YMCA Dublin set to expand services following successful 2021

YMCA Dublin has announced that it is going to expand its services in the city following the success of its youth engagement programmes in 2021.

The announcement follows the publishing of the charity’s 2021 annual report which details its work during the year.

YMCA Dublin is one of the oldest registered charities in the world, working with communities in inner city Dublin since 1849 through youth work, mentoring, community work, community childcare, and community employment.

In 2021, as a direct response to the social impacts of the pandemic, YMCA Dublin adapted most of it’s programmes online and outdoors and launched a new Outreach programme, which involved deploying youth workers in the community to meet the needs of young people who had disengaged from youth services during the pandemic.

At the end of 2021, over 40 hours of clubs and activities were available to young people each week.

Kathryn O’Mahony, CEO of YMCA Dublin said in a statement: “We had over 200 positive encounters with young people in their own local spaces through our Outreach Programme since we launched  in August of 2021.

“Our engagement with the community has only increased since the lifting of restrictions and we will continue to support young people through this initiative with plans to expand it further this year, to meet the needs of our community.”

YMCA Dublin also identified growth opportunities through their PlusOne Mentoring programme which responded to the need for an online delivery platform during the pandemic.

The PlusOne programme connects young people with mentors of similar interests in which young people can feel supported both socially and academically.

Last year saw the transition of the programme back to in-person delivery and the expansion of the mentoring team.

YMCA Dublin expects to further grow their mentoring pairs from 10 to 24 throughout 2022.

O’Mahony said: “Set out in our five year strategic plan, one of our core priorities is to strengthen our impact across the community.

“We will do this by creating new community spaces and developing our programmes so they address the ever-changing needs of our communities.

“Throughout the pandemic, we have seen just how important youth engagement is for young people as they navigate their way in society.

“We will continue to grow and expand our programmes so that young people across our communities have access to a safe and supportive environment.”