Portlaoise College, Mountrath Road, Portlaoise, Co. Laois

Youth Officer: Patricia Cullen

Our Youth Service

Youth Officers have been appointed to all VECs arising from the Government’s implementation of the Youth Work Act, 2001. All VECs now have a statutory responsibility under the Youth Work Act to co-ordinate youth work provision in their area and to develop a youth work development plan in consultation with young people and all organisations involved in the organisation, delivery and funding of youth work programmes and services.

Definition of Youth Work

'A planned programme of education designed for the purpose of aiding and enhancing the personal and social development of young persons through their voluntary participation, and which is complementary to their formal academic or vocational education and training' - Youth Work Act, 2001

Register your local Youth Group

Registration with the VEC is the first step in the co-ordination of youth work provision in a VEC area. The benefits of registration are that it will give youth work organisations access to training, networking, support and information sharing. From 2008, voluntary youth groups must be registered with the VEC in order to be eligible to apply for the Local Youth Club Grant Scheme.

Local Youth Club Grant Scheme 2011

The Local Youth Club Grant Scheme (LYCGS) supports voluntary youth club activities at local level. Funding for the Scheme is provided by the Youth Affairs Unit (YAU), Department of Children and Youth Affairs (DCYA) and administered locally by Vocational Education Committees (VECs) on the Department’s behalf.

The Scheme supports voluntary youth club activities for young people; with priority being given to young people between the ages of 10 and 21. The primary focus of this Scheme is to assist local voluntary youth clubs who offer a youth work response to young people. However, other clubs/groups that work with young people who are not specifically youth work are also entitled to apply for funding under this Scheme.

Types of Grants

For the purposes of this Scheme and in recognition of the diverse range of voluntary youth clubs/groups in existence, the 2011 LYCGS provides grant-in-aid to:

a) youth work clubs and

b) youth activity clubs.

The maximum grant to any one club, whichever category being applied under, is €3,000.

Contact Details:

Patricia Cullen,

Youth Officer,

Portlaoise College,

Mountrath Road,

Portlaoise,

Co. Laois

Tel: (057) 86 66300

Email: pcullen@portlaoisecollege.ie