‘View From Here’ has been produced to provide a disability awareness educational resource for young people. The purpose of this resource is to raise awareness among students and teachers of the simple steps they can take, the attitudes they can choose and the decisions they can make that will improve how young people with disabilities are treated.
Click here to read more and download the resource booklet.
Our youth survey has now come to a close and thank you all for your participation. The results will help develop local youth services across the country.
Nikon Digital Camera winner:
David Cotter, Tralee
Integr8 booklet Integr8 is a resource guide which has been developed to increase awareness of needs, desire and wants of young people with physical disability. It is designed to help all young people, youth leaders and all those involved in managing youth work to include young people with physical disability.
The past couple of years have been very exciting for youth involvement in IWA. Spurred on by the dramatic growth in youth membership, a new youth structure, named SPIRIT, was launched in 2003 to ensure young people get their voices heard within the Association. SPIRIT is now recognised within IWA, the disability sector and the mainstream youth work sector as a valuable youth service.
The purpose of SPIRIT is to give young people with physical disabilities an opportunity to design youth activities in their own area, with the support of IWA staff, resources, facilities and volunteers. SPIRIT consists of local committees that are run by young people. These local committees address issues relating to young people, organising activities and taking on relevant issues within their communities.
IWA has youth programmes and clubs at IWA centres around the country. Active youth clubs now exist in locations such as Wexford, Mullingar, Tullamore, Limerick, Manorcunningham, Kilkenny and Dublin. In Cork, a joint initiative to provide services for youth groups has been undertaken by IWA, involving the MS Society and Enable Ireland. Each year, youth camps (social and developmental holidays) are held at locations such as Cuisle Holiday Centre.
IWA's youth services have links with Foroige, the national youth organisation, at regional level, with strong partnerships established in Cork and Dublin. IWA also places representatives on National Youth Council of Ireland working groups addressing the issues of equality and discrimination.
If you would like to get more information about a SPIRIT Group in your area, then please contact youth.dublin@iwa.ie. Alternatively, ring your nearest regional office