This piece of work was undertaken by a group of young women aged 15+ who engaged previously in a young leadership programme.

As part of the Northern Youth South Forum initiative, BRYR collaborated with Youth Work Ireland Dundalk, Galway and the Northern Ireland Youth Forum Belfast group. Together young people met in 2023 and again in 2024 to tackle the ongoing issues experienced by young people in communities in both North and the Republic of Ireland.

This initiative led young people to speak with politicians locally and then followed up with a visit to the Dail to express their ongoing concerns around the regeneration of Ballymun, the lack of services/amenities available to those in communities and other issues. This was not only brought to the Dail in the ROI, but again at the Belfast Town Hall to express their ongoing concerns to politicians and stakeholders up the North of Ireland.

Young people were apart of this programme since November 2023 and engaged so positively in the programme, bringing new ideas, ways of thinking and their own experiences to the fore.

A huge thank you to the Northern Ireland Youth Forum and NYSF for funding this initiative and leading it out alongside young people.