all
separated children apply for asylum because
they have a well-founded fear of persecution in
their birth countries.
The following are real stories. Their names
have been changed to protect their identities.
John’s story: John came to Ireland 5 years ago
to apply for asylum when he was aged 16. His
country of origin has only just emerged from a
horrific civil war, and all the available indicators
of development (life expectancy, access to safe
drinking water, poverty levels) are shockingly
low. The political situation is uncertain. Despite
this, his application for permission to remain in
Ireland has been turned down.
Since the beginning of 2005, John has been
reporting on a monthly basis to the Garda
National Immigration Bureau (GNIB). Effectively,
this means that the possibility of deportation is
hanging over his head every time he visits their
offices – he might be taken to prison to await a
flight back to his country of birth.
The stress and anxiety of not knowing his
future are having an enormous impact on John.
He has become withdrawn and anxious, and
aged
out &
edged
out
What happens
when children
seeking asylum
become too ‘old’ to
stay in the HSE
care system?
Itayi Virri shares four very
real and moving stories
often suffers from physical ailments. He
contemplates going ‘underground’, which would
mean leaving the system and fending for himself
as an undocumented migrant, but the dangers of
this are enormous.
Joseph’s story: Joseph comes from a country
that has emerged from a devastating civil war,
which lasted over 25 years. He received a
deportation notice asking him to report to GNIB
in August 2006. On arrival he was taken into
custody and sent to Cloverhill prison. He was not
charged with any offence and found it
impossible to believe he could be imprisoned: “I
did nothing wrong, how can this be allowed to
happen in Ireland?” A private solicitor was
organised, Joseph was released, and was
granted leave to apply for a judicial review of his
case. The trauma and scars of this experience
will only add to those he suffered in his country
of origin.
Portia’s story: Portia, an aged-out minor who
had lived in Ireland for over two years, was
deported to Lagos in early 2006 – a few days
before her 20th Birthday. On arrival, she was
taken into custody, and released on payment of
a “fine” (with money given to her by some Irish
friends for possible emergencies.) She had no
knowledge of any remaining family in Nigeria.
Irish officials gave her no contact number in case
of emergencies, and no one has attempted to
contact her since. The Nigerian government
provided no support. She had no shelter, no
money, and very few belongings. Portia
descended into deep depression and came
under serious pressure to enter into prostitution.
Through the concern of her Irish friends, and
with the assistance of an Irish missionary order,
a small amount of funding has reached her. This
has enabled her to rent a room and feed herself.
Her Irish friends worry how long they can
continue to provide emotional and financial
support.
David’s story: David was born in Nigeria and
came to Ireland in 2001 when he was 16 years of
age, as a separated child seeking asylum. He
had a large scar, almost healed, on his forehead,
and shook with anxiety. During the following
two-and a-half years, those who worked with
him watched him develop from a scared
teenager into a fine young man. He attended
literacy classes and would proudly proclaim: “I
love my school”.
Aged 18, David was moved into an adult direct
provision centre. He no longer had the support
of the HSE and the psychologist who had been
counselling him. In August 2004, David received
a letter asking him to report for deportation. In
fear, he disappeared. Nothing was heard about
him until just before Christmas 2004. A phone
call from England said that David had been
taken into hospital and had died of a brain
tumour aged 19. His many friends in Ireland were
devastated. They held a memorial service in one
of their hostels here.
A dedicated group of volunteers, the Dun
Laoghaire Refugee Support Group (DRP) set up
the P+L+U+S (Please Let Us Stay) campaign. It
has received immense support from cross party
TDs, church leaders, NGOs and individuals. It
seeks to get these young people granted 'leave
to remain' on humanitarian grounds. So far, a
small but encouraging number have been
granted refugee status or leave to remain ●
itayi.virri@parnell.cdvec.ie
5

6
leadership in
service
It is hard to believe that it is more than a
quarter of a century (26 years in fact) since I
first walked through the door of 70
Morehampton Road to start work as a Liaison
Officer with CDYSB (or Comhairle le Leas Óige
as it was then known). It is alarming to think
that somebody born that day is no longer a
young person under the terms of the Youth
Work Act! I was the first of a new group of
Liaison Officers to join CDYSB around that time
- which included the current Director, Mary
Mooney - and I stayed for the best part of ten
years before moving to NUI Maynooth.
During my time with CDYSB I was seconded
for a year in 1983-84 to act as researcher for the
National Youth Policy Committee (the ‘Costello
Committee’). That Committee conducted a far
reaching review of the situation of young
people and of youth service provision (including
but not limited to youth work) and formulated
proposals for a comprehensive national youth
service. Significantly, the framework
recommended by the Costello Committee is
closely similar to that eventually enshrined in
the Youth Work Act 2001, only now being
implemented.
If such a slow pace of policy development has
been dispiriting and frustrating for many of us,
there is much now to be optimistic about. The
coming together of the Youth Work Act and the
National Youth Work Development Plan has
created an unprecedented platform to
consolidate and enhance the contribution of
youth work to the development of young
people, and indeed the contribution of young
people to the development of their
communities and society at large. The principle
that youth work is above all else an educational
process, and therefore that those who do it -
whether paid or volunteer - are essentially nonformal
educators, has been formally recognised
in both the Act (which locates youth work
clearly within the broader education system)
Dr. Maurice Devlin of N.U.I. Maynooth argues
that, though there are difficulties and challenges,
the current climate for youth work offers an
unprecedentedly positive opportunity.
and the Development Plan.
An increasing emphasis on professionalism,
quality standards and best practice is being
facilitated and ensured by a number of factors,
including the appointment of the Assessor of
Youth Work, the establishment of the National
Youth Work Development Unit and the evolving
work of the North South Education and Training
Standards (NSETS) committee - set up as one of
the Development Plan’s key actions - which is
concerned with the professional endorsement
of youth work training programmes.
Youth organisations themselves have also
shown a commitment to exploring, sharing and
promoting best practice in youth work: I am
currently involved as a researcher (along with
my colleague Anna Gunning, another former
Liaison Officer at CDYSB) in an innovative
research project into youth work practice
sponsored by an inter-agency group comprising
of CDYSB, CYC, Foróige and Youth Work Ireland.
These organisations and others are also
partners in the new journal Youth Studies
Ireland which is intended to contribute to the
development of all aspects of policy and
practice relevant to young people.
Youth organisations and youth workers
continue to be confronted by many difficulties
and obstacles in their efforts to promote young
people’s interests. However, it is my view (and
my views in this regard have at many points in
the past been decidedly cynical) that the
current stage of development in Irish youth
work - thanks not least to years of persistence
and leadership on the part of those same
organisations and workers - is one of
unprecedented opportunity.
www.nuim.ie

iches in
diversity
a diversity
ofproblems
SPECIAL
FEATURE
An 8-page special feature exploring
the key theme of this issue: Youth
Work in a new and more diverse
Ireland. What are the opportunities
and the challenges that face younger
people from new communities and
from Ireland’s ethnic minorities?
7

