Minister James Browne launched Foróige’s newly opened flagship premises in Christchurch, Dublin 8 on April 16th. Foróige Dublin City South brings together five youth work projects for young people aged from 8 to 24 in the area. The youth service is home to a dynamic range of needs-based programmes for young people, namely Dublin City South YDP, one of the largest Youth Justice Projects in Ireland, and the LEAD Project, an all-Dublin project which has an anti-racism and community safety focus for young people.
Foróige Dublin City South is a service rich initiative which is in line with the Youth Justice Strategy ‘No Wrong Door’ policy. The young people spoke to Minister Browne about their engagement in these initiatives and the positive impact they have had on their lives, as well as showcasing some of their work and providing a masterclass in DJing, Virtual Reality, and more.
The new youth service will be a vital focal point in the heart of the Liberties, where young people can come together to access supports, meet their peers, and develop their skills and confidence in a relaxed and fun environment.
Mark FitzPatrick, aged 15, spoke to the attendees about his experience of the youth service to date: “We love coming here to do activities like podcasting, playing pool but more importantly we learn how to be ourselves and believe that no matter what anyone says if we put our mind to something we can do it, and our youth workers support us to do it.”
Speaking at the launch, Minister Browne stated “I am delighted to have the opportunity to launch Foroige’s new premises in Dublin City South. It is always a great privilege to be able to see first-hand the work being done for young people across Ireland and it is my firm belief that this new facility will change the lives of young people in Dublin City.
Dublin City South is one of Ireland's largest Youth Diversion Projects and this state of the art premises will ensure these young people receive a world class service – regardless of their needs or circumstance. My Department is wholly committed to supporting the this vital work and we have increased our youth justice funding to over €33 million in the most recent Budget. This funding is a huge step to achieving our goal of full nationwide coverage for our Youth Diversion Project network.
Young people, from the ages of 8 right through to 24, will be able to avail of supports tailor-made to their interests and needs. I have no doubt that YDP staff will continue to go above and beyond to bring these services to our most vulnerable in society.”
John Fitzgerald, Area Manager for Dublin CityDublin City, commented “It’s Foróige’s vision in the South City to provide youth work to young people with a wide range of needs and interests and from a diverse range of backgrounds. We are so proud to be able to welcome young people to a space that enables them to discover themselves and do so at their own pace - and - in a way that suits them.”
A huge thanks to our funders who helped make the space a reality:
The Department of Justice, #HSBCIreland through basis.point, the McHugh Family through the Community Foundation Ireland, Creative Ireland and the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.
