National Youth Council of Ireland – News

Upcoming training, deadlines, and calls

• One World Week Seed Fund deadline Jun 5
   
• Summer School – The Creative Well: Creativity and Wellbeing in Youth Work Jun 6 – 7
   
• Call for Group Facilitators – EU Youth Conference 2026 deadline Jun 7
   
• Call for Group Harvesters – EU Youth Conference 2026 deadline Jun 7
   
• Gathering the Evidence: Youth Voice, Youth Rights Jun 12
   
• NYCI National Conference 2026 Jun 17
   
• Grow It Yourself – A one-day Professional Retreat at Grow HQ Jun 19
   
• Thinking Together about LGBTQIA+ Inclusion in Youth Work Practice Jun 22
   
• Shared Ground Network deadline Jul 1
   
• Young Voices EU Presidency Launch Jul 1
   

Resources you might like

• Supporting Young People with Anxiety: A Guide for Youth Workers 
   
• Irish Young People Decode AI: Verdicts from NYCI’s Citizens’ Youth Juries

Remember to check out our News Feed for regular updates.

One World Week Seed Fund closing tomorrow!
The One World Week Seed Fund in association with Irish Aid is an exciting opportunity to connect young people’s personal experiences with their local community and the wider world. Grants of up to €400 are available.
Deadline: Friday 5th June, 5pm
Find out more and apply >>

Thinking Together about LGBTQIA+ Inclusion in Youth Work Practice
As part of Pride Week, we will be hosting a one-hour online session sharing learning from the North–South LGBTQIA+ Youth Work Symposium and creating space for reflection and discussion on what LGBTQIA+ inclusion means for youth work practice.
Register now >>

Support the EU Youth Conference 2026
We are inviting applications for 10 Group Facilitators and 10 Group Harvesters to support the European Union Youth Conference (EUYC) taking place in Dublin from 27–30 September 2026. These will be paid roles with travel, accommodation, and meals provided.
Deadline to apply for both calls: Sunday 7th June, 23:59
Apply to be a Group Harvester >>
Apply to be a Group Facilitator >>

Shared Ground Network
Shared Ground is a dedicated peer-led space that is explicitly about and for minoritised youth workers (incl. Black, Brown, LGBTQ, trans, Traveller, disabled and others whose identities are routinely marginalised).
Find out more and register interest >>

In the news: young people’s verdicts on AI
NYCI’s new report, Irish Young People Decode AI: Verdicts from NYCI’s Citizens’ Youth Juries, received widespread national media coverage following its launch at DCU this morning.

Read the coverage:

• RTÉ News: Young people ‘anxious’ about AI job displacement
• RTÉ Radio One Georgia-May Staunton discusses research on Morning Ireland
• Irish Examiner: AI amplifies ‘misinformation around dieting, mental health and politics’, young people say
• Irish Independent: Young Irish people want increased safeguards on AI and social media, new report says

The report also featured across RTÉ Radio bulletins, Newstalk, Ireland AM (Virgin Media) and regional radio stations nationwide. Watch out for more coverage as we continue our work on this important issue!

 

Member News

EIL Intercultural Learning: Learning to Create Change
‘Learning to Create Change” explores how intercultural learning and volunteering can empower people to become active global citizens and create meaningful social impact. You can find out more at this blog post about Dara’s recent training trip to Bonn, Germany 
Find out more >>

Irish Girl Guides: International Guiding opportunities with IGG and WAGGGS
Through the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS), Irish Girl Guides can connect with girls and young women from around the world through exciting international opportunities. 
Find out more >>

ECO-UNESCO: Groups from Kerry, Armagh and Dublin Win Young Environmentalist Awards
ECO-UNESCO’s Young Environmentalist Awards (YEA) 2026 saw 28 awards presented to hundreds of young environmentalists from across the island of Ireland. The three Overall Category Winners taking home the biggest awards of the year are from Kerry (GoWild from Mean Scoil Nua An Leith Triuigh, winning the Overall Senior Category Award), Armagh (Wear Your Values from St Catherine’s College, winning the overall Junior Category Award), and Dublin (Tackling waste in CityWise, Jobstown, Tallaght……the WORLD! from CityWise Education, winning the Overall Junior Category Award). 
Register for next year >>

ECO-UNESCO: Summer Camps in Dublin & Cork
ECO-UNESCO is hosting a series of educational and adventurous 5-day summer camps this summer! Taking place in Dublin and Cork throughout July and August, ECO-UNESCO has planned a series of exciting activities in nature for participants joining from Monday-Friday. We’re exciting to welcome two age groups to the camps this summer, Green Teens (ages 13-16) and ECO-Explorers (ages 10-13).
Find out more >>

ECO-UNESCO: ECO-Sustainability Award Programme
The ECO-Sustainability Award programme is a framework that outlines important operations to promote sustainable development, while awarding organisations recognition of their qualifications along the way. ECO-UNESCO is inviting more organisations to join this support network and offering free info sessions to assess how this programme may be of use.
Find out more >>

ECO-UNESCO: QQI-Accredited Course in Ecology and the Environment
This course provides participants with the knowledge about the ever-growing and developing field of ecology through classroom sessions, practical tasks and field trips. This learning opportunity is perfect for youth workers, educators, teachers, early-career professionals or anyone who wants to receive a qualification in Ecology and the Environment. The course will be carried out in person (in ECO-UNESCO’s Dublin office – 9 Burgh Quay, Dublin 2), over 2 weeks starting on June 15, and costs €500/learner.
Find out more and apply >>

Is your organisation an NYCI Member?
As well as advocating on your behalf, NYCI provides advice, networking and development opportunities, and expert training in all areas of youth work, including child protection, development education, equality, arts, health, and more.
Find out more >>

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Vacancies

Foróige: Various roles nationally
 

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Other Youth Sector News

Rural Action: Expressions of Interest Open – Maximising Community Space Programme
Rural community organisations across Northern Ireland and the border counties are invited to apply for the new Maximising Community Space (MCS) programme. The programme will support 40 organisations to make better use of existing community spaces, helping them expand activities, increase participation, and strengthen local connections. Successful groups will receive accredited training and mentoring support, networking and study visit opportunities, and up to £10,000/€10,000 activity support.
Deadline: Friday 19th June 2026.
Find out more >>

Cyber Citizens Project: Youth Consultation
The Cyber Citizens Project team wants to hear directly from young people about life online on Monday 29th June – your experiences, opinions and ideas about digital culture, cyber security and cyber citizenship. Your input will help shape Cyber Sense learning resources and public engagement activities so that they are relevant, useful and connected to the digital world young people experience every day.
Sign up >>

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