Local Champions FAQ

NYCI’s Asks – what are we campaigning for?

NYCI is campaigning for 27.3 million investment in youth services in the upcoming budget. We have a 1 page resource which explains it.

The figure is broken down and explained in more detail in NYCI’s Pre-budget Submission.

Engaging with Decision -makers

How do I contact my Local TDs?

You can find the contact details for TDs and Senators here on the Dáil website.

It is best to email but you can also

• Ring up the office to organise a meeting.
• Check their website or social media for upcoming drop-in days. These are sometimes called a “constituency surgery” or “constituency clinics”.
• Sign up to their newsletter (on their website) or follow their social media to see their upcoming office days.

It is important to personalise your emails to TDs and use your own voice.

What can I ask my TD to do?

Well the first thing is to ask them to meet you in Buswell’s Hotel on the 9th of June between 11pm and 3pm. There you will be asking them to support increased investment in youth work.

It is so important to ask the TD to keep you updated on any work they have done! You can track their work on KildareStreet.com where you will get an email every time your TD mentions “Youth” “Young People” or any other topic.

Don’t Forget the Senators!

The easiest way to find any local Senators is to look up your local papers. Normally there will be an article about their winning a Seanad seat. You can also check out the “who are the candidates” articles in the local paper from the last election – you will see some senators.

Tracking your work

Its so important for you to let us know how you got on and how you have engaged with your local politicians, this helps us to support you and future local champions! It also means we can show all the great work you have done, which will help ensure the programme stay funded! 

Youth services

How do I talk about youth work?

We have a resource for this! This link shows you a whole guide about how to describe youth work in Ireland. 

What are my local Youth Clubs?

There is not “Map” of youth clubs across Ireland. But the calendar of events for “Youth night” from last year is the closest thing to a list! Simply open this webpage, select your county, and you will see the details of a number of local youth services.

Media and Interviews

It is important to engage with local media! We will give you a prep session before any interviews.  

If you are wondering how these interviews will go – take a look here at an example