€832,000 Announced For 42 Youth Diversion Projects (YDPs) Nationwide.

Minister of State James Browne TD announces €832,000 in once off in funding for 42 Youth Diversion Projects (YDPs) nationwide

• Just under €832,000 in once-off funding being allocated to 42 Youth Diversion Projects throughout the State
• Funding will go towards assisting with renovations to premises, transport and IT equipment to enhance the activities and services they offer to the young people they work with.
• This follows on the advertisement of a Call for Expressions of interest from community-based organisations in relation to the establishment of 4 new projects in 2023, which issued on 30 November and an increase of €6.7m in the annual budget for youth justice services and projects in 2022. An additional €2.5m will be made available in 2023.

Amongst the YDP’s to benefit in Tipperary are:-

Minister of State with responsibility for Youth Justice, Mr James Browne, is delighted to announce some €832,000 in once off in funding for 42 Youth Diversion Projects (YDPs) nationwide.

YDPs engage with young people through a range of supports, including education, training and employment support, social enterprise initiatives, as well as personal development and supports such as mentoring, and personal development activities.

Welcoming the announcement, Minister Browne said: “I have seen first-hand the positive impact these projects have on both the young people who they welcome through their doors and the wider communities in which they are based.
This once-off funding is being made available from overall savings in the Justice Vote. I am delighted we are able to put this funding to good use in supporting YDPs with much-needed premises renovations and repairs, with IT equipment and with new and replacement transport vehicles. This money will be of direct benefit to the young people the project work with in ensuring greater access to training and education facilities and activities that promote pro-social behaviour.”

This announcement follows on from the publication of the Youth Justice Strategy 2021-2027 last year, which provides a developmental framework to address key ongoing challenges, as well as new and emerging issues, in the youth justice area. A major change contained in this Strategy is a new and expanded mandate for the YDPs across the State.

Additional funding of €6.7 million was allocated to youth justice services in Budget 2022, which sees a substantial increase from €18 million to €24 million on the previous year’s budget. A further additional €2.5m will be available in 2023.

Minister Heather Humphreys said: “I am delighted that we have been able to allocate these extra resources to the Youth Diversion Projects. This funding will provide practical improvements to the premises projects work from, and the services and activities they are able to provide for the young people they work with.
I admire the fantastic work of everybody involved in the projects – Youth Justice Workers, JLOs and local Garda management – that I have been privileged to see at first hand”.

The Funds Administration Unit in the Department of Justice will now contact each YDP that has been approved for a grant, to ensure early payment as per the agreed allocations.