merrion street

• €41.8m has been made available in targeted funding
• National Youth Organisations will benefit from some €12m in universal funding
• €4.6m has been made available to the 16 Education and Training Boards
• €2.25m has been made available for the Local Youth Club Grant Scheme

Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O’Gorman TD, has today confirmed that €66.8 million in funding has been made available to support the provision of youth services nationwide in 2021.  This investment increases financial support for both youth services and youth clubs, as well as ensuring further strengthening and development of UBU Your Place Your Space, universal service provision and youth information.

This €66.8m in funding is broken down as follows:

• €41.8 million has been made available in targeted youth funding under UBU Your Place Your Space, including
  • Increases for existing UBU Your Place Your Space services totalling almost €1 million
  • The provision of additional funding of €1 million to establish new UBU Your Place Your Space services, with an initial six new services being planned for the first part of 2021.
• National Youth Organisations will benefit from an increase to some €12 million in universal funding under the Youth Services Grant Scheme.
• Local youth clubs will benefit from an increase to €2.25 million.
• Youth Information Centres will see an increase in allocations to services and be supported through a new nationwide programme of co-ordination and modernisation.  Funding of €1.57 million is being provided for this purpose.
• Education and Training Boards (ETBs) around the country will receive €4.6m to support their work and engagement with young people. As the mid-level governance structure for Exchequer funded youth service provision, ETBs perform a key role in the assessment and development of youth services in their area.
• The remaining investment will strengthen quality, see the development of a new youth strategy, support the important role of ETBI, and support the operations of Leargas, Gaisce – the President’s Award, EU and North/South Initiatives and the LGBTI+ Youth Strategy.

Minister O’Gorman stated:

“I am pleased to announce the funding allocation for youth services for 2021.  The increase of €5m, or 8%, which represents a notably larger sum than has been allocated in recent years, provides an opportunity to expand on the innovation and achievements of the sector in 2020.

“In this last dramatic year, I have been very impressed by the passion and determination at every level of the youth sector in responding to a wide range of challenges, not least of which is supporting our young people at the time of a global pandemic.  I have also been impressed at the ability of the sector to harness innovation to the benefit of all young people and it is my hope that I can support this in the period ahead.

“I am committed to further progress in our youth funding and policy space over 2021. My Department will oversee the establishment of additional services in UBU Your Place Your Space and drive forward reform across both Youth Information Centres and the Youth Services Grant Scheme in a spirit of collaboration and partnership.

“I have enormous respect for the transformative effect that comes from quality youth work with young people. I think recent history has shown what we have been saying from some time, funding for youth services changes lives, makes economic sense, and promotes equity, inclusion and social cohesion.”

Notes for Editors

• UBU Your Place Your Space provides funding of almost €42 million to over 250 targeted youth services across 16 Education and Training Boards. It became operational on 1 July 2020. It replaced previous targeted youth funding arrangements. Funded organisations support young people who are marginalised, disadvantaged, or vulnerable. (For further information see – www.ubu.gov.ie)
• Funding for National Youth Organisations is provided under the Youth Services Grant Scheme.  This scheme is being reformed in 2021. YSGS funded organisations will benefit from some €12 million. The funding ensures the continued promotion, growth and development of these organisations in the provision of universal and targeted services for young people.
• Funding of over €2.25 million has been made available for the Local Youth Club Grant Scheme. This scheme supports youth work activities at a local level by providing grants to youth clubs and groups. These are volunteer led and funding is accessed through the Education and Training Boards. This scheme supports some 1,400 clubs or groups nationwide.
• Funding of over €4.6 million has been made available to the sixteen Education and Training Boards (ETBs) around the country to support their work and engagement with young people. As the mid-level governance structure for Exchequer funded youth service provision, ETBs perform a key role in the assessment and development of youth services in their area.
• The remaining funding supports a number of smaller initiatives throughout the youth sector.

Summary of Funding Envelope to Education and Training Boards

YSGS Allocation to National Youth Organisations for 2021

[1] This total does not include additional funding of €1 million to establish new UBU Your Place Your Space services, with an initial six new services being planned for the first part of 2021. This funding will be allocated during the year.