The Youth Work Function of Education and Training Boards is defined under Section 10 (j) of the Education and Training Boards Act 2013, is … “to support the provision, coordination, administration and assessment of Youth Work services in its functional areas and provide such information as may be requested by the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs in relation to such support”.
The Youth Work Act 2001 provides a legal framework for the provision of Youth Work programmes and services and gives statutory responsibility at national level to the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs and at local level to the Education and Training Boards for the development of youth work and its co-operation with other services to young people.
Education and Training Boards are charged with responsibility for Youth Work in the ETB 2013 Act which identifies Youth Work as a planned programme of education designed for the purpose of aiding and enhancing the personal and social development of young persons through their voluntary participation, and which is (a) complementary to their formal, academic or vocational education and training; and (b) provided primarily by voluntary youth work organisations (ETB Act 2013 and Youth Work Act 2001).