8
SPECIAL
FEATURE
Go for it
Ballyfermot Youth Service’s open-minded
attitude to International Exchange
Gerry McCarthy, Manager of Ballyfermot
Youth Service advises anyone thinking of
organising an exchange to just go for it. “Don’t
be put off by the paperwork”, he says, “take
part in the training that is on offer and talk to
others who have completed exchanges”.
Our first contact with the Leargas Youth Programme
was when we attended a training event in Manchester.
The theme of the training was around using sport and
health as a means of engaging young people in the
youth programme. The training event was very much
task-based and enabled the participants to plan an
exchange.
We were totally open-minded, the programme was new to us and we
were willing to try anything. We looked at drama, arts, music, sport, peer
education and leadership programmes.
Where did the idea come from? Well, for the Brazil exchange, a
member of Ballyfermot Youth Service management committee – a
teacher – had spent five years in Iguape in Brazil working on a community
development project. While there she maintained her contact with the
community of Ballyfermot and efforts were made to support her work in
Brazil through practical help from the people of Ballyfermot. Since 2000
the young people of Ballyfermot through the Ballyfermot Youth Services
and St Dominic’s Ballyfermot have financially helped build an alternative

drugs counselling centre and a youth house and assist in providing
much-needed resources such as food and medical care for the people of
Igaupe.
For the Northern Ireland exchange, our contact was through a staff
member who had previously worked there and our contact in Argentina
was a result of our link with Irish missionaries working in that country.
Our first action was to attend a training programme around the
Youth programme, it was very practical as it showed you how to fill in an
application form, make contact with another partner and the basic
ground rules for any exchange.
The most difficult aspect was the fear of the unknown. Would we be
able to deliver? Could we get over the language barriers? Prepare the
budgets? Could we deliver a full programme? Would our young people
enjoy the experience? Once we got over our initial nervousness and once
we completed our first exchange, we learned fairly quickly that no
problem was insurmountable.
The youth programme is additional work and when you are
embarking on your first exchange you tend to spend more time
preparing and planning than is necessary. However, I believe the Youth
Programme is a tremendous tool that youth organisations should make
use of for young people. The workload can be built into your annual plan
and then it becomes manageable.
The Youth Programme has been a tremendous boost to our
organisation, it has enabled us to encourage young people to participate
in a broader range of programmes and it has acted as a recruitment tool
for us. We now have a waiting list of young people who want to take part
in programmes. As an organisation we gained a tremendous amount of
new learning. It opened our eyes to how other youth workers and
organisations work with young people and it gave our staff new
confidence in their own practice. We have also seen the positives for
Léargas is Ireland's National Agency for the management of National,
European and International co-operation programmes. These involve:
• Education and Lifelong Learning
• Vocational Education and Training
• Youth and Community Work
• Guidance in Education
Léargas enables and supports people, organisations and systems to
harness the benefits of transnational partnership. Through European,
bilateral and international programmes, Léargas enables the
development of intercultural awareness, facilitates change management,
and helps develop new responses to the need for innovation in
education and the workplace.
The Youth Work Service (YWS) is responsible for the delivery of
programmes and services to the non-formal education sector. The Youth
in Action Programme of the European Community offers funding for a
variety of opportunities for young people aged between 15 and 30 years
who are resident in 30 countries (the 15 Member States and other
countries within the programme). For information contact
youth@leargas.ie
Leargas also offers national and international training activities
focused on building skills and quality in developing youth exchanges,
seminars related to emerging issues and policy, and partner-finding
events for projects starting. In addition to youth exchanges we also fund
and support youth group initiative projects, youth democracy projects,
young volunteer exchanges, the development of strategic approaches to
International youth work for organisations and development of dialogue
for European youth policy.
• We run an Ireland UK programme called Causeway focused on
helping young people break through barriers of historical and
cultural misunderstandings. www.causewayyouth.org
• A North /South youth exchange training programme for youth
workers and teaching professionals www.ncompass.org
• A European youth information portal www.eurodesk.ie
You’ll find out more at www.leargas.ie/youth 9
young people from disadvantaged areas; it has opened their eyes to new
communities and has taken some of them out of the mindset that the
world is only where they live.
When we look back on the experiences so many of our young people
have had, it’s amazing. We‘ve now been involved in over 11 projects
which ranged from arts to peer education, drugs awareness,
environmental issues and media production, sport and health.
• 40 young people on a multilateral arts-based visit to Poland.
• 50 young people hosted in Ireland from Poland, Luxembourg,
Holland, Ireland (Sport & Health)
• 24 young people on Drugs Awareness programme to Amsterdam
• 6 Young People on Exchange to Ankara Turkey (Leadership)
• 24 Young people to Athens Schools Network Olympics
• 40 young people on Trips to Brussels (Education)
• 3 staff on Training weekend Copenhagen (Peer Education)
• 40 young people from Lithuania, Austria, Italy, Ireland on
Multilateral visit hosted in Ireland (Peer Education Drugs Awareness)
• 40 young people to Luxembourg on a Multilateral Exchange (Media)
• 40 young people on a Multilateral Visit to Lithuania. Countries
involved included Italy, Poland and Ireland (Health & Dance)
• 50 young people visited Brazil, July 2006 (Environmental). Countries
involved were Argentina and Northern Ireland
Our plan now is to look at the EVS programme and to see if we can
incorporate this into our work. The Youth Programme provides
opportunities for youth organisations to develop the range of
programmes they can offer young people. If you have fears about
organising a project like this my advice is, ask for advice. It’s always
available ■
gerry@ballyfermotys.ie

