Two youths from County Roscommon have been chosen as Local Champions by the National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI), which represents organisations working with young people nationwide.
Sam Brooks from Taughmaconnell and Rachel Trimble from Kilbride have been selected as Local Champions for the Roscommon-Galway constituency.
The campaign aims to ensure increased investment in young people and youth work locally and nationally.
Paul Gordon, NYCI Director of Policy and Advocacy explained: “As part of the Local Champions initiative, a group of passionate young individuals has been selected as representatives from their communities to engage with their local politicians and champion the cause of youth work”.
The Local Champions received training and support from NYCI to effectively convey the positive impact youth work has on their lives and the lives of young people in the local area, as well as the importance of investing in youth work.
NYCI is calling for an increased investment of €9.4 million in youth work in Budget 2024, to support the rising costs associated with delivering quality services locally, and ensure equal access to youth work for all young people nationwide.
Sam and Rachel are hoping to engage with representatives including TDs Michael Fitzmaurice, Claire Kerrane and Denis Naughten, among others.
