Leading youth work charities, working locally, regionally and nationally to improve the life chances of young people across Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland regional, voluntary, youth organisations

Communication ~ Co-ordination ~ Collaboration

ACTION DEAF YOUTH

BELFAST COMMUNITY CIRCUS

BOYS’ AND GIRLS’ CLUBS

BYTES

CARAFRIEND

DUKE OF EDINBURGH’S AWARD

FÓRMAN NA NÓG

HEADLINERS

INCLUDE YOUTH

NI YOUTH FORUM

PLAY RESOURCE WAREHOUSE PRINCES’ TRUST

RNIB

ROYAL MENCAP SOCIETY

START 360

ST JOHN’S AMBULANCE

THE MAC

WHEELWORKS

VOLUNTEER NOWYOUNG AT ART

YMCA IRELAND

YOUNG FARMERS’ CLUBS OF ULSTERYOUTH IN

ITIATIVES

YOUTHACTION NORTHERN IRELAND

YOUTH LINK NI

Join our Network

PLAYBOARD NI

SHARE HOLIDAY VILLAGE

Who we areNorthern Ireland has a well-developed voluntary youth sector, with a large number of volunteers, many of whom are young people.

Across Northern Ireland, the regional voluntary youth sector is wide and diverse. It ranges from the very strong and well-established charities, to small start-up organisations dealing with contemporary needs and issues. All work locally and regionally to contribute to the educational development of young people, aged 4 – 25 years, outside school.

Many of the regional youth organisations provide a support service to local youth and community groups, as well as direct delivery with young people. Others contribute to specific themes that impact on young people’s lives such as unemployment, LGBTQ, active citizenship, participation and inclusion.

Our network reaches 141,035 young people, across Northern Ireland each year.

There are three key functions of our network:

1. Provide support to a network of 6,826 volunteers and paid staff, and 5,834 local youth groups

2. Build a platform of innovation to ensure we have 21st century responses to the challenges young people face.

3. Be a voice for young people and youth workers.

(Reference Impact Study 2018)

1 Priorities for Youth Department of Education 20132 Chief Inspector’s Report 2014-2016

The voluntary youth sector has always been a key factor in Northern Ireland community life and has played a distinctive role as one of the few institutions which has operated effectively across the community divisions over the past fifty years.

The Department of Education’s policy for youth work, Priorities for Youth, recognizes that youth work has a vital role to play in supporting children and young people, by providing increased access to enjoyable, non-formal learning opportunities that helps develop social and cognitive skills and overcomes barriers to learning.

Priorities for Youth sets youth work firmly in the context of the Department’s overarching goals:

- Raising standards for all; &- Closing the performance gap, increasing access and equality 1.

There is a growing evidence base that demonstrates the contribution of youth work to positive outcomes for children and young people.

The Chief Inspector’s Report2 2016-2018 emphasizes the effectiveness of the voluntary youth sector.

“�The�most�effective�practice�was�predominantly�in�youth�organizations�within�the�voluntary�sector,�where�highly�effective�leadership�and�management�worked�successfully�through�strategic�partnerships�to�meet�the�needs�of�young�people.�Similarly,�there�was�a�very�clear�focus�on�learning�outcomes�for�the�young�people,�facilitated�through�highly�effective�formal�and�informal�group�work.”�

Young peopleWe have evidence that youth work is highly effective in building skills for learning, life and work, especially in those young people living in challenging circumstances or facing barriers to learning. Our Network reaches 141,035 young people across Northern Ireland each year.

Our network is committed to every young person having access to non-formal, educational opportunities between the ages of 4 and 25 years.

A key strength of the Young Farmers’ Clubs of Ulster is the active participation of its young people in the leadership, management and governance of the organisation at all levels (ETI Report 2018)

141,035 young people reached through our services in 2017

Examples of our youth work

Building positive mental health in young people.A recent investigation by YouthAction Northern Ireland1 over a five year period, found evidence in the field of positive psychology to support how youth work approaches can build the positive mental health of young people.

Positive psychology is a scientific, evidence based discipline, founded on the belief that people want to live meaningful and fulfilling lives, to cultivate what is best within them, and to enhance the experience of being alive. Happiness and mental well-being are the desired outcomes of positive psychology.

Building on research from positive psychology LIFEMAPS demonstrates how youth work approaches can build young people’s mental health and well-being. Using a non-formal approach through games, exercises, interactions and conversations the model is based on the premise that youth work is ideally suited to young people learning ways to enjoy and improve their own lives.

