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  • What We Do
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• Funding Opportunities

Funding Programmes, Initiatives and Location of Projects

Youth Café Capital Funding Programme 2013

Funding of up to €1 million is available from the Department of Children and Youth Affairs for fit-out, refurbishment works or building enhancement projects for the startup of new Youth Cafés. One of the core functions of a youth café is that it offers support to young people, ranging from practical support to advice through their participation in activities that are of interest to them and that are varied and on offer at times that suit their normal activities. In awarding funding, the Department will endeavour to ensure that there is a geographical spread of youth cafés from the funding commensurate to existing provision in the area.

Applications are only eligible from community and voluntary organisations with a minimum of three years experience of working with young people and the delivery of youth services. Consortia applications are welcome and should consist of a least one youth service organisation with no less than three years experience in the delivery of youth services. Applicants should familiarise themselves with the document “Youth Cafés in Ireland: A Best Practice Guide” which was launched in April 2010 by the Office for the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. The document contextualises the youth café model in Ireland and is an important towards informing your application. Applicants should also read the toolkit devised on behalf of the DCYA in relation to setting up a youth café.

Pobal is assisting the Department of Children & Youth Affairs in managing the Youth Café Programme 2013.

The Application Guidelines aims to explain the purpose and process of the Youth Café Programme 2013 and to assist applicants in making a valid application under the programme. 

You can access online application process on the Pobal website

Youth Grants part-funded by the National Lottery

Click here to view Projects in your Area

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 Unit of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs.
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 projects.

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

Youth Affairs Unit
Department of Children and Youth Affairs
43-49 Mespil Road
Dublin 4
Tel: 01 647 3054/3207/3020/3174
Email: youthaffairs@dcya.gov.ie

Young People's Facilities and Services Fund

What is the Fund for?

The Young People's Facilities and Services Funding (YPFSF) was established in 1998 to assist in the development of preventative strategies/initiatives in a targeted manner through the development of youth facilities, (including sport and recreational facilities) and services in disadvantaged areas where a significant drug problem exists or has the potential to develop. The objective of the Fund is to attract "at risk" young people in disadvantaged areas into these facilities and activities and divert them away from the dangers of substance abuse. The target group for the Fund are 10-21 year olds who are marginalised through a combination of risk factors relating to family background, environmental circumstances, educational disadvantage, involvement in crime and/or drugs, etc.

Areas covered by the Fund

Up to recently, the YPFSF has focused on the 14 Local Drugs Task Force (LDTF) areas (12 in Dublin, one in Bray and one in Cork) and 4 urban areas (Galway, Limerick, Waterford Cities and Carlow Town).
In March 2008 the Fund was expanded to 4 additional towns – Athlone, Dundalk, Wexford and Arklow.

Type of Projects Funded

Funding allocated under the YPFSF has provided support to in the region of 500 facility and services projects. The initiatives being supported include (i) the building, renovating or fitting out of community centres, youth facilities and sports clubs so as to provide suitable accommodation for programmes and services geared for the most "at risk" young people in an area, (ii) funding a number of purpose-built youth centres which provide a focal point for youth activities in an area and (iii) youth, outreach and sports development workers have been appointed to work on the ground with the target group offering developmental activities, sporting and educational programmes for young people who have traditionally found themselves outside the scope of mainstream youth work.
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 projects.

Contact us:

Youth Affairs Unit
Department of Children and Youth Affairs
43-49 Mespil Road
Dublin 4
Tel: 01 647 3054/3207/3020/3174
Email: youthaffairs@dcya.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:

This Scheme is administered directly by the Youth Affairs Unit of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs.
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 funded organisations.

For further information contact:

Youth Affairs Unit
Department of Children and Youth Affairs
43-49 Mespil Road
Dublin 4
Tel: 01 647 3207/3020/3054/3174
Email: youthaffairs@dcya.gov.ie  

Youth Information Centres

The Youth Affairs Unit 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 Unit of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs.
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:

Youth Affairs Unit
Department of Children and Youth Affairs
43-49 Mespil Road
Dublin 4
Tel: 01 647 3020/3207/3054/3174
Email: youthaffairs@dcya.gov.ie

Click here to visit the Youth Information website

Local Youth Club Grant Scheme

This Scheme provides funding 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 Local Youth Club Grant Scheme provides grant-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 Unit of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs.

• LYCGS Information 2012
• LYCGS Information 2012 (Irish)

• LYCGS Application Form 2012 (Word Document)
• LYCGS Application Form 2012 (Irish)

Details of 2013 scheme will be posted on this website shortly.  All applications for funding under the scheme must be made through the Vocational Education Committees.

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

Youth Affairs Unit
Department of Children and Youth Affairs
43-49 Mespil Road
Dublin 4
Tel: 01 647 3054/3207/3020/3174
Email: youthaffairs@dcya.gov.ie

National Youth Arts Programme

The National Youth Arts Programme is a partnership between the Youth Affairs Unit of the Department of 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 Resources’
• Support and Development.

For further information contact:

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

National Youth Health Programme

The National Youth Health Programme is a partnership operated by the National Youth Council of Ireland with the Youth Affairs Unit 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 Senior Youth Health Project 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: kevin@nyci.ie
Web: www.youthhealth.ie