Support for the Youth Sector
Embedding a global youth work approach across Ireland.
We, the NYCI Global Youth Work and Development Education Programme, want to support sector-wide development in embedding a global youth work approach across Ireland.
As part of this, we are committed to:
- Supporting youth representatives on and ensuring their voices are heard through our Young People’s Committee (see below for more information).
- Providing accessible learning opportunities to young people through partnering with SpunOut.ie for a podcast series on sustainable development.
- Listen to our 2019/2020 podcast series in partnership with Spunout.ie, ‘Change the World’, which amplified young people’s voices on the sustainable development goals.
- Supporting the participation of youth worker representatives on our Global Youth Work Workers Learning Network (see below for more information) and connecting the global youth work community in Ireland through this network.
- Meeting with boards of management and offering training on the benefits of implementing a global youth work approach and how this aligns with the seven personal and social development outcomes (DCYA) – communication skills; confidence and agency; planning and problem-solving; relationships; creativity and imagination; resilience and determination; and emotional intelligence.
- Offering continuous practice development trainings on global youth work and development education, accessible and relevant to current youth work practice.
- Supporting organisations with good practice guidelines and with policy development.
- Input on monitoring and evaluation strategies and support for funding applications.
This committee, started in 2019, explores global justice issues such as inequalities, protection of human rights and power dynamics. Through reflection and analysis, the work of the committee will enhance young people’s knowledge, understanding, critical thinking and participation on development and global justice issues affecting Ireland and the people all around the world.
Meetings are chaired by a member of the Youth 2030 Global Youth Work and Development Education team, where members will have the opportunity to review and advise the work of the Youth 2030 Global Youth Work and Development Education Programme. Committee members must be prepared to adopt a critical approach to development and global justice issues, and make a positive contribution. Committee members receive no remuneration for their work but will be reimbursed for transport fees for meetings.
Young people meet and work with lots of great people from different walks of life who share the same passion. Through this, they develop their competencies on how to tackle global justice issues. The foundational work of this committee lies in the Youth Manifesto on Climate Justice that was formulated at the 2019 One World Week Youth Summit. You can find out more about the Youth Manifesto on Climate Justice and more on this topic on our dedicated Climate Justice page.
Members of the Young People’s Committee feature in the DCYA (Department of Children and Youth Affairs) video launching the new Youth Climate Justice Fund.
- Committee members must be age 16+.
- Members must be knowledgeable of and have a real interest in development and global justice issues.
- Members must also consider the best interests of the entire community.
- Advise NYCI on the implementation of the strategic plan for development education in global youth work.
- Contribute a youth perspective on policies at a local, national and international level.
- Inform global youth work and development education resource’s themes and content.
- Inform, plan, monitor and evaluate specific events.
- Through four meetings each year (in person/online).
- Ongoing communications as appropriate between meetings, through the use of email, social media and other online tools for communication.
There are currently 15 young people involved in the Committee. Contact leo@nyci.ie with any queries.
The Global Youth Workers Network, formed in 2020, is bringing youth workers together from across Ireland to engage with professional development and upskilling opportunities, and to explore global justice issues such as inequalities, protection of human rights, power dynamics, and the sustainable development goals. Through reflection and analysis, the work of the network will enhance youth workers knowledge, understanding, critical thinking and participation on development and global justice issues affecting Ireland and the world, with a focus on countries in the global south.
The establishment of the learning network is seen as a key support for the implementation of the Youth 2030 Global Youth Work and Development Education Programme. Network meetings are chaired by a member of the Youth 2030 Global Youth Work and Development Education team, where members will have the opportunity to review and advise the work of the Youth 2030 Global Youth Work and Development Education team.
- Advise NYCI on the implementation of the strategic plan for global youth work and development education.
- Contribute a youth work perspective on policies related to global youth work and development education as they arise.
- Inform development education resource’s themes and content.
- Inform, plan, monitor and evaluate specific events as they arise.
- Support an increased reach and integration of global youth work and development education in youth organisations.
- Support an increased capacity of youth organisations to deliver effective development education programmes with young people.
- Promote sharing of learning and collaborative working within the youth sector and with other sectors, including the development education sector.
- Ensure that development education in youth work is relevant to, and accessible for, all young people.
- Through six meetings each year (in person/online).
- Ongoing communications as appropriate between meetings using email, social media and other online tools for communication.
- Networking and communicating with youth workers across Ireland who are involved in social justice and development related work.
- A source of new ideas and inspiration across the network.
- Solidarity in tackling social justice across Ireland and the world.
- Development of global perspective focused working methods across the network.
- Offer of continuous professional development.
- Develop competencies on how to tackle global justice issues.
Contact leo@nyci.ie for further details.
The Youth 2030 Consortium is a collaboration between NYCI, Trócaire, Concern Worldwide and the Centre for Youth Research and Development (Maynooth University) that understands the active engagement of young people in development education as critical. Far from being mere beneficiaries of the SDGs/2030 Agenda, young people have been active architects and continue to be engaged in supporting its implementation, follow-up and review.
In order to achieve sustainable, inclusive and stable societies, we need to resource our young people with the knowledge and skills to address the impacts of climate change, unemployment, poverty, gender inequality, conflict, and migration. The Youth 2030 Consortium want to support and steer the embedding of development education within the practice and pedagogy of youth work in Ireland. We see this as key to strengthening the values of solidarity, human rights, sustainability, equality, coherence, volunteerism, and equality. Development education is good youth work practice, but it is not currently mainstreamed within the youth sector. Youth 2030 will work to embed development education in youth work education, policy and practice.
Trócaire was established in 1973. Their dual mandate is to support the most vulnerable people in the developing world, whilst also raising awareness of injustice and global poverty in Ireland.
Concern operates in 25 of the world’s poorest countries, helping people to achieve major and long-lasting improvements in their lives. They deliver life-changing interventions to the world’s most vulnerable people, from rapid emergency response to innovative development programming.
Irish Aid is the Irish Government’s programme for overseas development. Their work in fighting global poverty and hunger is integral to Ireland’s foreign policy. The aim of their aid programme is to reduce poverty, hunger and humanitarian need, with a particular focus on sub-Saharan Africa. By supporting long term development and providing humanitarian assistance in over eighty countries, on behalf of the Irish people, Irish Aid are helping to build better futures for some of the world’s poorest communities. Irish Aid work to ensure Ireland is playing its part in addressing poverty, injustice and damage to our planet and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
The Centre for Youth Research and Development (CYRD) at Maynooth University conducts a range of research projects, which are commissioned, funded or otherwise supported by external organisations and agencies. CYRD are partners in delivering the Youth 2030 Certificate in Global Youth Work and Development Education.