Donegal Youth Service

DYS Core Projects

Daybreak: is an educational support programme, which encourages the release of positive development within each of the young people in the project. The project is targeted at young people who are early or potential early school leavers and those who are occasional attendees aged 12-15 years. 

LOFT: Youth Project & Health Advice Café is a support service for young people aged 12-18 to engage themselves in activities and personal development programmes and overcome difficulties in their lives.  Within the LOFT, young people may participate  in group work programmes, one-to-one youth work, advocacy services, youth drop-in space and summer activity programmes. 

Young Carers: this project operates as part of the LOFT Project and provides peer support sessions and respite care for young people across the county who take on a caring role and extra responsibilities at home, that impacts other areas of their lives.

World Wide Voices: this project operates as part of the LOFT Project.  It is an international youth work project that promotes social cohesion by connecting people from different ethnic backgrounds via social education initiatives

Youth Information Centre: provides a free, confidential information service to young people aged 12-30 and those who work with them. The centre operates a one stop shop approach where all information is available under one roof. 

Youth Outreach Project: provides a support service to affiliated youth clubs and projects located across the county. Membership continues to be in excess of 2,000 young people aged 5yrs-25yrs in the youth clubs and projects and supported by almost 400adult volunteers. 

Breakout: is youth project focused on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender young people aged between 12 and 30 years. The project operates a weekly drop-in provision in Letterkenny and Glenties as well as training, information and one to one support.

ReActiv8/2: is a cross-community, cross border peace and reconciliation project targeted at young people aged 14-24 in need of personal development and employment support. The programme offers one to one support, training, group work, events and activities. Funded until August 2020

Youthscape is a cross-border, cross-community 38week programme for young people aged 14-25 who are not in full time work, training or education. The programme offers accredited training, personal development, trips, activities and ongoing one to one support, operating in Letterkenny and Ballybofey with outreach capacity when required. Funded until December 2021

Our Generation is a cross-border and cross-community project aimed at  building positive relations by developing “Our Generation’s” emotional resilience, empathy and understanding The project will seek to build peace through emotional resilience in post-conflict Ireland It will reach 35,000 children, young people and adults who support them during the life of the project. Programmes provided will include accessible, age appropriate prevention, early intervention and recovery activities delivered on a cross-border and cross-community basis to support the mental and emotional wellbeing of children and young people within local communities.