Press release
Minister for Children and Youth Affairs’ Message to the Young People of Ireland
From Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
Published on
Last updated on
“We have never needed you to step up so much, and you have never made us so proud.”
The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Katherine Zappone is today sending a message to the young people of Ireland. She wants to thank and commend them for their efforts over the past weeks, and recognises the contribution they are making to the national effort to tackle the COVID-19 crisis.
“I want to say a few words to the young people of Ireland.
"I have been so incredibly impressed by the patience, kindness and bravery of you all, in these very difficult times. Things are so strange right now I know, and I guess that at times you may have been a bit scared, a bit bored, a bit frustrated. But I draw inspiration from the many stories I hear, from all around the country, of the efforts and attitude of our youngest. I would also like to thank you personally, and on behalf of the government for listening to and cooperating with the advice being provided by the Taoiseach, Government and our health experts.
"Whether it is helping grandparents get the knack of a smart phone so they can keep in touch with family; helping out at home and assisting busy parents; sending messages of support to our essential workers via social media; or respecting social distancing rules whilst trying to study or just hang out online with friends. The list is endless. And endlessly inspiring.
"I want to also pay tribute to those of you who may be feeling isolated or vulnerable at this time. I want you to know you are not alone. Your school may be closed; your sports or youth club may not be running as normal right now; your grandparents may not be able to hug you; but we are all finding ways of doing things differently and supports are out there.
"There are a range of important supports out there and I want to encourage young people to avail of them. Stay connected - you are not alone.
"I would encourage you to make contact with your local youth services at this time.
"In my time as Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, I have always been proud of the many inspiring examples of Irish young people as creators, innovators and leaders in their own right. The young people in our local Comhairlí are just that. Across the country, they are working with local authorities to listen to young people, hear what’s important for them at this time and communicate directly with them. They have been quickly adapting to the COVID-19 crisis by reaching out to their communities in positive and creative ways. They have been reinforcing the public health messages about staying at home, and focusing on the positive things we can all do to mind our mental health at this time, as well as acknowledging our amazing frontline workers. Information on all the great work going on around the country is being featured daily on their website comhairlenanog.ie.
"Remember that, while our physical world might have shrunk, our imaginations are limitless so please keep creating, innovating and connecting to one another and to your communities.
"You are shining examples to us all, and we look to you to continue your efforts for a bit longer.
"Please also keep looking to the future. You are the future and your energy, commitment and passion on issues such as climate change and social justice is what inspires all of us to strive for a better world.
"We have never needed you to step up so much, and you have never made us so proud."
ENDS
Detail on a number of actions being taken throughout the youth sector:
The Minister and her department thanks all of the young people and youth services across Ireland for the valuable, innovative and important work they are undertaking at this time.
Across its network of LGBTI+ groups, Belong To is providing phone, text and email support, as well as group meetings and games via Google Hangouts and Zoom. For further information about how to engage with these services or to access podcasts and other resources, please see the Belong To website at www.belongto.org or email Belong To at: info@belongto.org
Comhairle na nÓg across the country are working with their local authority to communicate directly with young people. They have been reinforcing the public health messages about staying at home, and focusing on the positive things we can all do to mind our mental health at this time, as well as acknowledging our amazing frontline workers. Information on all the great work going on around the country is being featured daily on www.comhairlenanog.ie
Examples include:
Crosscare’s youth service staff have been directly supporting their residential homeless services, residential child care facility, Care Call service for older people, central and community foodbanks, as well as a new home food delivery programme which is reaching out to particularly vulnerable families across the city. In addition, they are supporting the establishment of a new HSE funded cocooning service for homeless people from an inner city hotel (100 beds), providing 11 cocooned staff over to the Elderly charity, ALONE, to join their professional helpline team, and facilitating Critical Incident Debriefing support for Focus Ireland.
Their supports for young people at this time include:
An online information service directed at young people aged 16-25 years has just been launched. Young people can ask questions to a trained youth information officer on live chat. The service involves four partners, Crosscare, SpunOut, YMCA and Youth Work Ireland. The initiative has the strong support of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. More information on spunout.ie question.
