infolink

Welcome to Infolink, Limerick Youth Service’s newsletter/e-zine that promotes the positive contribution of young people to our communities and keeps you up to date with the latest news from one of Ireland’s leading youth organisations.

Inside this week’s edition Infolink has details of a new Youth Information live chat service, an international award nomination for Comhairle na nÓg, online challenges and more in this week’s Infolink.   Limerick Youth Service (LYS) has teamed up with a number of leading youth organisations to formally launch a new unique online youth chat system called the ‘Digital Youth Information Chat Service.’

The Digital Youth Information Chat Service will initially be live on weekdays from 4-8pm and is primarily aimed at young people (16-26yrs). Young people can make queries outside of these times, which will generate a ‘ticket’ with Youth Information officers responding to outstanding ticket when they system next becomes active.

The chat service, which can be accessed at www.spunout.ie, will give young people an opportunity to access information, support and guidance on a variety of subjects from education and health to employment and relationships.

‘This new service is a natural extension of what youth information officers do on a daily basis and it enhances this work by recognising both the importance of the online lives that young people lead and the current period which presents huge challenges for young people,’ said Dermot Troy, LYS.
 
Minister for Children & Youth Affairs, Katherine Zappone welcomed the new service saying ‘it is particularly welcome at a time when young people are facing enormous challenges in all areas of their lives…but are also harnessing their talents and capabilities to play a crucial role in the societal response to the current COVID-19 crisis.’

‘I would like to commend the Youth Information Partnership for working together nationally to provide information for young people on a dedicated online facility.  Any initiative which seeks to support young people in maintaining their health and wellbeing is particularly welcome now and into the future,’ said Minister Zappone.  
 
Congratulations to James from Ballynanty for winning 1st prize in the GYDP Social Distancing Competition. Well done on your amazing art piece. 
  Limerick Comhairle na nÓg have been nominated for the World Health Organisation’s World No Tobacco Day Award for their participation in the development of #NotAroundUs, a Smoke Free Limerick campaign with Healthy Limerick.

#NotAroundUs is an ongoing health initiative that aims to de-normalise smoking/vaping in public and create an environment where it is easier for those who smoke to quit by making public areas smoke-free zones.

With the theme of this year’s World No Tobacco Day ‘protecting youth from industry manipulation and preventing them from tobacco and nicotine use,’ Limerick Comhairle na nÓg have certainly played their part in changing habits as part of the #NotAroundUs campaign.
 
‘Limerick Comhairle na nÓg have been to the fore in developing and implementing the #NotAroundUs campaign and have led the charge amongst their peers to create a tobacco free generation,’ said John Real, Limerick Youth Service (LYS)

‘It’s a great honour to be nominated and the young people deserve a lot of credit for their time and effort in challenging ‘the norms’ in terms of smoking in Limerick,’ said John, Limerick Comhairle na nÓg coordinator.

John also thanked Healthy Limerick who ‘had the vision to include young people in all stages of this project and truly valued and respected their input.’  

This view was echoed by Aoife Ryan, a member of Limerick Comhairle na nÓg who said she ‘really enjoyed working on the #NotAroundUs campaign with Healthy Limerick as ‘they valued and respected our opinions on this project.’

Fellow Comhairlí Zara Daly was delighted that Limerick Comhairle na nÓg were nominated for an prestigious international accolade saying ‘it would be great for all Limerick’s young people to win it.’

This year’s World No Tobacco Day is on Sunday, May 31^st and the World Health Organisation will announce the respective award winners on Wednesday, May 27^th on www.who.int.

For more on Limerick Comhairle na nÓg please click HERE
  Junior Club members at Ratheale Youth Space can explore three of Limerick’s most famous museums courtesy of the West Limerick Youth Work team and Monica Spencer, Limerick & Clare Education & Training Board.
 
The young people received a copy of The Three Muses Activity Pack, a learning programme designed to increase access, ownership and enjoyment of the Limerick Museum, Limerick City Gallery of Art and The Hunt Museum.

The packs feature creative activities which support Visual Art, History and English curricula - all you need is a pencil, paper and your imagination!

For more on the Three Muses and to access your pack please click HERE
  East week, ‘Meet LYS’ features different groups, projects, programmes and youth spaces that are part of Limerick Youth Service with this week’s focus on our Youth & Family Support Project.

LYS’ Youth & Family Support Project engages with young people in number of diverse and interactive programmes that address their civic, educational, personal and social development.

Animal welfare, fitness, creative arts and homework clubs are just some of the examples of the programmes that these projects deliver while members have also taken part in the Youth Factor (see below).
 
Members of the Youth & Family Support groups have been to the fore in organising major LYS events including Fashion Show while they are also the launched the first LYS St. Vincent de Paul Youth Committee.

Earlier this year some of their member were presented with an Investing In Children Award for their part in Tusla’s What is Commissioning? short film.

For more on LYS’ Youth & Family Support please click HERE
  Tusla, the Child & Family Support Agency is a national organisation that promotes the development, welfare and protection of children and, the effective functioning of families.

The remit of Tulsa includes:

• Offering care and protection for children in circumstances where their parents have not been able to, or are unlikely to, provide the care that a child needs.

• Responsibility for ensuring that every child in the State attends school or otherwise receives an education. 
• Providing educational welfare services to support and monitor children’s attendance, participation and retention in education
• Ensuring that the best interests of the child guide all decisions affecting individual children
• Consulting children and families so that they help to shape the agency’s policies and services
• Strengthening interagency co-operation to ensure seamless services responsive to needs
• Undertaking research relating to its functions and providing information and advice to the Minister regarding those functions
• Commissioning services relating to the provision of child and family services.

For more information on Tusla please click HERE