Young people from Louth benefit from European Year of Youth Micro Grants Scheme

Following the success of their maiden journey bringing a European Year of Youth celebration to young people between Dublin and Galway, Léargas today (30.09.22) welcomes another 100 young people aged 16-20 on board a specially chartered train bound for Ballinasloe, Galway.

To date, 74 projects in schools, sports clubs, youth organisations and in higher and further education settings have been funded, including projects based in Louth:

• ‘Colour Run Mini Festival’ by Youth Work Ireland Louth,
• ‘Dundalk LGBT+ Youth Pride’ by Outcomers.

The ‘All Aboard’ event is part of the European Year of Youth (EYY) initiative to raise awareness of local, national and European opportunities available to young people across Ireland. Departing Heuston Station this morning, the train will collect young people at Portarlington, Monasterevin, Tullamore, Clara and Athlone before breaking at Ballinasloe where participants will attend an information fair and workshops at the local Europe Direct Centre.

On board, each carriage will host a different workshop on topics such as European solidarity and sustainable travel through initiatives such as Discover EU, which provides free interrailing tickets for 18-year-olds across Europe.

Speaking at Heuston Station ahead of departure, Léargas’ EYY coordinator, Emma Grainger said: “Our hope is that today’s journey will be the first leg of a much bigger European adventure for the young people coming aboard. Our route today, from Dublin to Ballinasloe, will welcome young people, many of whom are from smaller towns or rural areas, who may not be aware of the opportunities that are open to them through programmes such as Erasmus+, the European Solidarity Corps and Discover EU.

“Whether they want to travel, study, work or volunteer across Europe, Léargas are here to empower young people to access every opportunity possible, regardless of their background or whether they’re enrolled in education or not at all! There are opportunities for everyone.”

European Year of Youth opens door to European opportunities for first time

To date, Léargas has received over 200 applications to the European Year of Youth Micro Grant Scheme, and reports that over 40% of successful projects are newcomers to European programmes.

The scheme, launched by Minster Roderic O’Gorman earlier this year and coordinated by Léargas, was established to address the shortfall in opportunities for young people during the pandemic.

The final application deadline for the European Year of Youth Micro Grants Scheme closes on 15th October.

The European Year of Youth programme is made possible by the European Commission and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. Further details of opportunities available as part of the European Year of Youth can be found at: www.leargas.ie/european-year- youth-2022/.