10
SPECIAL
FEATURE
International
Youth Work and
Ireland: Are we
lagging behind?
Sarah Doyle

We all know the scenario: you spend time in
another country and come back raving
about its fantastic infrastructure, how the
people are so environmentally conscious,
how things are generally just more efficient
than little old Ireland. This might be true in
some cases, but it appears that when it
comes to something as important as youth services, Ireland is very
much the leader of the pack.
Take one organisation for example. Foróige, established in 1952,
has been working with young Irish people for over 50 years. One of the
48 members of the National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI), Foróige
itself has more than 420 clubs spread across the country, creating a
vast network of centres all working towards one key aim: helping young
people through development and education.
Sean Campbell, CEO of Foróige, says Ireland cannot be faulted on
its commitment to youth work. "I think we're way ahead in a lot of
places. I've travelled a lot with youth work and I think that with
anything I've seen, we're much better, especially at ground level. Our
level of connectivity with communities, particularly at that age group,
is second to none."
But is this widespread youth work owed to simply throwing money
at the problem in the wake of economic prosperity? Thankfully, it
appears not. Sean says that apart from state
funding (Foróige and other groups like it
receives the majority of its funding through a
grant from the Department of Education and
Science), a lot of our success is down to the
Irish sense of volunteering. "Even when I
started going on youth work trips back in the
late eighties when Ireland wasn't very well off,
we were still ahead of other countries. There's a belief in volunteering
in Ireland that is not echoed anywhere. We have great promotion of
volunteer groups here, and I haven't seen anything like it elsewhere."
Sean says that youth work in Ireland takes on a much more friendly
tone than in other European countries, with heavy emphasis on the
importance of teamwork and acting as a community. "Our clubs have a
defined structure, so if you look at a club out in Tallaght, it has the
same structure as one in Connemara or Donegal. They're an education
base, a youth club with members from different backgrounds, but they
have a defined structure which is common to them all. They have their
own committee made up of members which are elected so they run a
democratic system and they also get involved in developmental
activities. With all Foróige clubs, you walk into one and you see right
across that they all reach out and get involved in the community."
It seems that from a grassroots level, democracy and youth
involvement is key to the success of Irish youth work, something Sean
says is not a feature of youth work in other European countries. "In
other places it seems that their youth work services are very much
state-run. They just expect kids to show up. I was at one youth centre
in England a while back and it was a beautiful big building, a great
resource, but it only had seven kids in it."
That's a stark contrast to a usual Foróige club meeting, which sees
up to 30 young members coming together for two hours once a week for
OUR LEVEL OF
CONNECTIVITY WITH
COMMUNITIES IS
SECOND TO NONE
discussions and activities with their voluntary leaders, who number one
for every 10 young members.
While this image of low turn out in England is disappointing for
those actively trying to reach out to young people in need of help, it is
even more so for the adolescents themselves looking for support. Sean
says that in Ireland youth work is much more hands-on, the importance
of which cannot be underestimated. "That centre [in England] really
showed me how important youth work programmes on the ground are.
In addition to our clubs throughout the country, Foróige also has about
130 special projects running across Ireland, involving people at
community level and working with professional staff." One such project
even saw some lucky youth club members travelling on an exchange to
Zambia for three weeks.
Communities in Ireland are vastly different to those of 50 years ago,
when bodies like Foróige and the NYCI were taking their first steps. This
brings both advantages and new challenges to youth work. As a
country, Ireland is better off, more confident, and, in terms of men and
women, more equal. However, as we mature into a multi-cultural
society, youth work now has to adapt and address issues of different
races, religions and cultures, something not too common on Irish soil
even as recently as 15 years ago. Education is key to understanding
other cultures and races, and according to Sean, this is an area we
simply must promote. "If we get it right, we can do huge good. If we
don't, we could end up seeing images like in
Paris last year."
The images Sean refers to are of cultural
imbalance and social unrest in France, where
hundreds of impoverished suburbs or
"banlieues" are home to families of non-French
origin. Often these families have lived in France
for generations, yet there remains a sense of
distrust between 'French' French and new generation French, many of
whom live within an unending circle of unemployment, crime, and
racism.
Tension reached a frenzied climax last year in the wake of a
proposed First Employment Contract affecting young workers under 25.
Hundreds of thousands of citizens from varying backgrounds took to
the streets in protest against the law, from young school students
demanding job security after school, to adults carrying placards calling
for "a better life" for their children. However, beyond the marches,
burning cars and clashes with police were an all too common sight in
the city's suburbs where those most affected live.
It is in this sense that Ireland's attitude to our new citizens needs
to be positive to promote a sense of proper inclusion. Sean agrees that
this is one of the most important issues in Irish youth work today, and
that as a nation, we are heading in the right direction towards an
accepting multicultural society. "I think with the structures we have in
place, we're in an excellent position in Ireland to really promote cultural
integration at a youth level," he states.
With the Central Statistics Office last year noting over 182,000
people under the age of 24 living here were not born in Ireland, it seems
we have the perfect makings of a new spectrum of Irish youth, and
hopefully one which will continue to lead by example on an
international scale ■
11

12
SPECIAL
FEATURE
Finglas Traveller Youth Project
Avila Boys
John Paul Collins - with the help
of his pals - writes about joining the Finglas
Traveller Youth Project and their hopes that
it will ‘go on forever’.
Before the Finglas Traveller Youth Project began we were bored
standing around the corners on the site slagging each other and
having a laugh. We just played football on the site and were
always having fights and then making up afterwards. We done
an awful lot of blaguarding on the site that we got in trouble for
and we were always carrying on. Then Domhnall Costigan came into the site
and told Ciaran Collins to tell the boys in Avila Park to join the Finglas
Traveller Youth Project and we were all really excited about it. When we
came in first we were very shy and stuck to ourselves till we got to know our
leaders. Our leaders are Domhnall and Loretta Hollaren and to this very day
we still have them and we are very thankful for where we are today. We do
a lot of work in our group, we have big chats and we met other groups and
leaders and we thought they were very nice. When one person is speaking
the whole group listens until it is their turn to speak. We get to go to places
we haven’t been before and play football and do other sports and big trips
and we get brought to see the graves of our relatives when we want to. We
try and keep our community clean and tidy and when we finish our group
every night we help clean up. We have another new worker now, he is a
comedian as well; we think he’s a gas man and stays with our group as well.
Our group was one of the first groups but now all the young fellas in Avila
have groups as well and the older men go to the Drop-ins and the football
group. Loretta runs lots of groups as well for the girls. We all really enjoy our
group and hope it goes on forever and that it’s there for our own children ■
Written by John Paul Collins
Assisted by Ciaran Collins, Jamie Collins, Davy Collins, Davy McDonnell,
Richard McCann, John McCann, John McDonagh, Paddy McDonagh, Thomas
Collins, Micheal James Keenan, Ciaran Collins

Equality in
Youth Work
A new dialogue is opening up on the role
of equality in working with young people.
Nuala Smith explains.
Seen & Heard
45 young people from Bosnia, Macedonia,
Germany, Italy, Belgium, Finland, Norway
and Ireland learned important media skills
that helped them examine the big issues
that affect their communities. Shane
Crosson, Regional Youth Service Manager
of Bradóg, tells us how they did it.
In May 2007 Bradóg Regional Youth Service in partnership with YPAR-
YEPP hosted a major international workshop in North Inner City,
Dublin, to give young people from eight European countries the tools
to create media about themselves and their community and to help
them find an audience to share those stories and issues with.
Equality is a nice idea, but sometimes it has little meaning in the
real world. In the context of youth work however it is a strong
underlying principle as we seek to engage young people who
have been marginalised or who face unequal conditions when
accessing basic rights which others in society take for granted.
Government legislation has prohibited discrimination on nine grounds
under the Equal Status Act including gender, marital status, family status,
sexual orientation, religious grounds, age, disability, race or being a member
of the Traveller community. But this legislation does not extend to those
under eighteen years of age. Nor does it take into account inequalities or
discrimination due to social issues, for example: poverty or a lack of
essential services in your locality.
Identifying and defining inequalities or forms of discrimination can
therefore pose problems. Even taking gender as an example of an obvious
ground for discrimination can be problematic as many of the inequalities
between the two genders are also bound up in our culture. Part of tackling
inequality will therefore rely on youth workers being able to explore what
inequality vs. equality means in their own work and working together to
develop a common understanding of the issues involved.
To this aim, the City of Dublin Youth Service Board, Lourdes Youth and
Community Centre and Pavee Point will begin a dialogue on the role equality
plays in working with young people. We hope that youth workers,
organisations with an interest in young people and those with experience in
promoting equality for young people will join in this dialogue so that a wide
debate on the topic can begin. Ideally if other projects or organisations are
interested we will establish a youth workers’ forum by late September 2007
to facilitate youth workers in sharing their experiences and also in
identifying what further supports might be needed.
As there is also a need to bridge the gap between theory/policy and
experience on the ground, we will be seeking to establish an advisory group
who can help push the agenda of equality for young people further and
who’s experience and knowledge can be drawn upon for the benefit of the
youth workers’ forum.
If you would like more information please contact Nuala at CDYSB on
4321100 ■ 13
By the end of the workshop over 45 young people from Bosnia,
Macedonia, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Finland, Norway and Ireland learned
important media skills to examine and document the issues that came up.
Traumatic and topical issues like immigration, war, unemployment, racism
and social exclusion.
The Seen & Heard workshop, based in Lower Dominic Street Youth and
Community Centre empowered young people to take ownership of
contemporary media production methods. In doing so, they began to
understand and frame their own stories from their points of view rather
than simply reacting to how other media platforms presented their story.
It also helped the participants develop an awareness of common issues
and concerns among marginalised young people across the European
Union. This was delivered through a variety of methods, group discussions,
media training, and film making projects, on-line exercises, and an
introduction to documentary youth partnerships, public performance and
screenings.
The project signifies a new phase of development for Bradóg’s arts and
media work. It is the first major international workshop Bradóg has
undertaken since it was established eighteen months ago and involves
Bradóg’s new digital media Youth Worker ■

