Minister O’Gorman announces additional funding to support European Year of Youth 2022 initiatives

Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O’Gorman, has today (17 May) announced €170,000 additional funding to support the European Year of Youth (EYY) 2022.

Under a scheme introduced in March by Léargas, Ireland’s National Co-ordinator of the EYY 2022, grants of between €500 and €5000 are available to support young people promote youth opportunity, engagement and inclusion at local, national and EU level.

For the remainder of 2022, youth activities that show solidarity with Ukrainian young people, including those newly arrived in Ireland, or that promote European Union values such as peace, unity and democracy will also be eligible for funding under the scheme.

In view of the popularity of the scheme to date and in order to support the additional focus on solidarity with Ukrainian young people, Minister O’Gorman approved an additional €170,000 to support youth projects.

The additional support was announced as Léargas launched a national event entitled ‘All Aboard’ during which young people and youth groups travelled from Heuston Station to Cork on a dedicated European Year of Youth train journey, during which a full programme of workshops and activities took place focused on European Year of Youth themes such as opportunity, sustainability, mobility and diversity, with young people joining at stops along the way.

Minister O’Gorman commented:

"The range and quality of activities funded by Léargas under the European Year of Youth scheme to date are a testament to the strong interest among young people in Ireland in getting involved, making a contribution and having their voices heard. I am delighted to be able to increase my department’s support for the scheme. I would also like to acknowledge the important work to date by Léargas, by members of the European Year of Youth National Steering Group and by youth organisations, youth clubs, schools and other groups that are working to ensure that all young people can benefit from the opportunities of this year.

"I also congratulate Léargas for organising today’s All Aboard event, which epitomises exactly what the European Year of Youth is all about. After the opportunity deficit caused by the pandemic young people are on the move again, connecting with their peers, having their voices heard and learning about the many fantastic opportunities that are available to them."

Notes

A total of €295,000 has been made available to support the European Year of Youth Micro Grants Scheme, with funding provided by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Léargas and the European Commission.

The European Year of Youth was first announced by the President of the European Commission during her annual State of the European Union address in September 2021. The Act designating 2022 as the European Year of Youth was signed by the Parliament and the Council on 22 December 2021 and published in the Official Journal of the European Union on 28 December 2021.

The Year pursues the following 4 objectives:

renewing the positive perspectives for young people, with a particular focus on the negative effects the COVID-19 pandemic had on them, while highlighting how the green and digital transitions and other Union policies offer opportunities for young people and for the society at large
supporting young people, including through youth work, especially young people with fewer opportunities, from disadvantaged and diverse backgrounds or belonging to vulnerable and marginalised groups, to acquire relevant knowledge and competences and thus become active and engaged citizens, inspired by a European sense of belonging
supporting young people to acquire a better understanding of, and actively promoting the various opportunities available to them, be it from the EU, national, regional or local level, to support their personal, social, economic and professional development
mainstreaming youth policy across all relevant Union policy fields in line with the EU Youth Strategy 2019 –2027 to encourage that a youth perspective is brought into policy-making at all levels

The National Steering Group for the European Year of Youth is comprised of representatives from the following bodies:

Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
Léargas
The European Commission Representation in Ireland
National Youth Council of Ireland
ERYICA - European Youth Information and Counselling Agency
Education and Training Boards Ireland
Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science
Department of Education
Gaisce- The President’s Award
Higher Education Authority
Eurodesk Young Ambassador
EU Young Journalists Representative
Young Voices, EU Youth Dialogue Youth Group Representative
Eurofound
European Parliament Liaison Office in Ireland

Léargas manage international and national exchange programmes in education, youth and community work, and vocational education and training. These exchanges connect people in different communities and countries, and bring an international dimension to the work of organisations across Ireland. It serves as the National Agency for Erasmus+ in Adult Education, School Education, Vocational Education and Training, and Youth as well as the European Solidarity Corps and eTwinning.

Further details of opportunities available under the Year can be found on the Léargas website and the European Youth Portal.

Photographs of today’s All Aboard event will issue from Marc O’Sullivan.