Nicolas Schmit, European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, visited the Youthreach Clondakin centre near Dublin today.  The ESF funded project has a long standing reputation and national awards for helping young people who left school early to bounce back – and take their first successful steps toward employment.  He was joined by Simon Harris, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and Dervila Tawmley, Head of the ESF Managing Authority in Ireland.

Commissioner Schmit stated, ‘It was very inspiring to join Minister Harris for a tour of the Clondalkin YouthReach Centre which is co-funded by the EU. The young people we met told us that Youthreach is like a community where they are really supported. Their talents are developed and they find jobs or further education.’

Co-funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) since its launch in 1988, the centre is part of Ireland’s Youthreach programme, a national scheme that has provided opportunities for several generations of young people aged 15-20 to make a smooth transition from school to work.  The programme, which also receives funding from the Irish Government and the Youth Employment Initiative, currently operates 110 centres across the country – with almost 6 000 places available nationwide. Each centre offers a supportive ‘second chance’ learning environment to gain qualifications and skills, with certifications that allow to progress to further education or employment.

Youthreach puts a strong emphasis on personal development, integrating life skills courses in most of its programmes.  Centres provide up to two years integrated education, training and work experience, offering a choice of vocational options and a work experience programme, and focusing on core literacy/numeracy, communications and IT skills. Young people who have been assessed as having multiple learning difficulties also benefit from a Special Education Needs Programme.

Youthreach centres were also able to continue helping students throughout the pandemic. Thanks to preliminary preparation to support online learning, students were able to access courses and training remotely, and the programme operated over 30 social media platforms across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube. The use of virtual platforms also allowed for sessions to be delivered covering mental health awareness and psychological support services to students, teachers, parents and guardians.

Thanks to the positive learning environment and inclusive approach, Youthreach learners achieve their full potential, and have won national awards for their innovation and leadership skills. The success and transformative impact of Youthreach, and its outreach to 14 000 young people during the ESF (2014-2020) operating period, will be continued through funding from the new ESF+ (2021-2027).

The Commissioner’s visit to Youthreach provides an example of how ESF funding continues to build opportunities for young people across Europe.