14
SPECIAL
FEATURE
Big
Brother
Big
Sister
A positive and supportive friendship with a caring
adult can make a huge difference to a separated
child seeking asylum writes Itayi Virri
The Transition Supports Project (TSP) is an EQUAL
Community Initiative funded by the European Social Fund
and Department of Education and Science that co-ordinates,
integrates and delivers services to Separated Children
Seeking Asylum (SCSA) and ‘aged out’ minors (17-21 year
olds) to enable them to participate in education and prepare
them for their adult life in Ireland or their country of origin.
As one of its several initiatives, the TSP has teamed up with Foroige,
the national youth development organisation to run the internationally
renowned Big Brother Big Sister (BBBS) mentoring programme. Mentoring
in the context of the TSP is about matching an adult volunteer to a
separated child seeking asylum (SCSA) aged between 15-17 years and aged
out minors (AOMs) between the ages of 18-21 years.
The core assumption of the programme is that a caring and supportive
friendship will develop and reinforce the positive development of the young
person. This match between the volunteer and young person is the most
important ingredient of the intervention. If it is successful, the adult
volunteer will become a role model, a mentor, but perhaps most of all a
friend to the young person.
The main focus of the match is the development of friendship between
the volunteer and young person. This involves the volunteer meeting the
young person approximately once per week for 2-3 hours. But the match is
also ‘goal orientated’ with goals identified through the inquiry/ intake
process of the young person. Goals identified might be related to learning a
new skill or hobby, education, relationship with peers which will generally
lead to the young person integrating well into their local community.
Activities may include sport and games, cooking, participating in group
THE TRANSITION SUPPORTS PROJECT AND
BIG BROTHER BIG SISTER IRELAND
VOLUNTARY MENTORING PROGRAMME
The TSP invites male
volunteers* from diverse
cultural and ethnic
backgrounds (over 21 years) to become mentors
in its Voluntary Mentoring programme.
Who are we?
The Transition Supports Project (TSP) is an EQUAL
Community Initiative that works with Separated Children
Seeking Asylum (SCSA) and young asylum seekers (17 to 21
year olds). The TSP is led by CDVEC through the Curriculum
Development Unit.
What is the Volunteer Mentoring Programme?
The volunteer mentoring programme provides a structure
where a young person (17-21 years) who arrived and sought
asylum in Ireland as an unaccompanied minor, can receive
regular support and guidance from a designated adult.
activities, eating out, going to movies, going fishing, going to soccer or GAA
matches, or undertaking everyday activities which under normal
circumstances these young people would be unable to engage in. Critically,
the involvement of the young person in the decision making process, such
as what activities to do or where to go, help to build and sustain the match.
The BBBS programme distinguishes itself from other mentoring
programmes by its rigorous approach to initial assessment and on-going
supervision and support for young people and adults involved in matches.
This involves a formal inquiry process, during which the prospective
volunteer takes part in a mandatory orientation programme and an intake
process which includes written application, personal and professional
references and a home visit.
The process then culminates in the match, which is made after careful
consideration of both parties’ suitability to each other. The programme is
supervised and monitored by qualified caseworkers who provide all the
necessary supports that enable the match to develop as it should. The BBBS
programme uses a case management approach by which a professional
worker screens applicants, makes and supervises matches, between the
young person and volunteer and concludes the matches when eligibility
requirements are no longer met or either party decides that they can no
longer participate fully in the relationship.
The rationale that has guided the BBBS programme for nearly a century
has been that the consistent presence of a non-familial caring adult can
make a significant difference in the social and emotional development of a
young person, particularly one growing up in an adverse situation such as
separated children seeking asylum in Ireland ■
DO YOU THINK YOU COULD BE A POSITIVE INFLUENCE IN A YOUNG PERSON’S LIFE?
Will I receive training and support?
All prospective volunteers will undergo a detailed and
thorough screening process and when accepted and
successfully matched with a young person, will receive ongoing
support and supervision from the Transition
Supports Project.
What is the expected commitment?
A volunteer mentor is required to participate in an
orientation session run before committing to at least one
evening per week for a minimum of one year.
Please contact the Transition Supports Project for a
full application package at:
CDVEC Adult Learning Centre
1 Parnell Square
Dublin 1
Tel: 01-8147913(6)
E-mail: infotsp@parnell.cdvec.ie
* The TSP currently has a full quota of female
volunteer mentors.

