Every year, YMCAs across Northern Ireland walk alongside over 18,500 young people. From Portadown to Larne, Derry~Londonderry to Belfast, our movement provides a vital support base and lifeline for young people.

High-quality youth work is the heartbeat of our local communities. It’s the open door when things get tough at home, the mentor who listens without judgment, and the bridge that connects a young person’s potential to their future career. By providing early intervention in mental health and essential life-skills training, we aren’t just supporting individuals – we are investing in the future of young people and Northern Ireland.

Our Direct Call to Action:

We are calling on Education Minister Paul Givan, the Department of Education (@Education_NI) and the Education Authority (@educationauthority) to provide the youth sector with the security it deserves. We have two specific asks:

1. Ring-fence Youth Work Funding: Protect the budget for youth services to ensure that the most vulnerable young people in our communities aren’t left behind.

2. Long-term Assurance: Move away from precarious, short-term funding cycles. The sector needs a sustainable, multi-year commitment to keep our doors open and our services in place.

As the Department of Education reviews the “Priorities for Youth” policy, we must ensure that youth work is treated as an essential pillar of our education system, not an optional extra.

Youth work isn’t a luxury. It’s an investment in the Northern Ireland of tomorrow.