Minister O’Gorman approves funding for Youth Climate Justice Projects

The Youth Climate Justice Fund supports youth-led action on climate justice at community, regional and national level
Minister Roderic O’Gorman awards funding to 14 projects proposed by 23 youth organisations

Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O’Gorman, T.D., today approved funding to support 14 youth-led projects in the area of climate justice. In line with the recommendations of a specially convened Selection Committee, funding of almost €400,000 is being allocated to projects involving 23 youth organisations.

The Youth Climate Justice Fund supports youth-led action on climate justice. The aim of the fund is to raise climate justice awareness amongst young people and to empower young people to influence and sustain local, regional and national climate justice change.

Launching this year’s Youth Climate Justice Fund allocations, Minister O’Gorman commented:

”The Youth Climate Justice Fund already has a strong track record supporting young people to work for climate justice in positive and meaningful ways. This year my Department has received applications for funding for a range of youth-centred, innovative, participatory and impactful projects, which I am delighted to be able to support.

”Young people and youth organisations are leading the way when it comes to climate action and climate justice. They understand that, since the impacts of climate change are not evenly felt, we have to place human rights and social justice at the core of tackling climate change. I look forward to seeing the results of the 14 exciting projects that have been awarded funding.”

All projects funded under the Youth Climate Justice Fund in 2021 and 2020 will be invited to participate in an Outcomes Conference to be convened by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth later this year, in order to reflect on the achievements of funded projects and the future of the Youth Climate Justice Fund and to facilitate collaboration and network-building.

ENDS

Notes to the Editor:

All projects funded under the Youth Climate Justice Fund 2021 are being led by a national youth organisation funded under the Youth Services Grant Scheme of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.

Fourteen applications received by the Department were reviewed by a Selection Committee made up of representatives from the Youth Affairs and Youth Participation Units of the Department, a representative of the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications and a young person from the Comhairle na nÓg network.

Grants are being awarded to three ‘consortium’ applications including bids led by ECO-UNESCO (with Irish Girl Guides, Gaisce, NoName Club, Young Irish Film Makers as partner organisations); Church of Ireland Youth Department (with the Girls Friendly Society as a partner organisation); and National Youth Council of Ireland (including Macra na Feirme, Concern Worldwide, Sphere 17 and Young Men's Christian Association as partner organisations.)

Other grants are being been made to Feachtas Óg-Ghluaisteacht Gaeilge, Foróige, Junior Chamber International (Ireland), Voluntary Service International, Involve, SpunOut, Localise Youth Volunteering, Ógras, Scouting Ireland, Youth Theatre Ireland and Youth Work Ireland.

Background

The Youth Climate Justice Fund was announced in March 2021 with a closing date of 4th May 2021. In 2021 the Fund total was just under €500,000 and was open to applications from all national youth organisations funded under the Youth Service Grant Scheme and from Gaisce – The President’s Award.

Applications to the Fund were asked to propose projects which would achieve one, or more, of the following key goals or actions:

Raise climate justice awareness among young people
Educate youth groups and clubs on climate justice, including supporting development education organisations to work with young people
Empower young people to influence, effect and sustain local, regional or national climate justice change, creating dialogue with people outside of the youth sector
Deliver practical climate justice initiatives by young people in their communities, including supports to facilitate the participation of young people with fewer opportunities
Develop youth related activities to embed climate justice communications, network building and deliberative capacity that connects with, and leverages, local youth and community activities
Strengthen youth practitioner capacity to integrate climate justice education into their youth work practice
Participate in and influence local public and private policy formation aimed at environmentally sustainable development and management of climate action

Youth Climate Justice Fund 2021 - Allocations

Organisation	Allocation
Youth Work Ireland	€71,809.50
Ogras	€8,556.92
Voluntary Service International	€3,700
Feachtas Óg Ghluaiseacht Ghaeilge	€3,007
Junior Chamber Ireland	€777.92
Church of Ireland Youth Department, Girls Friendly Society	€8,375
Foroige	€110,200
Scouting Ireland	€47,709.08
Localise Volunteering	€5,832
National Youth Council of Ireland,Macra na Feirme, YMCA Ireland , Concern Worldwide and Sphere 17	€53,881
SpunOut	€4,350
Youth Theatre Ireland	€3,700
ECO UNESCO, Irish Girl Guides, Gaisce, NoName Club, Young Irish Film Makers	€64,925
Involve	€10,516
Totals	€397,339.42