upfront&personal
champion & challenger
NIALL Ó BAOILL
profiles Jim Lawlor
after 25 years of
working with young
people and battling
for change.
Jim Lawlor was born in Enniscorthy, Co
Wexford in 1952, schooled by the Christian
Brothers and reared among women. After a
dutiful childhood, pensive adolescence and
over exposure to the GAA, he came
perilously close to the priesthood. Other instincts
held out and Siobhan, his partner and wife of over
30 years, retains vivid memories that chart the
changes in the intense and often evangelical young
Jim, to the more searching and independent figure
that most of us have now come to recognise.
Steeped in a voluntary youth work ethos from his
teenage years in Wexford, he went North to
Jordanstown Polytechnic to do a Diploma in Youth
Work – an odd thing for a southerner in the
sectarian mid 1970's. Tragically, he was to have a
direct experience of an armed attack on a youth
centre in West Belfast in which a colleague died.
The effects of this incident were to have a private
and profound impact on Jim.
The following years, spent primarily with the
Ferns Diocesan Youth Service and Limerick Youth
Service, created an almost visceral need in Jim to
engage with communities and to front up to the
wholesale neglect of young people living in
disadvantaged communities. This 'in your face'
apprenticeship was to be extended further into the
flat complexes of Fatima Mansions and Dolphin
House in the Rialto area of Dublin in the early
1980's. It was here that the personal character,
values and skills of Jim Lawlor, as a youth worker
and ultimately as a revered community leader,
were to be repeatedly provoked and tested over
the course of 25 years.
Jim knows that the human toll, visited upon areas
of poverty during the 1980's and 1990's, was
extreme and still remains to be properly
acknowledged. Statistics, clichés and myths exist
but no adequate social history or analysis has been
done. There’s been no act of admission or
contrition on the part of the State for its failure to
protect children and young people. And there’s
been little, if any, recognition of the leadership,
resilience and innovation demonstrated by ordinary
people, working together, to fight back.
Jim staked his heart and professional life in one
area for over a quarter of a century and in doing so,
became the ultimate witness of the chaos and
powerlessness that threatened to engulf entire
communities. His practise, however, was resolutely
centred on a single minded willpower and
commitment to being present to young people's
experience. To unflinchingly act as their advocate
and to make space of all kinds – physical,
emotional and spiritual – in which to support and
celebrate the raw energy and skill of young people
to transcend adversity and grow.
Jim's deeply moral outlook on life and youth
work has inspired generations of young people,
many of who are now community and youth
workers. It has also liberated the capacity and
imagination of severely oppressed communities. It
has pushed out the boundaries of youth work and
its duty to society.
It is a salutary lesson to realise that, for almost
the full term of their professional lives, Jim and
other colleagues have worked towards the type of
policy breakthrough contained in the Youth Work
Act. However, while clearly optimistic at this
watershed, it’s clear that his fundamental concerns
remain the same.
One of these is the need for youth work to
continually refresh and re-invent itself. He has
never hid his heavy heart at the failure of leading
national youth organisations to create a viable
agenda for change. As he sees it, the major issues
affecting young people need to be properly
championed and continually represented in the
public domain in a strong, critical and intellectual
manner. The absence of such a mechanism, he
insists, has caused unnecessary levels of ignorance
and in some cases hostility, to the cultural reality of
some young people’s lives.
Another Lawlor preoccupation is the singular
importance he places on promoting character,
compassion and courage as the primary tenets of
good youth work practise. This is also a thinly
disguised challenge to those universities that
profess to prepare people for the youth work
profession and a nod to the wise to those entering
the field, that clock-watching and holding to
formulaic work practices, are anathema to the soul
of good youth work.
Another of Jim’s concerns is the necessity of the
youth work sector to be a positive and unremitting
counterpoint to the conservative nature of State
systems and institutions. Again, he argues that this
is a reasonable and healthy perspective given the
failures of the past and the serious challenges the
country now faces in developing a more equitable
and intercultural society.
Lawlor rarely rests, although now in the back
straight approaching retirement, he is a little
conflicted. One part of his being craves space and
reflection, while another is constantly tempted to
draw on his prodigious energy and inclination to
act in the now.
And so it remains with Jim, a form of perpetual
motion strangely capable of stillness/insight and
action/change in equal measure. Everything about
him beams intelligence, endearing honesty and
heartfelt interest. How does he do it? ●
Photo: Charlie O’Neill
15

16
secret successes
OUR REGULAR FEATURE ON THE HIDDEN GEMS OF YOUTH WORK FROM AROUND THE CITY
Jimmy's
fixing it in
Inchicore
Nearly 40 years on from its humble
beginnings, an Inchicore based youth
club is still going strong and still has
some familiar faces
Set up in 1968, the Bulfin Youth Club in
Inchicore has been going for almost 40
years. Jimmy Hendrick, at the ripe age of
72 years, has been volunteering at the club
almost since its beginning. "One of the
interesting things about it is I've had children
coming here to the club whose parents came to
the club," he says. Last year he was recognised
for his amazing voluntary community work with
an award from the Lord Mayor of Dublin.
Almost 40 years on from when it was founded,
the club is as popular as ever with a membership
of over 60 young people. On Tuesday nights, the
club has a drop-in night for 7-11-year-olds. On
Wednesdays it's the turn of 12-17-year-olds. Drama
classes are held on Thursday from 7 to 9pm.
The variety of drama activities the club does
depends on what time of year it is, according to
drama teacher Jacinta Sheeran. "We spent 10
weeks this year preparing for the St. Patrick's
Day parade," she says. The club was part of the
multicultural community based "City Fusion"
collective which won the best pageant award.
The youth club members are currently rehearsing
for this year's "MAYTRIX", organised by CDYSB.
"We're devising something to have on the day,
something without talking, just movement,"
says Jackie.
Photography is a very popular activity at the
club. In February, the club launched a book
featuring pictures taken by members of their
local area. "We went to Dublin Bus, we went to
the fire station, all different places," says Jimmy.
The centre is run on a voluntary basis from
September to June. The highlight of the year is in
June, when the club goes for a weekend away to
an adventure centre in Cavan.
Aidan Lannigan, aged 21, was a member of the
youth club and now serves as a volunteer there. "I
did a 10 week course and learned the basic skills
needed to be a youth leader," he says.
Jimmy Hendrick believes that training for the
club volunteers is vital. "Any training
programmes that we get - for instance at the
moment there's photography training being
funded by Dublin City Council - anything
like that we send people on to do them,
particularly the junior leaders because
I'm going to retire some day," he says,
laughing ● MF
Jimmy Hendrick, club chairman, and Aidan
Lannigan, volunteer
Common
Ground
breaking
new ground
Maura Fay visits a
unique arts organisation
that believes arts should
be central to young
people’s lives.
Common Ground believes anybody has the
right to engage in arts projects in their
local community. We are endeavouring to
give everyone that opportunity," says Siobhan
Geoghegan, Common Ground's Artistic Coordinator.
Founded in 1999, the arts development
organisation works within the areas of Rialto,
Bluebell and Inchicore. "We develop art
programmes in collaboration with youth groups
and community groups, whether they be children,
young people or adults," Siobhan says. "The
whole idea is that they get to work with
professional artists on a common theme, an issue
they might be interested in or just because they
have expressed interest in the arts. Our aim is to
create long term arts development work with key
partners across the Canal Communities area."
The organisation is run by three key staff and
is funded from a variety of sources including the
Arts Council, CDYSB, Dublin City Council, the
Dormant Accounts fund, the Canal Communities
Drama teacher Jacinta Sheeran with the
youth club members

