Introduction

Background

In 1983, it was difficult to imagine what kind of structure could be put in place for the purpose of local co-ordination of youth work activities. In Youth Services 2000 this was stated explicitly:

From where will the leadership come to provide local co-ordination? What kind of structure will undertake this complex work? The question of whether a local committee made up of officials of the agencies mentioned ... (i.e. the educational system, the Health Boards, National Manpower Service, the J.L.O.'s Probation Officers etc.), together with local representatives of the major youth organisations working in that area might assume responsibility for all grant aiding and stimulating co-operation and new local initiatives is worth further examination.

Since 1989, 11 voluntary youth councils have been established under the aegis of the Department of Education in Ireland. The Cork Local Voluntary Youth Council (CLVYC) was established in 1994.

Structure and Operation

Structures and operating guidelines governing the establishment of the CLVYC were based on:

1. Consultations with voluntary youth organisations operating in Cork City and County.
2. The experience gained by the City and County Vocational Educational Committees in Cork in initiating and evaluating projects for disadvantaged youth.
3. The experience gained by the City and County VECs in carrying out their administering and co-ordinating role in relation to the funding made available for special projects for disadvantaged youth.
4. The on-going relationships being developed between the VECs and the providers of youth services through special projects, youth information provision and the Youth and Sport Grant Scheme.
5. The guidelines on the operation of Local Voluntary Youth Councils issued by the Minister of State, at the Department of Education, in April 1990.

Administrative Area

The jurisdiction of the CLVYC extends to Cork City and County. It has been suggested that, from time to time and for short periods it may be necessary to establish Advisory Groups to the CLVYC in a locality to identify needs and put forward plans to meet them.

Membership Structure

The membership of the CLVYC is elected/nominated from the following categories:

Term of Office of the CLVYC

The term of office of the CLVYC is co-terminus with the Local Authority. On dissolution of the Council of Cork Corporation and Cork County Council the CLVYC also dissolves. Following local elections a new CLVYC is formed.

Functions of the CLVYC

The CLVYC has the following functions:

1. To provide a forum for the voluntary groups to exchange views and develop policy.
2. To encourage, through exchange of information and experiences, good practice in the youth service.
3. To assess the needs of young people in the Cork City and County area and to make recommendations on action to meet those needs.
4. To facilitate, where appropriate, common programmes and research taking current activities into account.
5. To liaise with statutory agencies on behalf of voluntary youth organisations and groups.
6. To seek to develop an active role for young people within the youth service and in youth affairs generally.
7. To help create a positive environment for youth work and to support and facilitate voluntary effort.
8. To establish a prioritised plan of action, following research and having regard to the tenure of the Council, the primacy of voluntary effort, the availability of resources and the potential for optimisation of existing effort.
9. To submit a draft action programme to the Chief Executive Officer of the City of Cork and County Cork Vocational Education Committees in early October of each year.
10. To be advised on such elements of the draft programme as are sanctioned by the Department of Education to be implemented and to arrange for feedback on such implementation.
11. To continuously monitor the action programme and to develop and amend it in the light of sanction, experience and the emergence of new needs.

Background to this Research

Following the inaugural meeting of the CLVYC (30 October, 1994) it was agreed that a research project be put in place immediately to facilitate the work of the Council in its co-ordinating role.

It was decided that the research project would be carried out on a consultancy basis and that the contract for the project be awarded to the Department of Education, University College Cork. The Education Department in University College Cork submitted a research proposal which was accepted by the Cork Local Voluntary Youth Council at a meeting on 23 January 1995.

Aim of the Research

The aim of the research is as follows: - The development of an information base on youth service provision in Cork City and County areas which would assist the CLVYC in identifying gaps in provision, in highlighting issues and in facilitating the Council in its co-ordinating role.

Objectives

1. To establish as clearly as possible the range of youth work services available in Cork City and County with the co-operation of the various bodies represented on the CLVYC.
2. After the first objective had been achieved, to identify in consultation with the Steering Committee a number of areas to be researched in more detail.
3. To carry out detailed case studies of the agreed areas. These studies would include demographic profiles of the areas in question. They would also attempt to provide:

• an up-to-date picture of the youth service in these areas
• a discussion focusing on some of the key issues raised in the case studies for the purpose of the development of youth work in Cork City and County.

Research Methodology

At the outset, it is important to acknowledge that youth work has been narrowly defined for the purpose of this research. This narrow definition means that the role of sporting organisations and the role of other organisations working indirectly with young people or with young people with particular needs have not been given consideration.

The first objective of the research as outlined above was achieved with the assistance of the key informants involved in the CLVYC. These informants submitted profiles of their own organisation's activities. These are presented in Chapter One. It was through contact with the same informants that the data on youth service provision in Cork city and County was compiled. It was possible to provide visual presentations of this information on maps of Cork City and County areas. (It is important to note that this is just a 'snapshot' of the youth provision in Cork at one particular time and that the situation is constantly changing). Once these objectives had been achieved, it was decided at a subsequent CLVYC meeting to concentrate on a number of areas for case studies. The following areas were agreed upon by the council:

• Churchtown/Liscarroll Parish
• Conna
• Macroom Urban Area.

These areas were chosen on the basis that they are all rural areas in Cork County. They are areas of varying size and they are at diverse stages of development. It was hoped that the data uncovered from these studies would supplement other data gathered from previous studies undertaken in Cork City and particularly the suburbs of Bishopstown and Ballyphehane. Profiles of these areas have also been included in this study for the purpose of providing greater depth and coherence. The multiple case studies provide a stronger basis for scientific generalisation.

A number of different methods of collecting the information were selected as being appropriate for the task. The demographic profiles were developed using the Small Area Statistics from the 1986 and the 1991 census. These data were supplemented by information from Cork Corporation and Cork County Council as well as Area Development Plans and parish surveys where possible. Other sources are acknowledged throughout the report.

The Interview was chosen as an effective method of obtaining the kind of data the research assignment aimed to uncover. The interview technique is suited to the procurement of qualitative data as it affords considerable opportunity for communicating questions and eliciting information. Interviews were conducted with key informants in the different areas. Loosely structured interviews conducted in both formal and informal settings, consisting of a large number of open-ended questions with a permissive tone offered a means of uncovering people's views and experiences. Different schedules were prepared before the interviews as the people being interviewed were different ages and occupied different roles and positions in the different communities. Group discussions were used in some instances. These provided a useful and provocative means of gathering information on peoples views, breaking the boundaries set by formal conversation. Many of these views are quoted verbatim throughout the case studies.

Additional information was obtained from printed sources - books, newspaper articles, Government Reports, local publications and parish newsletters. The information obtained has both a subjective and objective content. People's views and experiences complement the factual, scientific data uncovered. Through visiting the areas, the Researcher obtained 'a feel' for them and her sensibilities of the particular 'local' issues were enhanced.

Data was held in the form of field notes and reports of progress were provided to members of the Steering Committee at regular intervals.

Time was undoubtedly a constraint for this project and it limited what could be achieved both in terms of the data on youth work provision and the amount of data collected for the case studies.

Taking cognisance of the disadvantages associated with using the case study approach, the findings were treated with caution so as not to generalise too strongly from a few case studies. However, the issues that are raised and discussed are salient issues identified as being important by people at the 'front line' of youth work or by young people themselves. These issues set the context for a discussion about the future of the Cork Local Voluntary Youth Council and more importantly the future of youth work in Cork City and County.

Outline of the Report

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