Projects We Fund

10,000 young people leave school every year without a Leaving Certificate

The IYF supports LIFE, an organisation who helps young people in North East Inner City Dublin to achieve their full academic potential. LIFE encourages students to complete their Leaving Cert by implementing a range of interventions and scholarship schemes to assist with their studies. The project strives to create a community climate where educational values are understood and appreciated and one in which parents and the community are involved in the education of their children.

Irish children have one of the highest levels of alcohol and drug misuse in the World.

Aisling Group in Meath was established in 1988 and with assistance from the IYF helps troubled young people. It offers young people a chance to take control of their own lives and create a positive future for themselves to avoid becoming involved in drugs, crime, homelessness, or self-harm. IYF funding allows twenty four young people meet on a daily basis to work together so as to stay within the school system. They attend a homework club four nights a week and an activity club on Fridays.

Irish Youth Foundation, supporting activities that help physical and mental health.

Carrigaline Youth Initative, Co.Cork works with a group of young people who are at high risk of getting involved in a serious level of anti-social behaviour. The project encourages them to become interested in their physical and mental health and involves them in cycling trips around Ireland.

Thanks to IYF funding, the project bought ten bikes. The young people are responsible for organising their camping and cycling adventures, where they get to experience nature and get a natural high and sense of achievement from completing the trips. This project allows young people to feel included, to work together to achieve something and to become fit and healthy in a non-threatening way.

Irish Youth Foundation, supporting ability not disability

Pegasus, Co.Sligo
This wonderful project promotes and delivers the benefits of therapeutic riding to children with special needs or a disability. It promotes "ability not disability".

Bonding with horses can create unique opportunities for depressed or troubled children to regain trust, confidence and lost communication skills.

Funds from the IYF have helped provide affordable riding therapy lessons to local special needs schools and to provide increased access to the benefits of therapeutic riding. Two local schools participate for 36 weeks - 576 kids benefit from these riding lessons; these activities provide physical, learning, social, emotional, cognitive and educational challenges.