True champion: Longford's Amelia Power looking forward to championing the cause of youth work
Local Champions campaign aims to ensure increased investment in young people and youth work locally and nationally
Amelia Power from Longford, along with Londiwe Ndlovu from Athlone, have been selected as National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI) Local Champions for Longford-Westmeath.
The Local Champions campaign aims to ensure increased investment in young people and youth work locally and nationally.
Grace McManus, NYCI campaigns manager explained: “As part of the Local Champions project, a group of passionate and dedicated young people have been selected as representatives from their communities, tasked with meeting their local politicians and championing the cause of youth work.”
The Local Champions received training and support from NYCI to effectively convey the positive impact youth work has on their lives and the lives of young people in the local area, as well as the importance of investing in youth work. NYCI is calling for an increased investment of €21 million in youth work in Budget 2026, to support services with increasing pressures, and ensure equal access to youth work for all young people nationwide.
The Local Champions in Longford-Westmeath, Amelia and Londiwe, are engaging with TDs Peter Burke, Micheál Carrigy, Sorca Clarke, Kevin 'Boxer Moran' and Robert Troy.
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Amelia said: "I'm really looking forward to meeting our local politicians and sharing some of the amazing experiences I’ve had with Comhairle na nÓg and other youth work organisations around Longford. There’s so much important work happening in our local area to support young people, and I want to ensure that our local representatives carry that message to the national level so that youth work in our area gets the recognition and budget it deserves. We mustn't underestimate the importance of shaping the minds of those who will shape our future."