Press Release
Youth Work Ireland
March 31
Leading Youth Organisation to Make the Most of Reopening on April 26th with Outdoor Work Focus
Youth Work Ireland will be contributing to the gradual reopening of the country promised by the Government yesterday with its annual “Youth Work Ireland Week” which kicks off on April 26th and will feature as its theme, Youth Work Outdoor. Youth Work Ireland Week, now in its 10th year, is a chance for the organisation to celebrate and promote the work local youth services do every week in communities around Ireland. Throughout the week services will take part in events and activities that promote, evidence and celebrate youth work and young people throughout Youth Work Ireland’s Member Youth Services
“Due to COVID-19 we have been spending too much time indoors, on screens, separated from each other and generally interacting online. Getting back outdoors and reconnecting with each other in a safe physical way is hugely important for young people’s sense of connectedness and mental / physical health. The hard work and passion of youth workers in supporting young people over the last year has been evident and acknowledged. With the reopening envisaged by the Government yesterday, we see a huge role for youth services who have maintained contact with young people during lockdown. The Governments emphasis on outdoor activity rhymes nicely with our focus this year in Youth Work Ireland Week on youth work outdoors.” said Michael Mc Loughlin Head of Advocacy with Youth Work Ireland
“Youth workers across our Member Youth Services have been innovative in their practices during the pandemic and have developed exciting new ways to bring traditional youth work activities and events into an outdoors setting. This has helped them to continue to interact, connect and support young people in a safe and socially distant way. This year we will be focusing on activities and event which can be run out of doors with youth groups adapting tradition youth work programmes and activities to an outdoor setting. We have developed a pack for youth workers to guide their practice – Get Out Into That Day – which is based on sound history and research on youth work in an outdoors setting” added Gina Halpin Head of Information and Inclusion with the organisation.
ENDS
Contact: Michael Mc Loughlin 087 6677499
