Press Releases
CIYD Audit Report of Youth Work in Church of Ireland
26,000 Young People Active in Church’s Youth Work Per Week:
Survey to be Launched
A new all-Ireland survey commissioned by the Church of Ireland Youth Department (CIYD) is to be launched at Parliament Buildings, Stormont on Wednesday 10 June and at Church House, Dublin on Friday 19 June. The independent survey, An Audit Report of Youth Work in the Church of Ireland, reveals a number of striking findings relating to engagement of young people aged between 11 and 25 with the Church.
Significantly, the survey finds:
• That there are approximately 26,000 young people aged between 11 and 25 years old active in the Church of Ireland’s youth work per week;
• That this work is supported by over 3,000 adult volunteers; and
• That the work encompasses a range of youth initiatives, from work with immigrant young people to the organisation of youth clubs, and from running Silver Bands to undertaking faith development programmes.
The Audit Report will be officially launched at Stormont on the 10th of June at 10.30am by the Rt Revd Alan Abernethy, President of the Youth Department, with representatives from the youth sector attending. At Church House, Rathmines, Dublin on 19 June at 2.00pm it will be launched by Mr Barry Andrews, TD, Minister of State for Children and Youth Affairs and the Most Revd Alan Harper, OBE, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland.
David Gardiner of DSG Consultancy which conducted the survey said, ‘By commissioning this, the most extensive survey of Youth Work ever undertaken in the Church of Ireland, CIYD is demonstrating its commitment to the strategic support of youth workers and youth work across the entire Church, and to accurate reporting to stakeholders. With at least 3,300 volunteers providing parish-based youth work for up to 26,000 young people every week, the Church is making a substantial contribution to Irish society. With a further 17,500 young people engaged annually at a diocesan level, the impact and reach of Church of Ireland youth work is nothing less than impressive.’
Bishop Abernethy in receiving the report noted, ‘This is an exciting moment for the Youth Department and for the Church of Ireland. It will enable us to map out our future strategically in this important area.’
ENDS
For further information on the Audit Report, the launches and on the Church of Ireland’s work with young people, please contact: David Brown (Youth Officer): +44 (0) 791 901 6979 or E. [email protected]