Carlow Regional Youth Services (CRYS) is a local voluntary service affiliated to Youth Work Ireland. It was set up in 1988 with one part-time worker and its mission was to support and promote community based youth work. We provide direct programmes and services for young people at risk and we support young people by putting their agendas on the agendas of the decision makers. We provide a wide range of services and opportunities through community based youth work programmes, drop in, specialised services for young people at risk, and leadership training.

CRYS is part of Youth Work Ireland. Youth work Ireland is a federation of 22 Local Member Youth Services who deliver programmes and services to young people across the island of Ireland. Youth Work Ireland work with over 100,000 young people, through 470 clubs and youth projects, supported by over 500 staff and 7,000 dedicated volunteers.

CRYS are recognised across the county and nationally through Youth Work Ireland as a service that excels in areas of training, child protection, and policy development, and feel these services can be offered to Local Youth Organisations that would like to affiliate to avail of these supports. Some of these supports are outlined below. This resource to the local organisations will mean that they will have nationally recognised training, and affiliated to a network that is striving towards excellence.

CRYS works with young people aged between 8-23 years. While offering a comprehensive service to young people in the Carlow area, with a community based project in Graiguecullen and John Sweeney Park, Youth Cafe in Burrin Street, there is also a strong focus on surrounding areas such as Tullow, Bagenalstown, Hacketstown and Borris. Partnership is key to our work. To that end we work with a range of other agencies including the TUSLA, HSE, Regional Drugs Task Force, Carlow County Council, Carlow County Childcare Committee , School Completion, to name a few. Our work is primarily divided into three age groups:

• 8-12 year olds- Afterschool /Homework Support, Junior Youth Group Programme, Summer Camp. This accounts for approximately 15% of all of our work.
• 12-18 year olds- Drop in facility, Planned Youth Work Programmes, Youth Participation Programmes, Youth Leadership Training, Specialist Support Services, etc –This accounts for 70% of our overall work.
• 8-23 year olds – Volunteer Training, Youth Work Accredited Training, some services for vulnerable young adults in their social time. This accounts for 15% of our work.