Local Drugs Taskforce, and the St. Stephens
Green Trust.
One of the organisation's recent projects
involved Rialto Youth Project and mural artist
Fiona Whelan. "They've just come back from a
trip to Philadelphia to be a part of the Mural
Arts Program there. Young people from Dolphin
House participated in creating a mural as part of
the mural program over Easter," says Siobhan.
The Music for Me programme is another
successful initiative by Common Ground.
Twenty-six children from Dolphin House
homework club, aged between 6 and 12 years
old, began working with four professional
musicians in Easter 2005. The group showcased
their talents at a special recital at the Dublin
City Council's Rotunda Hall in April this year.
Chairperson of the Arts Council, Olive Braden
introduced the performance saying:"It is clear
that the Music for Me programme has had a very
positive effect on the children's artistic and
creative development. It is wonderful to see
accomplished Irish musicians and composers
nurturing the development of young musicians."
This programme is now also being piloted in
Fatima Homework Club and in the Family
Resource Centre of St. Michael's Estate After-
Schools Project. Common Ground also runs
projects involving drama, dance and photography.
Common Ground's goals are long term, says
Siobhan. "It's not just about viewing art as an
activity, it's about creating opportunities for
people to really develop meaningful
relationships with artists".
Check out www.commonground.ie for more
information ● MF
Chloe & the Ice Cream Van. A collage from the Stick Stories
photography project – a collaboration between photographer
Darragh Shanahan, the After Schools project of the FRC, St
Michael's Estate, Inchicore and Common Ground
The Dolphin D'Art group from Dolphin House flats complex launch their mural 'Dare to Dream' - a visual arts collaboration
between artist Fiona Whelan, Rialto Youth Project and Common Ground (photograph: Darragh Shanahan)
Ballymun
fast rise
Built from scratch in 1999 up to a team
of 38 this year, the Ballymun Regional
Youth Resource has achieved a lot in a
short space of time but it's not done yet,
as Sarah Doyle finds out.
Aimed at young people aged between 10
and 21, the Ballymun Regional Youth
Resource (BRYR) was established to
help Ballymun's youth population make the
tough transition to adulthood.
Judging by their figures they're doing just that
and Donnacadh Hurley, programme manager at
BRYR, is proud of the initiative's progress. "A lot
of the work here is learning by doing, and I find
that quite interesting - that helps keep me
going," he says.
Almost all of the 50-plus group of volunteers
and two thirds of the 38 paid staff are
locals, meaning that BRYR has a focused and
willing team.
Donnacadh says it's important to have fulltime
professionals to cope with the demands
of BRYR's youth clubs, something which is
ensured by their staff development programme.
"Young people connect with us on a voluntary
basis, so unless the adult they are in touch with
is competent and gives a sense of sincere
commitment, we won't get many young people
turning up," he explains. "You need to have a
happy team to put the energy in to work like
this."
Last year, over 1,100 young people took part in
BRYR's diverse range of social activities and
training. According to Donnacadh, the job can
be quite hard going, with a lot of work taking
place on the streets of Ballymun in a face to
face approach.
The Reco, also known as the Ballymun Central
Youth Facility, is the epicentre of the action. It
offers a safe environment for its 450-plus
members to enjoy a wide range of activities,
from cookery classes to theatre training with the
well known Roundabout Youth Theatre. Over
150 people also meet regularly for the CITY
→
17

18
computer club.
About 50 activities a week take place during
the 'Summer Buzz' programme, including horse
riding, canoeing, fishing and film nights, while a
café and gym also offer excellent low cost
facilities.
BRYR is also actively working to combat the
difficulties facing many of Ballymun's younger
residents. Unemployment, homelessness and
drug problems can begin in troubled younger
years but thankfully many young people are
overcoming such obstacles with the help of the
BRYR Outreach Programme.
"The big challenge is gaining the trust and
confidence of the young people and the bigger
task is ensuring valuable follow through," says
Donnacadh. "The team is out about four nights
a week, and after seven years almost every
teenager in the area knows at least one of our
staff. Last year the team made over 480
significant referrals to community and statutory
services."
Given the well established relationship
between the staff and Ballymun's teenagers, it
seems BRYR is in the perfect position to
continue making positive changes to its
members' lives ●
bryrdh@eircom.net
www.ballymunyouth.ie/youth
Youth cafe
striding ahead
At the St. John Bosco Youth Centre in
Drimnagh, Maura Fay found a cafe with
a difference.
Since its official opening last December,
the Drimnagh Youth Café 4 Everyone has
gone from strength to strength. The café
recently extended its opening hours and is now
doing business on Mondays and Thursdays
from 5.30pm to 10.30pm.
Based in the St. John Bosco Youth Centre, it
caters for young people aged between 14 and
19 and is run by members of the youth
committee.
"We have been very successful so far," says
Stephen Sharpe, the youth worker at the café.
"The key to that has been allowing the young
people to have control over what happens here."
Elections were held last September for the
youth committee with 48 young people putting
themselves forward as candidates. "Twelve
young people from different age groups were
elected," explains Stephen, who also says he is
very proud of the achievements of all those
involved.
A film made by participants in the project
about the process of getting the café up and
running made it to the final of this year's Fresh
Film Festival award for young filmmakers.
The café is decorated by murals with a
cartoon theme painted by the young people
themselves. The members of the youth
committee currently staffing the café are
Rebecca Nolan (16), the committee's treasurer,
Youth worker Stephen Sharpe with some of
the café gang.
and Graham O'Dwyer (14), the committee's
secretary. "We take it in turns to work the till
and to make the milkshakes," says Rebecca. "I
really like it," says Graham. "I come round here
all the time. We all get on."
The most popular drinks at the café are the
tasty milkshakes, which are on sale for the very
fair price of €1. Amenities include a pool table,
juke box and computers for internet surfing.
Access to social networking site Bebo is
allowed on condition that users adhere to the
safety guidelines drawn up by the youth
committee. "We monitor Bebo use just to make
sure everything is ok. It can be lots of fun once
it is used safely," says Stephen.
The café now has nearly ninety registered
members with approximately 40 young people
dropping by every evening to enjoy the fun and
cosy atmosphere ●
brian@thebosco.net
Bright start
for new youth
centre in
Darndale
The local communities in Dublin 17 will have
plenty to look forward to when Sphere 17's
innovative new youth facility opens this
summer.
Exciting things are happening in Dublin
17’s youth service, Sphere 17, where a
new Youth Centre is due for completion
by the middle of July.
(L-R) Jennie Place, Brian Conneely, Mick Ferron.
Outside of new youth centre in Darndale
"We are very excited about the building,"
says Mick Ferron, Sphere 17's Regional Youth
Service Manager. "There's a great positive vibe
out in the community about it."
The ground floor of the centre will feature a
café, with lots of comfortable seating and five
computers for internet access. "It's conducive
to a positive, safe, fun atmosphere for young
people" says Jennie Place, the centre's resident
artist and café co-ordinator.
There will also be a consultation room for
private one-to-ones and a large multi-purpose
room. "We've already had a number of young
parents in," says centre co-ordinator Brian
Conneely. "What they would like is parent and
baby yoga classes so that will be going on in
this room." He also hopes to use the room for
screening films that young people from the area
have made.
The building will also include facilities for
young people who do not have secure
accommodation. "When the building was being
designed, we found through consultation that
there is a bit of an issue with hidden
homelessness in the area," says Brian. "You
might get young people who are sleeping with
their parents two nights a week. They have an
argument and then they would move between
friends, aunties and uncles for the rest of the
week. They may not go into that place until late
at night and then have to be out of the house
before nine in the morning, so they can come in
here, have a bit of a wash and do their laundry."
The centre will be staffed by 18 people and
gradually extend its opening hours to seven
days a week from 10.00am to 10.00pm.
Upstairs will be pool table, space for DJ mixing
desks, a large TV screen and an art room. Jennie
hopes to use the space "not just for traditional
disciplines, but for lots of different things, like
getting textile artists and pottery artists to come
in, trying to be very innovative in our approach in
ways of accessing a diverse range of young
people and looking at ways they can use art as a
developmental tool, for confidence building and
boosting self-esteem."
Mick describes the local community as
"enormously supportive" of the project. "I
wouldn't know where to start - there are so
many people to thank"
Sphere 17 is the Regional Youth Service
for Darndale, Priorswood, Belcamp,
Moatview, Fairfield and Bonnybrook areas of
Dublin 17 ● MF
generalmail@sphere17.eu
secret successes

