Mr. Eoin Forkan:

Good morning everyone. I am 17 years old and I am from County Mayo. What I want to talk about today is the importance of youth work and its role north and south of the Border. It can play a vital role in the future of this island and I will explain why. I will begin by telling the committee a bit about myself. I have been involved in youth work since I was 13 when I joined my local Foróige club. I have seen from my experience and that of my friends that youth work provides important spaces and opportunities for young people. In my home of north Mayo Foróige gives young people a safe space outside of school where they can make friends, meet up, discuss their ideas and relax in a setting that may not be possible in all homes.

In rural Ireland especially, a youth club helps to open up the country to young people in a way schools often cannot. It allows us to go on trips and meet like-minded people. We can join Foróige's special interest clubs or attend events such as balls or regional conferences. It also lets us meet the local adults who volunteer to run the clubs. It helps us to feel more connected to our communities. In short, youth work gives young people a place to be themselves and have a sense of place and belonging.

My involvement with youth work has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life, giving me opportunities such as speaking at an international conference at the University of Galway and being here today. It has also allowed me to meet peers from various communities and backgrounds and not only those I meet in school or in my neighbourhood. Having grown up in rural north Mayo my experience with cultural diversity was limited to say the least. During my time in Foróige I have got to know an incredible variety of people from diverse backgrounds. I have worked alongside young people with ties in Poland, Nigeria, Iran and Britain among many others. Getting to know this diversity of experience and opinions has been hugely beneficial to my perspective. For me this is the value of youth work.

In Northern Ireland it is still common for young people from different communities to attend separate schools, socialise in different locations and play different sports. When someone enters through the doors of a youth club they have an opportunity to drop all their labels and just be themselves. In my experience youth work allows young people to come together outside of all the different groupings, discuss the challenges and issues that affect them and work together to find solutions. For example, in the spring young people in Foróige recommended that all affiliation fees be waived for any Ukrainian refugee wishing to join. Within a month this decision was agreed and formalised by the board. Youth work gives young people from all backgrounds the time and space to collaborate on issues such as these. The opportunities provided by youth work for discussion and problem-solving will play a vital role in the future of the island because they support a foundation for uniting various communities. Through youth work we have the chance to discover what we have in common and what brings us together. When we work off our commonalities as opposed to our differences we can achieve great things.

Youth work is hugely overlooked in the development of young people. We speak mostly about school. Of course school is important but it does not allow young people as much freedom to choose what we want to learn, including important skills we will need in our future such as leadership, empathy or citizenship. The scope of education needed for life expands beyond the classroom. Youth work has the space to fill these gaps. Youth work has made me more openminded and empathetic. Most of all, it has increased my confidence in ways I could never have imagined. If you had told 13-year-old me when I first joined that I would be speaking in front of you today in one of the most important buildings in Ireland I would probably have called you delusional. This just shows the impact of youth work.

The role of youth work as a form of education does not only benefit young people. It also provides an invaluable learning experience for the adult volunteers who run the clubs, giving them an opportunity to be involved with their entire community across generations. This collective learning in our communities will help to bring us together throughout the island. Improving the quality of our future leaders will make approaching difficult questions about Ireland's future easier. I hope the future of this island is one of peace and prosperity with young people at the centre. I thank the committee members and other witnesses for listening to me and I hope they enjoy the rest of the day.