The new partnership in Cavan and Monaghan – a commitment under the recently-launched cross-Government Creative Youth Plan 2023 – 2027 – brings to seven the total number of LCYPs in operation across the country, complementing and working with formal school settings and spanning arts, culture and creative activity offerings to children and young people. Activities undertaken to date by Local Creative Youth Partnerships have included workshops in art, film, photography, dance and more.
LCYPs are pilot initiatives led by the Department of Education in partnership with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) and the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sports and Media (DTCAGSM) as part of the Creative Youth Plan.
Minister Foley said:
“The Local Creative Youth Partnerships have been very successful in providing new and innovative creative opportunities for children and young people outside of school, such as the various art workshops undertaken by young people. The unique local partnership approach involved facilitates identifying the different needs of all those being supported, to help ensure the best possible outcomes. I would like to congratulate and welcome Cavan and Monaghan into the LCYP and I look forward to hearing about the innovative, creative and imaginative projects that will emerge from the region.”
Minister Martin said:
“The recently launched new Creative Youth Plan aims to bring an even greater focus on equity, diversity and inclusion over the next five years. The six existing Local Creative Youth Partnerships have made a significant impact in building community partnerships to reach children and young people that are seldom heard, providing them with access to creative and cultural engagement. I am therefore delighted to support an expansion of this initiative and its potential to reach even more children and young people across Cavan and Monaghan.”
Minister O’Gorman said:
“I am delighted to support the establishment of a new LCYP in Cavan and Monaghan. As with all programmes across the Creative Youth Plan, input from the children and young people is central to the decisions taken about the activities offered. My department, through Hub na nÓg, will continue to provide training, support and advice to ensure all young voices are heard and that any barriers to children and young people being heard are overcome.”
Local Creative Youth Partnerships (LCYPs) combine a wide range of resources to develop and provide out-of-school creative activities for children and young people that complement and work with the formal school settings. Providing ‘out of school’ activities for marginalised cohorts, their remit goes beyond the arts and includes culture and creative activity in all spheres.
The partnerships bring together the local infrastructure of Youth Officers, Local Authorities, Education Centres, representatives from the early years sector, and local cultural resources such as arts centres. The work of the LCYPs is supported by Hub na nÓg to ensure the voices of children and young people are central to the partnerships.
To date, six pilot Local Creative Youth Partnerships (LCYPs) have been established in conjunction with ETBs, as per Action 14 of the Creative Youth Plan (2017-2022). The partner ETBs are:
• Laois Offaly ETB, Limerick Clare ETB, Kerry ETB (Phase 1: 2019-present)
• Galway Roscommon ETB, Cork ETB, Mayo, Sligo, Leitrim ETB (Phase 2: 2021-present)
Examples of activities undertaken to date by existing Local Creative Youth Partnerships include:
• Limerick Clare Local Creative Youth Partnership: Young Beoirs Gathering
Inspired by Abbeyfeale teenagers, the Young Beoirs Gathering brought together teenage girls from Limerick and Clare to share their cultural heritage for Cruinniú na Óg 2022.
Girls from Ukraine, Syria, Africa, Pakistan and from local clubs in Limerick enjoyed workshops in belly dance, henna tattoo, film, drawing, photography, make-up and making affirmation badges. One very memorable moment was created when a Ukrainian group, who travelled from Ballyvaughan, performed a special dance they had created for the event. Food sharing was also part of the event, with young people sharing traditional dishes from Pakistan, Syria, Ukraine as well as Ireland.
• Kerry Local Creative Youth Partnership: Exhibition exploring home and homelessness
‘Inclusion’ is the title of a temporary exhibition exploring home and homelessness which has been created by young people involved with the Local Creative Youth Partnership and which opens at Kerry County Museum on Culture Night, Friday 23 September.
Facilitated by homeless charity Novas and artist Jeannine Storan, children and young people involved in the exhibition worked on deciphering the emotional parts of what it is to be home and their final exhibition sends a powerful message on an issue close to their hearts.
