The Local Youth Club Grant Scheme (LYCGS) supports volunteer-led youth club/group activities at a local level. Funding for the Scheme is provided by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) and is administered locally by Education and Training Boards (ETBs) on behalf of DCEDIY. The ETB is considered to be a co-grantor for this Scheme. The Scheme supports voluntary youth club/group activities for young people; with priority given to clubs/groups catering for young people aged 10–21. The primary focus of the Scheme is to assist local, volunteer-led youth clubs/groups that provide a programme of youth work activities for young people. In addition, other clubs/groups that work with young people, but are not specifically
providing youth work, are also entitled to apply for funding under the Scheme. To support the work of volunteers, and to ensure that quality standards are adhered to in their work with young people, DCEDIY
has incorporated the National Quality Standards for Volunteer-led Youth Groups (NQSVLYG) into the Local Youth Club Grant Scheme (LYCGS). This Application Form encompasses both elements. The Application Form comprises the following sections:
Section 1: Description and details of your club/group
Section 2: The Local Youth Club Grant Scheme incorporates the National Quality Standards for Volunteer-led Youth Groups. These are national quality standards developed to support and enhance voluntary work with young people. The three National Quality Standards for Volunteer-led Youth Groups are:
- Standard 1: Safety and well-being – Programmes, practices and people ensure and promote the safety, support and well-being of young people.
- Standard 2: Young person-centred – Programmes, practices and people ensure and promote the voluntary participation, inclusion and voice of young people.
- Standard 3: Developmental and educational – Programmes, practices and people ensure and promote the development, achievement and progression of young people.
Section 3: Grant Details
Section 4: Club/group Financial Details
Section 5: Declaration
Please note: It is the responsibility of the local club/group applying to the ETB for funding to ensure that it complies with the requirements of the LYCGS incorporating the National Quality Standards for Volunteer-led Youth Groups.
Both the club/group Chairperson and the Treasurer must sign the Declaration at the end of the Application Form. By signing, they confirm that all information contained in the Application Form is current, available and accurate. Furthermore, they understand and agree that any grant that may be allocated to the club/group will be provided on the basis of the grant agreement with the ETB, as set out in the documentation. By signing the Declaration section of this Application Form, it is understood that the information provided by the club/group Chairperson and the Treasurer may be checked for the purposes of verification and comment as appropriate. In addition, each National Youth Organisation (see listing in Appendix 2) must provide a Statement of Assurance in relation to affiliated clubs/groups in each ETB area. The ETB itself undertakes an assurance process for non-affiliated clubs/groups. This Statement of Assurance declares that the relevant National Youth Organisation or ETB is satisfied that in the clubs/groups named:
- The club/group is volunteer-led and is based on the voluntary participation of young people.
- 75% of the club/group members are between the ages of 10 and 21.
- The club/group can clearly outline the benefits of membership for young people who participate in their programmes.
- The club/group is fully compliant with all requirements set out in the Children First Act (2015).
- All adult volunteers have been Garda vetted.
- Appropriate insurance cover is in place.
- Volunteers have access to a first aid kit and are able to use it correctly.
- The club/group has a Health and Safety Statement, Policy or Procedures or operates to a buildings Health and Safety Policy.
The primary focus of the Scheme is to assist local volunteer-led youth clubs/groups that provide a programme of youth work activities for young people. In addition, other clubs/groups that work with young people, but are not specifically providing youth work, are also entitled to apply for LYCGS funding.
- To be eligible for funding from the Local Youth Club Grant Scheme, the club/group must satisfy the following criteria:
- It must be volunteer-led and it must be based on the voluntary participation of young people.
- 75% of the club/group members must be between the ages of 10 and 21.
- It must be able to clearly outline the benefits of club/group membership for young people who participate in its programmes.
- The club/group must adhere to the requirements set out in Section 2 of the Application Form.
- The club/group must be fully compliant with all requirements set out in the Children First Act (2015).
- All adult volunteers working with young people must be Garda vetted before they start volunteering.
- Appropriate insurance cover must be in place.
- Volunteers must have access to a first aid kit and must be able to use it correctly.