THIS REGULAR COLUMN INVITES YOUNG PEOPLE TO VOICE THEIR FEELINGS AND HAVE THEIR SAY
young people’s platform
Dublin 12 Youth Forum
The Dublin 12 Youth Forum has been
winning awards and changing their area.
Tanya McEntaggart explains how.
The youth forum is our committee of young
people aged between fourteen and twentytwo
years, all from the Kimmage, Walkinstown,
Crumlin and Drimnagh areas. We address the
problems, worries and issues concerning all
young people in our community. Such issues
include safe sex, misuse of drugs and alcohol
consumption.
Because of our vital work, we have received
many awards which demonstrate how
dedicated we are to changing the Dublin 12
area for the betterment of young people in our
neighbourhood. Such awards include the Young
Citizen Award and awards for Youth Against
Racism.
We’ve also had a very successful toy
collection in aid of Our Lady’s Hospital and we
have participated in many other fundraisers.
We have also volunteered in our community,
including the May Day Multi-Cultural Sports
Festival.
The youth forum also has developed
international links with like-minded
organisations abroad. An exciting exchange
took place in July 2005 when we travelled to
visit a community youth group in Seville, Spain,
to experience first hand what the young
people’s lives there are like and how they
contribute to their area. In the summer of 2006
the Spanish young people came here to do the
same. This was a remarkable experience for
everyone involved and it really helped our
youth forum to become more effective and
broaden our horizon.
The youth forum committee offers a crucial
support system for its members and provides a
wide range of information. We are always on
the look-out for new members so why not check
us out?
You can mail us on
d12youthforum@yahoo.com or visit our bebo
page d12youthforum.bebo.com
Teenage Times
Kelly Harrington and Noel Reilly, young
spokespersons for the YPAR youth
participation sub group, tell us about an
exciting new forum called Teenage Times.
Our ‘young people at risk’ group (YPAR)
recently launched an important youth
forum called ‘the teenage times’. The reason
behind setting up ‘the teenage times’ youth
forum is that our group feels strongly that
young people have positive things to say about
our experiences, we have good ideas – we are
able to form opinions and we should be heard!
We feel that if all the groups come together in
the forum, it will make sure that the views
written in the teenage times represent a large
amount of young people from the area.
So, here’s how the forum will work.
The Youth Participation Group – as in us (our
group) – will pick a topic each month. It could
be ‘young people and sports’ or ‘young people
and money/drugs/drink – anything like that –
and each club that has joined up to the forum
has to allow one hour per month to discuss
that month’s topic.
The young people in the club have to take
minutes of the discussion and send it back to
us in the Youth Participation Group. We will
then edit all of what the groups send in and
this will then go into the quarterly newspaper
called the ‘Teenage Times’. ICON (Inner City
Organisations Network) will then send it out to
all the projects in the ICON network to read.
Altogether there will be four magazines a year.
As time goes on and we get used to doing the
paper we hope that the views, ideas and
opinions of the young people in this area will be
expressed.
Get in on
the Act!
What Act? The Youth Work Act
It is our intention to feature different aspects
of the Youth Work Act in this and further
issues of Y Now, writes Mary Mooney,
Director CDYSB. The implementation of the
Act and the introduction of various elements
of the Youth Work Development Plan has
been initiated by the Minister for Education
& Science. The purpose of the Act is to
provide a legal framework for the provision
of youth work programmes and services by
the Minister for Education, the Vocational
Education Committees (VEC’S) and by the
national and regional youth organisations.
The Act sets out a definition of youth work
“as a planned programme of education
designed for the personal and social
development of young persons through their
voluntary participation, and which is
complimentary to their formal, academic or
vocational education and training and
provided primarily by voluntary youth work
organisations”.
Focus on the role of Vocational Education
Committees
The role of the 33 VEC’s are central to
the implementation of the Act. They will ensure
that there is adequate provision of youth work
programmes and services in coordination with
voluntary organisations in their area.
The VEC’S are co coordinating the
implementation of the Act through the Irish
Vocational Education Association (IVEA) and the
National Youth Work Advisory Committee
(NYWAC). Where a VEC did not have a youth
service they have been allocated a Youth Officer
for their VEC to implement the responsibilities
of the VEC, as laid out in the Youth Work Act.
These posts are almost filled and the Youth
Officers have started their induction training
and have established a number of working
groups to address common areas of work.
All VEC’S are required under the Act to
prepare a Development Plan for youth work in
their VEC area. The first stage in the creation of
development plan for youth work will be an
audit of current youth work provision.
The VEC’s are also required to establish a
Voluntary Youth Council to advise on the
preparation of the plan. The composition of the
VYC will reflect the range of youth service
providers operating in its area. The details are
outlined in the Act and take into account
providers at all levels. It also attempts to be fair
with regard to gender balance, representation
of minority groups and young people. The VYC
will also elect from within itself, half the
membership of the youth work committee.
Each VEC will establish a Youth Work
Committee. Where one is in existence, as is the
case in CDYSB, the make up of the Youth
→
19

20
Work Committee will reflect the membership as
laid out in the Youth Work Act.
The VEC’S will also register all eligible local
voluntary youth groups and support them
directly, or through their parent organisations to
reach a standard to allow for their designation.
This will mean that they will be officially
regarded as youth work providers by the
Department of Education and will be able to
access funding through the VEC.
To set things in motion there will be
information sessions on the Youth Work Act in
the autumn for all youth groups and those
providing youth services.
Should you want to contact the Youth Officer
in your VEC area their contact details will be
posted on the CDYSB web site. For CDYSB you
can continue to contact your Liaison Officer at
www.cdysb.ie
We are beginning a process which is very
progressive and in future issues of Y NOW we
will focus on various elements of the Youth
Work Act and the National Youth Work
Development plan ●
www.education.ie
(Department of Education and Science)
www.youth.ie (NYCI)
The Cavan
Centre 30th
Anniversary
In June 2007, the Cavan Centre will have
been successfully operating for 30 years as
a community development residential
centre for children and adults from marginalised
and disadvantaged areas within Dublin. Since
1977, over 65,000 people – young and old –
have visited the Cavan Centre to participate in
the various residential programs. The
programme endeavours to provide
opportunities in a warm, caring and homely
environment to enable adolescents to develop
their full potential, i.e. their physical, social,
spiritual, educational and emotional
development in an atmosphere which
encourages the taking of responsibility for
their own development and welfare.
Our main Education and Care Programme is a
five day residential, which enables the young
person to remain in contact with their family or
their community on a weekly basis. It’s
delivered by way of modules. Young people are
encouraged to come on the programme initially
for a short stay to give them an opportunity to
experience the atmosphere at the Centre. When
the client commits to the programme, an initial
assessment is made of their needs. This is with
a view to developing an individual programme
that will provide opportunities to develop their
self-esteem, confidence, employability, selfworth
and general all round character to enable
them to make a positive transition from
adolescence to adulthood.
At present we are currently taking bookings
for our summer programme which includes
adventure holidays breaks and respite breaks.
Also bookings are been taking for training
course’s for the Autumn period.
If you have any queries don’t hesitate
to contact Teresa McCarren at
cavancentre@eircom.net ●
The Cavan Centre
Garda vetting
Brian Melaugh explains
Garda Vetting and its
positive implications for
youth work and the
protection of young
people.
Garda vetting for all new youth workers
and staff was introduced on the 1st
September 2006. Eventually, all those
who work in the youth sector will be subject to
Garda vetting. The purpose of this short article
is to outline: why Garda vetting was considered
necessary, what is involved in the process and
to outline some of the recommendations from
the Garda Vetting Consultation Group
established in September 2006 by CDYSB, who
act as the authorised signatory for project and
non-aligned Youth Clubs in Dublin city.
Garda vetting is part of the youth sector’s
commitment to best practice and is a clear
example of the sector’s efforts to protect young
people. The purpose of Garda vetting is to find
out if there is any information with reference to
convictions registered against a person applying
for employment or applying to becomea
volunteer with CDYSB-funded projects and clubs.
Garda vetting itself involves the completion of
a standard application form which is forwarded
to the Authorised Signatory of the CDYSB, who
in turn forwards the form to the Garda Vetting
Unit in Thurles.
A consultation group comprised of members
of youth project voluntary management
committees and representatives of the CDYSB
was established in September 2006. The group
made the following recommendations
• Garda vetting should be incorporated into an
organisation’s recruitment and selection
procedure.
• Garda vetting should be guided by a
commitment to the fair and transparent
treatment of applicants and a commitment to
re-integration of people who have committed
offences into society through employment
opportunities.
• Certain convictions namely child
abuse/sexual offences by an adult committed
against a child or other adult/s will disbar an
applicant from employment.
• The confidentiality of applicants should be
respected and safeguarded.
• Each management committee should
nominate two members (nominated persons)
who will link with the CDYSB with reference to
matters connected to Garda vetting for their
staff and volunteers.
• The CDYSB will make supports and training
available to nominated persons.
Further information on Garda vetting is
available from the CDYSB.
In conclusion, the purpose of Garda vetting
is to protect young people. However, the
commitment to a human rights and restorative
justice framework is also central to the
process ●

