Opportunities for Youth: National Strategy for Youth Work and Related Services 2024-2028 commits to producing a Workforce Development Strategy, to include consideration of training needs and the requirement for high-quality, accessible and inclusive youth work services and opportunities. As part of the preparatory work to deliver the Workforce Strategy, and to establish baseline data and information, a workforce survey for youth workers was undertaken, followed by a workforce questionnaire for employers.
Consultations are scheduled to take place with the youth work sector and other key stakeholders in May and June this year which will build on the data acquired to date and provide my department with a more in-depth understanding of the challenges experienced by youth organisations in workforce recruitment and retention.
Correspondence issued to national youth organisations and ETBs last week informing them that both in-person and online consultation opportunities will be available. The registration process will open this week for all consultations, with the in-person consultations scheduled to take place in Cavan, Dublin, Limerick and Waterford.
The data from the workforce survey for youth workers and the workforce questionnaire for employers, along with the informed views from the stakeholders in the consultations will directly inform the key areas of focus in the forthcoming Strategy.