Although primarily developed for young people aged 10 to 25, it is useful for people of any age. It is an acronym for eight interlinked concepts which describe a full approach to developing positive mental health. These include learning, intrinsic motivation, flow, emotions, mindfulness, accomplishments, purpose and social connections.

Four members of our Network, YouthAction Northern Ireland, in partnership with the Northern Ireland Youth Forum, BYTES and Young Farmers’ Clubs of Ulster are disseminating this model through

3 LIFEMAPS – The youth work Journey to build mental health YouthAction NI McArdle & Ward 20154 ETI Report YouthAction Northern Ireland March 2017

training, youth led events, conferences, seminars and youth arts. A research report, tool kit and resource booklet are available.

Youth arts provides critical learning opportunities for young people to increase flow and improve well-being and our members Wheelworks, Young at Art, The Mac, Belfast Circus School and the Rainbow Factory are leading youth arts organisations.

Tacking youth unemploymentA youth work approach to support young people back into employment, education and further training is a priority of many of our members, Start 360, Include Youth, Youth Initiatives, Prince’s Trust, Mencap, Bytes and YouthAction NI.

Gaining qualifications, confidence, motivation and progression routes is a priority.

An independent report on The difference youth work makes to young people who are described as Neet�(not�in�education,�employment�or�training) by Youthnet (2013) reported that a youth work approach ‘has�demonstrable�impacts�on�retention�and�achievement�rates�amongst�young�people�who�are�core�Neet.’��The core youth work components identified as having most success, are Outreach ( ability to reach those furthest from labour market); Integration (different support services better aligned to individual circumstances) and Agency (having a sure knowledge of yourself and your goals).

This is further supported by the Education and Inspectorate

‘ETI�have�a�high degree of confidence�in�GET�Set�for�Work,….�the�participants�who�have�engaged�in�employability�provision�reported�the�positive�impact�on�their�motivation,�confidence�and�self-esteem….as�well�as�their�ability�to�apply�for�jobs�and�interviews�more�confidently’�(ETI�March�2017)2

Increased volunteering and active citizenship by young people.Volunteering is a vital and integral part of a healthy society. Many of the 6 328 volunteers in our Network, are young people themselves. Encouraging volunteering and active citizenship in young people and adults is at the heart of many of our charities. The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, St John’s Ambulance and Volunteer Now, not only encourage, but recognise young people’s volunteering and provide evidence of the impact. The National Citizens Service is also successfully delivered by our members Start 360, YMCA and YouthAction NI.

Across our Network in 2017, 3,135 young people undertook recognised leadership training.

Youth led networks such as the NI Youth Forum and Young Farmers’ Clubs of Ulster, ensure that young people’s voices are translated into policy and government priorities.

One�of�the�key�strengths�of�the�NIYF�is�that�it�is�managed�effectively�by�young�people�who�are�involved�fully�in�the�strategic�planning�and�development�of�the�organisation…and�providing�peer�support�on�campaigning�and�lobbying�on�key�issues�at�local�regional�and�international�level.�(ETI 2019)

Inclusion and diversityYouth work effectively tackles inequalities in young people’s lives and supports young people to be champions for diversity and inclusion. Many of our members address very specific needs and issues in young people’s lives.

Members such as Mencap, RNIB, and Action Deaf Youth work closely to develop inclusive models of effective practice that empowers young people with mixed abilities and that can be shared with the wider sector.

Carafriend specifically supports and lobbies on behalf of LGBTQ young people and works in partnership with the sector to share research, models of practice and resources to improve opportunities and outcomes for young people.

Forám na nÓg works through the medium of Irish language to support local, Irish speaking youth groups, as well as working in partnership with the wider sector to enhance greater understanding and collaboration.

Play workPlay is fundamental to a healthy happy childhood. Providing for play involves giving children the time and space and independence to play in their own way and on their own terms. Play workers support play that is led by children with no planned outcomes, that is, it is not adult directed. Members such as PlayBoard NI and Play Resource Warehouse are leading the play agenda in Northern Ireland.

Reaching into communitiesStrong regional youth organisations are required to sustain effective local youth work, with adequate quality assurance, governance, programme and workforce support. YMCA Ireland, Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs, YouthAction NI, Youth Link NI, Playboard and Young Farmers’ Clubs of Ulster, each support a membership of local youth groups.

The outstanding�quality�of�external�links�with�the�local�and�wider�community,�effectively�promote�good�community�relations�and�deal�confidently�with�contentious�issues�(YMCA Greenhill ETI Report 2009).

