- Funding will go towards appointing family support workers, working with harder-to-engage children and early intervention.
Minister Joe O’Brien, TD and Cllr Ian Carey have welcomed funding allocations for Youth Diversion Projects for 2022 in Dublin Fingal amounting to €316,000.
Youth Diversion Projects (YDPs) engage with young people through a range of supports, including education, training and employment support, social enterprise initiatives, as well as personal development and supports such as mentoring, and personal development activities.
Welcoming the funding Minister O’Brien said:
“Having visited Youth Diversion Projects in the past, I have seen first-hand the positive impact they have on both the young people who they welcome through their doors and the wider communities in which they are based.
“I am delighted to see four projects in Swords are to receive a total of €316,000 in funding. One of the projects currently in Swords is receiving the funding to establish a new team based in the Donabate/Portrane area which allows the project to enable engagement with young people in an area currently lacking in services for young people. Another project in Swords will fund a project to support early intervention, supporting younger siblings under the age of 11 to focus on decision making, school and family issues and peer support.”
Cllr Ian Carey, representative for Swords and Chair of the Fingal Joint Policing Committee said:
“This is really welcome news for Swords. Sadly, over Covid we saw an increase in public order offences, particularly amongst young people, this funding will help address that. We have also seen an increase in risky behaviour, such as drug taking, amongst younger age groups. The early intervention work and family support is key to keeping young people on a positive path. We know this can work and I’m delighted to see these supports being put in place.”
The Youth Justice Strategy 2021-2027 was published in April 2021 and a major change contained in this Strategy is a new and expanded mandate for 105 YDPs across the State.
The Funds Administration Unit in the Department of Justice will now contact each YDP that submitted an expression of interest for additional resources to inform them of the decision made and then process the payments as per the agreed allocations.
Successful Projects in Swords:
SERVICE | PROJECT | SCORE | TOWN | AMOUNT | DESCRIPTION |
BoundaryExtension | JETS | 50 | Swords | €104,000 | The catchment area for JETS extends from Malahide & Kinsealy through all of the Swords area as far out as Rolestown and Donabate, and Portrane to the Rogerstown Estuary.This area has always been too large for two YJWs to cover and for young people to travel the distance into Swords. We propose a new team be based in the Donabate/Portrane area which allows the project to enable engaging with these young people.The Donabate/Portrane areas lacks services for young people and the Gardaí on the ground report serious anti-social behaviour on the beaches and coastal areas and are keen on establishing a YDP for these young people. |
Harder-to-engage | JETS | 46 | Swords | €54,000 | The outdoor learning approach is successful in engaging those hardest to engage. It supports cementing relationships between YJWs and these young people and provides a unique environment for reflection to the point where YP are willing to make changes. Additional post |
Early Intervention | JETS | 48 | Swords | €104,000 | For three years the committee has raised their concern for younger siblings of participants. Young people under the age of 11 have been getting involved in anti-social and risky behaviour such as (drug taking). This is a very worrying trend for the area. Both Gardaí and SCPs have raised concerns around this and the committee feel that an early intervention project for young people aged 8-11 is very necessary going forward.This dedicated EI team will run interventions specific to this age focussing on decision making, school, family issues and peer support. These programmes would be designed and delivered in an age-appropriate manner with age-appropriate content. |
Family Support | JETS | 48 | Swords | €54,000 | Currently Swords shares a FSW with Ballymun YDP, with an allocation of approximately 10 hours. This is too little for the level of intervention that some of our families. The Swords and greater north county area that we cover needs a full-time FSW.This would allow the YDP to work with families based on their level of needs. Working with some of the young people on the YDP without also working with their families can be very difficult when Meitheal and Child Protection cases are involved. The family and the young person benefit hugely from the wrap around intervention approach. |