Dominic Hannigan (Meath East, Labour)
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394. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will provide an update on the implementation of the National Quality Standards Framework for the youth sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25973/15]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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My Department administers a range of funding schemes and programmes to support the provision of youth services to young people throughout the country including those from disadvantaged communities. The funding schemes support national and local youth work provision to some 380,000 young people and involve approximately 1,400 youth work staff in 477 projects and 40,000 volunteers working in youth work services and communities throughout the country. In 2015, funding of €49.9m has been provided to my Department for these schemes. There has been no reduction in the overall allocation for youth services in 2015 which was a key priority for youth organisations.

Ensuring quality service delivery is an ongoing priority. My Department is progressing and supporting the implementation of quality standards initiatives in the youth area. This will help ensure an improvement in good practice, that these services and projects are outcomes focussed and that the young people involved are deriving the maximum benefit from being involved. The National Quality Standards Framework for youth work applies to all staff-led youth work organisations, services, projects and programmes funded by the Department. All youth work services and youth organisations funded by the Department are now applying these standards.

A set of best practice standards for volunteer led youth clubs and groups, such as Scouting Ireland and the Irish Girl Guides and others was introduced by my Department in 2013. The aim of these standards is to support 1,600 clubs with some 10,000 members in creating and providing quality programmes and activities for young people in safe and supportive environments. The implementation of quality standards and the best practice guidelines is being supported by a Quality Standards Training and Resource Development Group, which involves experienced youth workers and other experts. Its task is to develop the resource materials and training to support the voluntary providers of youth services throughout the country. The introduction of the quality standards has been welcomed by the national youth organisations and local services. My Department has plans to further develop the quality standards and the supports for the voluntary youth services to implement them in the context of the new National Youth Strategy, which will be available shortly.

Dominic Hannigan (Meath East, Labour)
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395. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the way his Department plans to implement the European Council recommendation on the validation of non-formal and informal learning; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25974/15]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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My Department administers a range of funding schemes and programmes to support the provision of youth services to young people throughout the country including those from disadvantaged communities. The funding schemes support national and local youth work provision to some 380,000 young people and involve approximately 1,400 youth work staff in 477 projects and 40,000 volunteers working in youth work services and communities throughout the country. In 2015, funding of €49.93m has been provided to my Department for these schemes.

An estimated 43% of young people between age 10 and 24 years are engaged in various non-formal learning (youth work) activities and programmes provided by voluntary youth organisations. Young people’s participation in youth work activities is important for personal and social development. Involvement in youth work activities can help young people to develop their social skills and acquire competencies such as self-motivation, good communications, critical thinking and problem solving skills. Participation in youth work programmes also enhances young people’s connection with and contribution to their community and assists them to be responsible and active citizens.

My Department is developing a National Youth Strategy for 10 to 24 year olds. It will be a universal strategy for all young people and will aim to be responsive to issues which impact on young people’s lives, such as youth unemployment. It will seek to improve outcomes for this age cohort across five national outcome areas; active and healthy, learning and development, safe and protected, economic security and opportunity and connected, respected and contributing to society.

The National Youth Strategy will set out objectives to enhance young people's competencies, skills and attributes that complement formal learning and training qualifications. The priority actions in the new National Youth Strategy to be progressed over 2015 - 2017 include the development of a national system in line with the EU Council Recommendation of 2012 on the validation of non-formal and informal learning. The preparatory work for the proposed system will be undertaken in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, including the youth sector.