Contributing to reconciliationA critical impact of youth work, over many years in Northern Ireland, has been our contribution to peace building and positive relations across and within communities in Northern Ireland. The investment of the EU Peace 4 Programme (2018 – 2022) revives our ability to build positive relations and contribute to a stable civic society, through young people’s efforts. Every member of our Network has contributed to building positive community relations and a commitment to equity and diversity.

Thousands of local youth groups and organizations provide services across Northern Ireland that contribute to community cohesion and social capital and are a vital component to providing stability for young people in a contested society. It should be noted youth work provision is primarily focused in areas of social need.

Youth Link NI was specifically set up by the four main churches to foster good relations and provide quality training in community relations, diversity and youth leadership.

Many of our members are the primary deliverers of Peace 4 Children and Young People’s Programme, reaching out to young people aged 14 – 24 years who face multiple barriers to learning and live in extremely challenging circumstances. Include Youth, Start 360, NIYF, Mencap, YMCA Ireland, Youth Link NI, Youth Initiatives & YouthAction NI are working across Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland to build sustained and meaningful contact amongst hundreds of young people.

Many of our members also work to improve relations between young people and adults across the island of Ireland, as well as with England, Scotland and Wales. We consider now to be a critical time to strengthen these relations and show leadership.

SafeguardingThe safety and well-being of children and young people is a priority of the Network. All members provide safeguarding training to staff, volunteers, trustees and management committee members. (3,503 per year) Keeping Safe is the preferred training by the Network and an infrastructure of trainers, designated officers and Access NI verifiers work together to share learning and ensure materials and modules are of the highest quality.

5834 local youth groups supported across Northern Ireland

Value for moneyOur regional voluntary youth network provides excellent value for money. For every £1 invested by the Education Authority, our network raises a further £6 for services to reach young people.

We provide high quality buildings throughout Northern Ireland to enhance young people’s learning experiences. These include outdoor�education�centres, residential�centres, learning�hubs, youth�theatres’�and youth�centres�and�community�halls. (RVYO Report 2016)

The�quality�of�the�accommodation�in�YouthAction’s�main�premises�in�Belfast�is�outstanding. (ETI Report 2017)

WorkforceWorkforce development, including the support of volunteers, is a critical service delivered by our network of regional organisations. This ensures that young people are safe, well looked after and have a rewarding learning experience. There are 6826 people in our workforce.

Total workforce 6826

One hundred and eighty four different training courses offered by fifteen regional youth organisations each year to young people, volunteers and paid staff. These range from level 1 to level 7 in safe guarding, leadership, governance, management and specialist skills. (2018 Training survey)

We trained 11,664 young people, volunteers and paid staff in 2017The�excellent�quality�of�training�and�training�materials,�and�the�effective�pastoral�and�academic�support�which�meets�the�needs�of�individual�learners�(Youth Link NI ETI Report 2008)

volunteers 6,328 paid 498

1

£2 million invested by EA. Results in £12.9 million invested in

young people.

De

sign

: thre

e-cre

ative.co

m

Contribution to Northern Ireland We contribute to civic society and Government policies in the spirit of the cross cutting Children’s Services Co-operation Act (NI) 2015. We have evidence that we contribute to the eight parameters of well-being in the draft Children and Young People’s Strategy 2017 -2027.

~�physical�&�mental�health�~�play�&�leisure~�learning�&�achievement�~�safety�&�stability�~�economic�&�environment�~�a�positive�contribution�~�society�respects�right�~�equality�&�good relations.�

�In�particular,�participants�commented�on�their�improved�mental�health�and�well-being�and�reduction�in�social�isolation�through�the�one-to-one�mentoring�support�and�community�based�activities�offered.�(YouthAction NI ETI Report 2017)

We are the primary contributors to Priorities for Youth 2013 (Department of Education)

Raising�standards�for�all;�Closing�the�performance�gap;�Developing�the�non-formal�education�workforce;�and�Improving�the�non-formal�learning�environment.

We strive to build positive relations and assist reconciliation in Northern Ireland. We deliver on the Shared Education Act (NI) 2016, the CRED policy of the Department of Education and the Together Building a United Community (2013) Strategy of the Executive Office.

Our youth work approach to tackling youth unemployment contributes the Industrial Strategy for NI (2018) of the Department of the Economy.

Our focus on building the positive mental health of young people through youth work contributes to DHSS&PS policy Making Life Better (2013).

Our commitment to volunteering makes a significant contribution to the Volunteering Strategy of the Department for Communities and many of our members contribute to Arts Council for NI Ambitions for the Arts (2013) through high quality programmes.