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Centre for Youth Research and Development

The CYRD is a Jean Monnet European Centre of Excellence. In addition to pursuing the research and scholarly interests of staff in the Department of Applied Social Studies, the Centre For Youth Research and Development (CYRD) at Maynooth University conducts a range of research projects, which are commissioned, funded or otherwise supported by external organisations and agencies. Recent and current partners and funders include the European Commission, the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, the Combat Poverty Agency/Department of Social Protection, the National Youth Council of Ireland, Youth Work Ireland, the Equality Authority, Kildare Youth Services and Youth Advocate Programmes Ireland (YAP).

CYRD led the Erasmus+ funded YWeLP project which produced youthworkandyou.org a curated hub of open source, interactive curriculum resources for youth work education and trainng. You can find more information on the YWeLP project at https://www.youthworkandyou.org/the-project/

CYRD is a member of the Youth2030 Consortium, a global youth work and development education project funded by Irish Aid and led by NYCI in partnership with Trocaire, Concern and CYRD.

Professor Maurice Devlin and Associate Professor Hilary Tierney are co-Directors at the CYRD, which also employs a number of full and part-time researchers and research assistants.

The CYRD also has extensive links with international partners, for example as part of a consortium developing an MA in European Youth Studies. The Centre is also closely associated with the Research Committee on Youth (RC34) of the International Sociological Association.

For further details contact: [email protected] or [email protected]

Measuring the Impact of Youth Organisations (MIYO)

‘Measuring Impact: with, for and by youth organisations’ (MIYO) . CYRD is the academic partner in an Erasmus+ KA2 Strategic Partnership. Led by World Organisation of Scout Movement (WOSM) and YMCA Europe. See https://impactofyouth.org/
Learn about the project and meet the partners
Read the Phase 1 Summary Report
Download the MIYO Toolkit at https://impactofyouth.org/toolkit/

Balbriggan’s Black young people look out for each other - DAPPSS CYRD Research Launch

"The team from the Centre for Youth Research and Development in Maynooth University’s Department of Applied Social Studies has just completed research on the experiences of Black young people in Balbriggan, County Dublin. The research report titled - 'Looking out for, looking after, looking to each other’ was launched in Balbriggan by Minister Joe O'Brien.

Balbriggan is very culturally diverse, with 29% of its population born outside Ireland and 9% identifying as Black or Black Irish in the 2022 census as compared with 1% nationally. It also has the highest proportion of young people among Ireland’s large towns. The title of the report – ‘Looking out for, looking after, looking to each other’ draws on the words of the research participants and captures some of the positive aspects of their lives and experiences: the strong bonds of friendship, solidarity, caring and fun. But it also touches on the negative aspects: the need for ‘guardedness’ and solidarity, especially in the context of routine experiences of racism and discrimination, for both the young people and their families. It explores a range of reasons why youth work has had limited success in the past in attracting and engaging Black young people but highlights some positive recent developments, notably ones where Black young people and adults are taking the lead. The research also suggests that community development approaches within the Black and Black Irish community have played a key role in addressing and – to some extent – ameliorating inequalities experienced by young people, for example in their relations with the Garda Síochána.
The report includes a number of recommendations for policy and practice at local and national levels, including a workforce development strategy with incentivisation initiatives aimed at increasing the numbers of minority ethnic professionals and volunteers, drawing on existing examples in formal education and other sectors.
The research was commissioned and published by the National Youth Council of Ireland with funding from Community Foundation Ireland.

For a copy of the report go to;
http://www.youth.ie/articles/new-research-launched-balbriggans-black-young-people-look-out-for-each-other/

Selected Reports & Publications

Centre for Youth Research and Development (2023) ‘Looking out for, looking after, looking to each other’: Perspectives from and about Black young people in Balbriggan, County Dublin. Dublin: NYCI
Full Report

Devlin, M., Connolly, N. O'Brien, M. & McGarry, K. (2014) Longitudinal Evaluation of Project Futsal. Dublin: Football Association of Ireland.
Full Report Executive Summary

Devlin, M., Connolly, N., McGarry, K., McMahon, B. (2014) Longitudinal Evaluation of Youth Programmes Ireland. Dublin: YAP Ireland.
Full Report Executive Summary

Research Projects

Current projects include:

‘Measuring Impact: with, for and by youth organisations’ (MIYO) . CYRD is the academic partner in an Erasmus+ KA2 Strategic Partnership. Led by World Organisation of Scout Movement (WOSM) and YMCA Europe. See https://impactofyouth.org/
A qualitive study on the experiences of Black young people experiences in Balbriggan, Co. Dublin. Commissioned by NYCI with funding by Community Foundation Ireland.
A longitudinal evaluation of sports inclusion programme Project Futsal, a joint initiative between the Football Association of Ireland and the Welsh Football Trust, funded through the European Regional Development Fund's Inter Reg IVA Ireland Wales programme, aiming to up-skill people in long-term unemployment. The research seeks to assess the effectiveness of the programme in meeting its objectives, with the aim of informing its work as it develops and evolves.
A longitudinal evaluation of YAP Ireland, a service providing intensive support programmes for young people with complex needs, and their families. The research seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of the YAP model in an Irish context, and whether its programmes contribute to positive outcomes for young people and families.
A collaborative study with UCC on volunteer-led youth work in Ireland, which seeks to explore and identify key themes in volunteer-led youth work in Ireland, examine factors which promote or are barriers to volunteering, as well as make recommendations for policy and services to support and develop this sector. The research is funded by the Irish Research Council with the support of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs.

Further Information