Our Partners

Youth Work Ireland and our partners, Irish and International, work to improve the live chances of young people. We partner with funding and strategic organisations in order to offer young people a comprehensive support package.

Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration & Youth

The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth is a department of the Government of Ireland. It is led by the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth who is assisted by one Minister of State.

Erasmus+

Erasmus+is the EU’s programme to support education, training, youth and sport in Europe. It has an estimated budget of €26.2 billion. The 2021-2027 programme places a strong focus on social inclusion, the green and digital transitions, and promoting young people’s participation in democratic life. It supports priorities and activities set out in the European Education Area, Digital Education Action Plan and the European Skills Agenda.

PEACE IV Programme

PEACE IV Programme is a unique initiative of the European Union which has been designed to support peace and reconciliation. The PEACE Programme was initially created in 1995 as a direct result of the EU’s desire to make a positive response to the paramilitary ceasefires of 1994. Whilst significant progress has been made since then, there remains a need to improve cross-community relations and where possible further integrate divided communities.

Belong To

Belong To is the national organisation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender young people. It engages young people through a Critical Social Education framework, while upholding all elements of the Youth Work Act 2001. 

Gaisce - The President's Award

Gaisce – The President’s Award aims to promote and encourage young people to take up the Gaisce challenge; to train and support President Award Leaders across a variety of Gaisce operating bodies; to ensure quality in the delivery of Gaisce; and to raise awareness of Gaisce and the benefits of participation in Gaisce. 

INVOLVE

INVOLVE is a youth, community and communications organisation that works primarily with members of the Traveller community. It’s history is embedded in education and training. It is the main provider of youth work services to young Travellers in Ireland. As part of this service it focuses on young people from marginalised backgrounds. Involve advocates for equality and inclusion for the Traveller community and supports them to access employment and training programmes. 

Léargas

Léargas manage international and national exchange programmes in education, youth and community work, and vocational education and training. These exchanges connect people in different communities and countries, and bring an international dimension to the work of organisations across Ireland. We are the National Agency for Erasmus+ in Adult Education, School Education, Vocational Education and Training, and Youth.

SpunOut.ie

SpunOut.ie is Ireland’s youth information website created by young people, for young people. It provides information to around 80,000 active readers each month and aims to educate and inform young people about the importance of holistic wellbeing and how good health can be maintained, both physically and mentally. They provide access to relevant, reliable, and non-judgemental information and provide readers with a dynamic, responsive website full of up-to-date, factual information, free of any shame or bias.

HIV Ireland

HIV Ireland operates under an ethos of equality and is committed to making a positive contribution towards a humane and just society. Their mission is to improve conditions for people living with HIV and AIDS, their families and their caregivers, while actively promoting HIV and sexual health awareness in the general population. 

Youth Work Ireland holds the Irish Seat on a number of International Networking Bodies that collectively seek to improve the live chances of young people in Europe.

Cross Nations Youth Work Partnership

The Cross Nations Youth Work Partnership is a British-Irish Strategic Partnership between Youth Work Ireland, Youth Action Northern Ireland, UK Youth, Youth Scotland and Youth Cymru with a commitment to social action and to making England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland the best possible places for young people to flourish. Together we strive to understand the impact of youth work. We believe in the values of inclusion, participation, equity and respect.

Within our collective networks we;

  • Facilitate a diverse network of youth organisations and cross sector partners, working with young people across The Partnership.
  • Deliver high quality youth work, workforce development, strong collaborations and partnerships; advocating for the needs of young people and youth work.

The national board of Youth Work Ireland have agreed a Concordat Between UK Youth, YANI, Youth Scotland, Youth Cymru and Youth Work Ireland which establishes the status of UK Youth, Youth Action Northern Ireland, Youth Scotland and Youth Cymru as equal partners, and formalises the long standing relationship between Youth Work Ireland and the other Youth Partners. The Concordat will provide a framework for delivery on priorities agreed by the British – Irish Strategic Partnership.

The Partnership have a Partnership MOU and Strategy  which sets out our ambitions to work strategically together across the partnership. Acknowledging the changing relationships and political landscape between the countries and jurisdictions of The Partnership.

European Confederation of Youth Clubs (ECYC)

ECYC represents a European network of youth work and youth club organisations that practice and promote open youth work and non-formal education. With 19 nationally represented organisations in 18 Council member State Countries, reaching 1.2 million young people, the organisation has at its heart the supporting of youth clubs and other forms of neighbourhood youth work. The vision of the European Confederation of Youth Clubs (ECYC) is to empower young people through open youth work and non-formal learning in order to promote democratic and civil society and to encourage young people to be actively involved in their communities.

European Youth Card

The European Youth Card Association (EYCA) is a non-profit organization representing 37 organizations in 35 countries across Europe, who are committed in promoting mobility and encouraging the active participation of more than 6 million young Europeans, holders of the European Youth Card. EYCA has a member-organisation in each country / region where it is represented which promotes the card and provides new benefits in areas such as: culture, mobility, tourism, services and products. 

European Youth Information and Counselling Agency (ERYICA)

The European Youth Information and Counselling Agency (ERYICA) is an independent European organisation, composed of national youth information co-ordination bodies and networks. ERYICA’s role is to foster co-operation in the field of youth information work and services; to develop, support and promote quality general youth information policy and practice at all levels; and to ensure that the information needs of young people and the principles of the European Youth Information Charter are respected.