- The club/group must have a Health and Safety Statement, Policy or Procedures. (Note: this applies to clubs/groups that own premises. Clubs/groups that do not own premises must confirm that they have seen and operate to the building’s Health and Safety Policy.)
- Information on all aspects of the three Quality Standards for Volunteer-led Youth Groups that have been met by your club/group must be included in your Application Form response.
- Clubs that were in receipt of Local Youth Club Grant Scheme funding in the previous financial year must complete the Club Report Form, and return it along with their application.
Please note that sports clubs/groups are not eligible to receive funding under the terms of this scheme.
Points to note:
- As the LYCGS is intended to support groups that are not in receipt of project-based funding e.g. those in receipt of funding under DCEDIY targeted youth funding Schemes - UBU Your Place Your Space staff-led projects) and Youth Information Centres are not entitled to apply under the LYCGS. However, volunteer-led youth clubs/groups that may be affiliated to staff-led youth services, and are run by volunteers, are entitled to apply.
- Applications will not be accepted from both local and regional structures of the same organisation. For example, an organisation that has both regional councils/committees and local units/groups should apply to the ETB as a local unit, or it should use the organisation’s regional structure to process the application.
- A general rule of one grant for one club/group is considered to apply. In a case where a club/group has more than one section. For example, Groups or Clubs with Junior and Senior sections then only one application can be made for the eligible age groups, where a minimum of 75% of members are between the ages of 10 and 21. Clubs/groups will need to collaborate locally in order to facilitate this process – your National Youth Organisation Regional Youth/Development Officer or ETB Youth/Liaison Officer will provide the necessary support to help you prepare a joint application.
- Local Community Games Committees that provide non-sporting youth activities may be eligible for funding from the LYCGS. The ETB Youth/Liaison Officer must be satisfied that funding for the same purpose is not available/has not been secured by the Local Community Games Committee elsewhere. The ETB Youth/Liaison Officers will liaise with the relevant Sports Committee/Partnership.
- As highlighted above, clubs/groups whose primary focus is sport are not eligible to receive funding under the LYCGS. Such clubs/groups are directed to other funding supports, for example major sporting organisations, the Irish Sports Council, and local sports partnerships.
- The closing date for receipt of applications to the LYCGS will be strictly adhered to.
Further information
Further information on the Local Youth Club Grant Scheme incorporating the National Quality Standards for Volunteer-led Youth Groups is available on ETBs website.
DCEDIY also provides full details of the Scheme. As documentation may change from year to year, it is important that the correct Application Form supplied by DCEDIY is used. Incomplete application forms will not be processed. All reporting requirements must be met before any new grant aid will be considered. Information submitted to ETBs may be subject to the Freedom of Information legislation.
If your club/group wishes to apply for a grant, all sections of the form must be completed.
As this document is also the reporting template for the NQSVLYG, if you do not wish to apply for grant aid you should only complete Sections 1, 2 and 5 of this form. If you need any help with this, please contact your National Youth Organisation (listed in Appendix 2). ETB Youth Officers will provide this support and guidance to youth clubs/groups not affiliated to a National Youth Organisation.
Need any help?
If you need help in completing the Application Form, please contact your local ETB Youth/Liaison Officer (see Appendix 1 in this Application Form for relevant contact details).
Note:
Your club/group may be contacted or visited by the ETB in order to verify any information you provide. The information provided on the Application Form may be shared with the organisation to which your club/group is affiliated, for verification and comment.
Data protection:
Education and Training Boards are responsible for the administration and delivery of the Local Youth Club Grant Scheme on behalf of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. To fulfil regulatory and statutory obligations, ETBs may collect some personal information from you, such as your contact information and details of your board members and staffing resources. This information may be shared with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth as the accountable department for this funding.
Application forms and personal information submitted to ETBs will be kept only for purposes relating to the administration of the funding. Personal information will be held on systems for as long as is necessary for the relevant activity, or for as long as is set out in any relevant agreement.
Please only provide information that is needed for the completion of this application for funding.
Closing date:
Completed Application Forms must be returned to the CMETB by Friday the 26th of April at 5pm.
Late applications will not be accepted.