‘Better Outcomes: Brighter Futures’; the National Policy Framework for Children and Young People 2014 -2020’ is the first overarching national policy framework for children and young people aged from birth to 24 years and will be implemented by the Department of Children and Young Affairs in collaboration with all Government departments and key State agencies.
‘Brighter Futures, Better Outcomes’ establishes a shared set of outcomes for children and young people to which all government departments, agencies, statutory services and the voluntary and community sectors work, to ensure a coherent response for children and young people.
These outcomes are:
• Active and healthy, with positive physical and mental wellbeing.
• Achieving their full potential in all areas of learning and development.
• Safe and protected from harm.
• Economic security and opportunity.
• Connected, respected and contributing to their world.
The National Youth Strategy is being developed under this overarching National Policy Framework, overseen by a National Youth Strategy Task Group. A Project Team, led by DCYA is in place to develop the National Youth Strategy.
There is a now a consultation underway. This consultation is based on Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures and previous consultations that have been carried out with young people over the past three years such as the EU Structured Dialogue Process, Being Young and Irish, Growing Up in Ireland and other relevant consultations, reports and surveys that have identified issues of importance to young people.
The consultation is in two phases –
1. An online consultation with young people and those working directly with young people and
2. Face to face consultation events early in 2015 with young people and other stakeholders which will be informed by the findings of the online consultation.
There is still an opportunity to feed into the National Youth Strategy. We would ask you to take a few minutes to fill in this online survey. There is also an opportunity to highlight the environment as a key issue on the priority list under ‘other’.
The link to the survey is; http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/1829693/New-National-Youth-Strategy-Have-Your-Say and again we would urge all of you to take a few minutes to complete this survey.
By taking these steps you are ensuring that the natural environment is seen as a key priority for young people in Ireland.
The ‘EU strategy for Youth, Investing and Empowering’ as one of its core objectives already identifies the need to “mobilise youth in global policy-making at all levels (local, national and international) using existing youth networks and tools (e.g. structured dialogue) and address climate change and the UN Millennium Development Goals”(Commission of the European Communities 2009, p.11).
