Can you help young people achieve? 

WOULD you like to help young people achieve their full potential? 

Youth Advocate Programmes (YAP) Ireland is looking for locals to help young people and families to reach for the stars.

YAP Ireland worked with 201 young people in Dublin in 2017. 

Under the YAP model, children and young people with a range of complex needs, such as a risk of being taken into care, a risk of offending, mental health issues, or disabilities, are provided with intensive, focused support through developing a strong, trust-based relationship with their advocate. 

Siobhán O’Dwyer, chief executive of YAP Ireland, said they are looking for people who are passionate about helping their communities, working with young people and families, and building better outcomes for the people we work with. 

“This is a great opportunity for anyone looking to make a real difference in the lives of young people in Dublin,” Ms O’Dwyer told Northside People. 

“The YAP model is an incredibly effective way of improving outcomes for young people, with 84 per cent of the young people we worked with in 2016 showing an improvement in their self-esteem and confidence; 78 per cent showing an improvement in school attendance and 80 per cent showing improvement in feeling withdrawn and isolated. 

“Ninety-three per cent of those who were living at home when they commenced with YAP, remained at home at the end of the programme.”

Aisling Madden-Nodwell, YAP Ireland Service Manager for Dublin-Mid Leinster said: “Under the YAP model, we purposely seek out advocates living in the same community as our young people, to help to empower them to build up supports that will remain in place after they have completed the programme.  

“Our advocates are well-connected to the local social support services in Dublin and will utilise these connections to help in their work with the young people. 

“We need people with a positive attitude and a never give up approach who know they can achieve great things with the young people of Dublin.”

People can visit https://www.yapireland.ie/get-involved/work-with-us/ for full details of the application. The deadline is Sunday, January 21.