We are asking the new Dáil to support...
OUR INDEPENDENCE:
Philosophically and in law the voluntary sector is front and centre in the provision of youth services. There has, however, been a massive increase in the regulatory burden on those delivering frontline youth work with a constant stream of audits, inspections and visits, often overlapping or seeking the same or already available information. This has impacted on the amount of frontline work that can be done.
The voluntary sector has been significantly squeezed and there is now a proposal to review the only legal commitment to the primacy of the voluntary sector in service provision. Despite commitments to contrary, the amount of state administration and bureaucracy surrounding youth work continues to spiral. We see increasing staff and bodies in this area while the resources for frontline work decline.
We support the call for a Cabinet Committee on Youth to prioritise young people and services to them with youth as a prominent responsibility at cabinet level.
OUR WORKFORCE:
The Youth Work sector is struggling to recruit and retain staff and a major cause of this is the DCEDIY agreeing to a WRC ruling for many in the voluntary sector (S.10, 39 & 56) but not for youth workers. The DCEDIY has thus introduced differential funding for different staff creating enormous problems for frontline voluntary youth services.
Without equality for youth workers in pay and conditions outcomes and service level will suffer.
Cost: €9.1m
OUR FUNDING
Funding for the youth work sector has fallen way behind escalating costs and inflation. The levels are still behind pre financial crisis levels in real terms. The recent budget fell way short of what was needed to deal with this. Despite the extremely positive budgetary situation the allocation for frontline youth work (excluding administration, public servants and once off measures) fell well short of what was required. There has been no addressing of the issues of staffing, no significant capital budget (despite huge once off receipts) and a continued growth in spiraling administration and bureaucracy.
Cost: €13m
OUR SPACES:
Quality built facilities and spaces are critical for supporting the proper development of young people. The voluntary sector uses a range of premises but there is inevitably an unevenness around the country. This is a key responsibility of national and local government. While general spaces for communities have been provided the one size fits all approach has demonstrated serious shortcomings for young people.
A more dedicated approach is needed, and the Government has long term rainy day funding while the voluntary youth sector has the required expertise.
Cost: €10m (one year)
OUR HEALTH:
Youth mental health continues to be a crisis area with evaluations of CAMHS exposing significant shortcomings. There is currently no national health strategy for young people. Our substance misuse strategy still needs major support and action. Youth services are key community services in the field of well-being, youth mental health and resilience but often are not recognised in this way.
We need a pilot scheme of youth counselling delivered by Youth Services and the Department of An Taoiseach needs to bring together an inter-departmental group to lead in the development of a National Health Strategy for Young People.
Cost: €2.5m
OUR HOMES:
Housing affordability is out of the reach of many ordinary people, and this cascades down to many others in society particularly young people. Young people are impacted directly through youth homelessness, insecure accommodation, high rents, insecure tenure, a shortage of student accommodation, and being unable to get a foot in the housing market.
We need to prevent young people from becoming homeless in the first place. The Government must give tenants greater security so young people can plan for their future. Young LGBTQ+ people are at higher risk of homelessness across the world. The Government must guarantee that all young people leaving state care have a secure home.
We need implementation of the Youth Homelessness Strategy, clarity for licensees in shared rented properties particularly through the rent a room scheme and to improve statistics relating to children and young people affected by homelessness.
Cost: €10m
OUR FUTURE:
We need an engaged youth population to ensure a healthy democracy. Increasingly, as NYCI research has shown, young people are losing faith that the political system cares about their issues.
The youth sector sees the introduction of votes at 16 as a key measure to prioritize youth issues. This can be easily piloted for local and European elections by legislation in the Oireachtas
Youth Work Ireland Election 2024