Foróige staff and volunteers continue to support young people, particularly the most vulnerable, using digital technology. Programmes including the Big Brother Big Sister Youth Mentoring Programme, Leadership for Life Programme, NFTE Youth Entrepreneurship Programme and Aldi Foróige Youth Citizenship Programme have adapted and are being delivered online. Through Foróige's Leadership for Life programme, young people are taking on challenges to support their families, friends and communities, particularly older people who are cocooning.
In addition, specific new initiatives have been developed, as follows:
Young people involved in Foróige are continuing to support their local communities in imaginative ways.
Some examples include:
Gaisce – The President’s Award has launched ‘Gaisce at Home’/ ‘Gaisce sa Bhaile’. The campaign encourages young people, precisely as the country and the world responds to the challenge of COVID-19, to stay active and engaged in their personal development and community action.
‘Gaisce at Home’ seeks to support and encourage the over 18,000 registered young people already involved in the Award to continue their Gaisce journey by finding alternative activities they can undertake at and from home. Gaisce is sharing suitable and safe ideas online using the hashtags #GaisceAtHome and #GaisceSaBhaile.
Gaisce at Home maintains the integrity of the Gaisce programme and has been developed and launched to encourage and support young people to think differently – and creatively – so they can achieve a Gaisce Award from or at home. It will provide a means of publicly recognising, not just the appetite and desire young people have to make a positive difference, but their action.
Anyone who wishes to find out more about the ‘Gaisce at Home’ campaign can visit www.gaisce.ie/gaisce-at-home where you can find suitable activities for undertaking Gaisce. Alternatively, contact home@gaisce.ie if you are interested in signing up to Gaisce.
All across Ireland, young people in Scouting Ireland are working directly in their communities, as part of each Local Authorities coordinated community effort, delivering groceries and prescriptions to those who are cocooning. Younger scouts are also playing their part: For Easter Scout Beavers and Cubs sent Easter cards (scanned and emailed) to nursing homes around the country, and also baked scones and cakes which they hand delivered to their neighbours. Scouts Volunteer task force meet via Zoom every week to coordinate new ideas of support for local groups.
The spunout.ie website also hosts a variety of valuable and useful information and advice. Young people involved in SpunOut.ie volunteer as trained listeners to other young people on our 24/7 text support line, supporting them with their anxiety, isolation, including the 1 in 5 young people texting in who are thinking about suicide.
In the current national emergency:
The following are some examples of initiatives being taken by youth organisations who are members of Youth Work Ireland:
In addition to the work of the many organisations described above, member organisations of the National Youth Council of Ireland are also delivering lots of services.
Some examples include:
Kildare youth theatre – quarantine festival
QUARANTINE FESTIVAL, an online gathering of young people creating in multi-media, expressing their reactions to the current crisis, and making new work shared publicly online in social media channels,
Source/more info: www.facebook.com/peter.hussey/posts/10157780674950180
Localise Youth – message of thanks to Mater Hospital staff
Some of our volunteers wanted to say thank you to all the staff working hard at the Mater Hospital. So we teamed up with @NCAD_Dublin and www.printroom.ie to create this wonderful card sending love and support to our true heroes. #StayHomeStaySafe #VolunteeringForAll Source/more info: twitter.com/LocaliseYouth/status/1248177463974379520
Kerry - Positive activity program for all the family
Introducing the #kdysonlineclub. Everyone is welcome young and old! Positive activity program for all the family updated weekly! We have everything you need to have fun and get active with your family in your home.
Source/more info: twitter.com/KerryYouth/status/1243571233565954049
Meath Online activities
Online quizzes and pictionary happening on our Instagram and Facebook, #youthworkworks, #MentalHealthMatters #digitalyouthwork, @DCYAPress @nycinews @TaoiseachDept @ywirl
Source/more info: twitter.com/YWIMeath/status/1242489793877082112