Limerick’s Northside YouthBank is another exciting programme out of the Northside Youth Café at Watch House Cross. YouthBank, funded by Ulster Bank, supported by We’re OK Youth Initiative and both facilitated and funded by Limerick Youth Service, which runs the Northside Youth Café, is a unique way of involving young people in grant-making within their local community.
YouthBank is an all-island of Ireland initiative for over 20 grant-making committees run by young people of which the Limerick Northside YouthBank is one. The funding distributed by these committees supports projects designed and run by young people that address issues and concerns relevant to them and their communities.
Youth Café coordinator, Aisling O’Brien says, ‘YouthBank is not only about giving grants – it is a personal development programme which builds young people’s self-esteem and confidence and provides them with an opportunity to learn new skills including leadership, teamwork, decision-making, problem-solving, communication, negotiation, report writing, presentation skills, event management, interview skills plus lots, lots more – it that’s possible!’
The Northside Youth Café committee is made up of nine teenagers from the age of 16 upwards. They decided to call their committee Northside FAST – Funding And Supporting Teens and decided that the criterion for approving grants was making Limerick’s Northside a better place for young people. Northside FAST called for grant applications from local youth and community groups in May and received 16 funding requests.
And the successful applicants are:
Flawless School of Dance, St Munchin’s Community Centre - €500 toward the travel costs for the school members to attend the All Ireland Dance Competition in Trabolgan.
St Michael’s Rowing Club - €600 for gym equipment. In addition to this, because there is such an influx of young women joining the Club, they are going to use some of the funds to update their changing room facilities.
Northside Youth Café - €100 to pay for Monday Night Soccer Sessions for members of the Café.
The Bayze Club, Moyross - €250 for the members to visit other similar clubs with a view toward getting to know how other clubs work and ultimately setting up interclub tournaments.
The Northside Youthreach - €200 for the purchase of a Nintendo WII for the Programme.
MTI Youth Club - €300 to help finance fishing trips around Limerick and to make a gardening project in their communal yard at the premises.
Moyross Girl’s Junior Youth Club - €50 for dance lessons.
St Munchin’s Community Centre - €250 to set up a new club for girls and boys in the area (Killeely, Moyross, Ballynanty and Thomondgate) between the ages of 10 to 14.
Caherdavin Celtic FC, Boys and Girls Groups - €600 for upgrading playing pitches and upgrading football equipment.
Northside Youth Café - €350 for purchase of goal posts in the Cosgrave Park area so that youth groups there can play football in the Park.
Student Bakery Society in Limerick Youth Service - €300 toward travel expenses to Stoke on Trent in the UK to attend a training and skills development programme.
YouthBank is an all-island of Ireland initiative for over 20 grant-making committees run by young people of which the Limerick Northside YouthBank is one. The funding distributed by these committees supports projects designed and run by young people that address issues and concerns relevant to them and their communities.
Youth Café coordinator, Aisling O’Brien says, ‘YouthBank is not only about giving grants – it is a personal development programme which builds young people’s self-esteem and confidence and provides them with an opportunity to learn new skills including leadership, teamwork, decision-making, problem-solving, communication, negotiation, report writing, presentation skills, event management, interview skills plus lots, lots more – it that’s possible!’
The Northside Youth Café committee is made up of nine teenagers from the age of 16 upwards. They decided to call their committee Northside FAST – Funding And Supporting Teens and decided that the criterion for approving grants was making Limerick’s Northside a better place for young people. Northside FAST called for grant applications from local youth and community groups in May and received 16 funding requests.
And the successful applicants are:
Flawless School of Dance, St Munchin’s Community Centre - €500 toward the travel costs for the school members to attend the All Ireland Dance Competition in Trabolgan.
St Michael’s Rowing Club - €600 for gym equipment. In addition to this, because there is such an influx of young women joining the Club, they are going to use some of the funds to update their changing room facilities.
Northside Youth Café - €100 to pay for Monday Night Soccer Sessions for members of the Café.
The Bayze Club, Moyross - €250 for the members to visit other similar clubs with a view toward getting to know how other clubs work and ultimately setting up interclub tournaments.
The Northside Youthreach - €200 for the purchase of a Nintendo WII for the Programme.
MTI Youth Club - €300 to help finance fishing trips around Limerick and to make a gardening project in their communal yard at the premises.
Moyross Girl’s Junior Youth Club - €50 for dance lessons.
St Munchin’s Community Centre - €250 to set up a new club for girls and boys in the area (Killeely, Moyross, Ballynanty and Thomondgate) between the ages of 10 to 14.
Caherdavin Celtic FC, Boys and Girls Groups - €600 for upgrading playing pitches and upgrading football equipment.
Northside Youth Café - €350 for purchase of goal posts in the Cosgrave Park area so that youth groups there can play football in the Park.
Student Bakery Society in Limerick Youth Service - €300 toward travel expenses to Stoke on Trent in the UK to attend a training and skills development programme.