eviews
Once we had a dream
A young theatre troupe from the renowned
Preda Foundation in the Philippines
performed their own play to a packed
audience of young and not-so-young in
Dublin’s City Hall. Here we provide some
background on the organisation.
PREDA is a charitable organisation founded
in 1974 in Olongapo City, Philippines. Its
main goal and purpose is to promote and
protect the dignity and the Human Rights of the
Filipino people. Its focus is to assist sexuallyexploited
and abused women and children and
provide for them an environment of acceptance
and understanding in society. They are dedicated
to changing the unjust structures in society that
oppress, exploit and deny justice and human
rights to children and women. They are a small
but pro-active, not-for-profit organisation with
partners throughout the world working towards
the realisation of a better world for women and
children.
One of the strands of the organisation focuses
on facilitating young people’s empowerment
through the medium of drama. This particular
dimension of the project provides training in
social values and leadership. One of its most
successful outcomes has been the formation of a
travelling theatre group ‘AKBAY’ who stage
musical dramas which have a strong social
justice and human rights content, taking on, for
example, issues like mining, sex tourism and
environmental destruction.
The AKBAY Advocacy Theatre Group was
developed to advance the Rights of Children and
Youth Empowerment. Its main thrust is to raise
consciousness internationally, regarding the
serious social issues pertaining to women and
young people of the Philippines. Their current
production ‘Once We Had a Dream’ is a dramatic
portrayal of events personally experienced by
these young performers. This musical drama tells
a moving story of love and tragedy.
The City of Dublin Youth Service Board was
delighted to support this performance by seven
members of the AKBAY troupe in City Hall on the
30th of April with the assistance of Dublin City
Council. The performance was attended by The
Lord Mayor Councillor Vincent Jackson, Mary
Mooney, Director City of Dublin Youth Service
Board, Jacinta Stewart, CEO City of Dublin
Vocational Education Committee, and most
importantly young people from SWAN, St.
Michaels Parish Youth Project, Kilbarrack Youth
Project, Rialto Youth Project, St. Andrews Youth
Project, Donnycarney Youth Project, Ballyfermot
Youth Project, and BRYR ●
For more visit www.preda.org
Youth Groups in
Northeast get together
A unique proposal for a club network was
well received at a seminar in the north east
of Dublin. Joe Kiernan and Celene Dunne
have the details.
In September 2006, the CDYSB hosted an
information evening for 27 voluntary youth
groups who are registered with CDYSB and are
located in the northeast of Dublin. During the
evening, youth clubs/groups were provided with
information about available supports, services
and grants. The event was well attended and
successful. Feedback on the night highlighted a
need for more support for clubs and volunteers
and a suggestion that further opportunities should
be provided for voluntary groups in the locality to
come together to share experiences and
information.
In response to the suggestions, a seminar was
held for all youth groups in the northeast on the
2nd May 2007 at St. Paul’s Youth Club, Artane.
Photo: Tommy Clancy
The title of the seminar was “Volunteering in the
North East: Towards 2010”. The seminar was
hosted by St. Paul’s YC, and was supported by
Catholic Youth Care, Foroige and the Irish Red
Cross.
The evening opened with an exhibition of the
work of clubs in the North East. Exhibitions
included video footage of club activities,
photographs, displays of art work and other
pieces of work the club members had been
involved in making and building. Club members
and volunteers visited the stands and exchanged
information, ideas and contact details.
After the exhibition, those present were invited
to break into small groups to discuss ideas for
networking into the future. The workshops also
examined ways in which the groups themselves
might be facilitated to come together to share
their experiences and ideas.
The objectives for any such network might be;
• To come together as a group for support and
information
• To be facilitated to share experiences,
programme ideas, resources
• To undertake relevant training on a regional
basis
• To encourage volunteerism in the future
The proposal for a club network was well
received and it was agreed that the feasibility for
establishing such a group in the region would be
further examined.
Following the exhibition and workshops, a
keynote speech was given by Fr. Shay Cullen. Fr.
Shay is a founder of the Preda Foundation and
has worked for over 30 years with communities in
the Philippines. Fr. Shay outlined the work of the
Preda organisation. He explained the nature of
child protection and personal development work
for children in the Philippines. He also outlined
campaigns in which Preda are involved that lobby
on issues such as environmental protection,
human rights, legislative change and community
development in the Philippines. Essentially his
message was about giving children a sense of
self worth and value, principles which he said
characterised the work of volunteers and those
involved in youth work in Ireland ●
Fr. Shay Cullen and Frank Mulville addressing the group
21

A call for quality contributions
Y NOW is an important initiative by CDYSB but equally it is a platform for
the sector. For it to be a generator of ideas and a wellspring for inspiration and
critical thinking, it will need a diversity of voices and opinions. If you have
passionately-held and coherent views on youth work or the challenges facing
young people and professionals; if you have a thought-through vision of where
our work practice should go; if you know of hidden success stories from the
sector; if you've a model of international best practice, or; if you think we
should profile a unique group, organisation, leader or young person, we'd be
delighted if you pitch your idea for inclusion in future issues. Thank you.
info@cdysb.cdvec.ie
CDYSB, 70 Morehampton Road, Donnybrook, Dublin 4 Tel: +353 1 432 1100 Fax: +353 1 432 1199