Our vision is an Ireland that believes in all young people. To give to Foróige is to change a young person’s life for the better. To support Foróige is to create stronger communities. To invest in Foróige is to build a better Ireland.
Our responsibility to the young people of Ireland represents a huge challenge but it is one that we have taken on with great zeal and passion. We have already worked with hundreds of thousands of young people in Ireland over more than 60 years! Your investment will have both immediate and long term results for young people in Ireland. A small, steady contribution helps us to plan and forecast for the future. Foróige aims to bring its services to twice as many young people in Ireland by 2020. This would mean that 100,000 young people or 1 in 5 would have the opportunity to engage in Foróige’s projects, clubs and programmes.
Youth work works.
This report highlights the reasons why youth work makes economic and social sense. Youth work assists young people in gaining qualifications and training, and it works to combat socio-economic disadvantage. It helps to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour. It aids youth empowerment, boosts confidence and supports young people to stay in education for longer. It also helps young people to make healthier choices.
Statistics worth paying attention to
- 382,615 young people participate in and benefit from youth work, representing 43.3% of the total youth population aged between 10 and 24. 53.3% are socially or economically disadvantaged*
- 40,145 volunteers are involved in organising and supporting youth services*
- 26% of young people in Ireland participate in youth clubs or organisations which is the highest in the European Union*
- For every €1 the state invests in youth work, it saves €2.22 in the long run*
- It is estimated that the State will benefit/save costs to the value of €2 billion for the €992m investment over 10 years*
*Source: Assessment of the Economic Value of Youth Work prepared by Indecon