NUI Certificate in Youth Arts 2025/2026 – Accepting late applications

The NUI Certificate in Youth Arts is a Level 7 Special Purpose Award delivered by the National Youth Council of Ireland in partnership with the Department of Applied Social Studies, Maynooth University. It aims to introduce those working in the youth work sector to the concepts, principles and practice of youth arts using a context and practice approach.

The Certificate programme will be of interest to youth workers and youth arts practitioners looking to develop their knowledge, skills, and competence in youth arts so they can enhance their arts-based work with young people in youth work settings.

The programme is delivered over 100 contact hours involving online and on-campus learning (including four residential weekends) and will include youth arts workshops and experiences; specialist inputs from NYCI and Maynooth staff as well as practitioners from youth work and youth arts; practical activities and project work; lots of opportunities for group discussion and reflection.

This Certificate is funded by The Arts Council and the Department of Education and Youth.

Application Process

Please note:

• The deadline for applications for the 2025/2026 course was Friday, June 13^th 2025 at 5pm. Interviews are taking place shortly and 16 places will be offered for the 2025/2026 course in the coming weeks.
• If you are interested in applying for the NUI Certificate in Youth Arts 2025/2026, but haven’t yet submitted an application form, please email Rhona Dunnett at rhona@nyci.ie as soon as possible and complete the below application form, uploading a reference from senior management in your organisation. Please do check your eligibility before you apply (see below).
• The course start date is October 18^th 2025

If you have any questions about the NUI Certificate in Youth Arts or the application process please contact rhona@nyci.ie

Course Description and Objectives

The NUI Certificate in Youth Arts aims to deliver specialist training for the youth work sector in youth arts methods and approaches, addressing the need in the sector for skilled practitioners who can integrate youth arts with their developmental work with young people. The Certificate aims to further enhance youth arts practice in youth work, increasing access to high-quality youth-centred arts practice that empowers young people and supports their development.

Through a blend of online and in-person learning, students will explore:

• Context and purpose of youth arts in youth work settings
• Principles and values of youth arts practice
• Skills and methodologies in youth arts practice
• Design, delivery and evaluation of a youth arts project

The Certificate aims to provide a supportive learning community for all participants and provide a wide range of learning experiences including: youth arts workshops at Certificate residentials; specialist inputs from NYCI and Maynooth staff as well as practitioners from youth work and youth arts; practical activities and project work; lots of opportunities for group discussion and reflection. As part of the Certificate programme, students are supported to complete 4 assignments, ranging from a short essay to youth arts resource development and project work.

Participants in the NUI Certificate in Youth Arts will:

• Gain an understanding of the cultural and sociological background to, and the theories and principles underpinning, youth arts;
• Develop an awareness of the relationship between youth work and youth arts;
• Experience and assess a variety of methods of implementing experiential arts-based learning in youth work settings;
• Develop skills for working with young people through a range of selected art forms;
• Build competence in planning, delivering and evaluating a youth arts project

Designed for

This course will be of interest to youth workers and youth arts practitioners working in youth work and youth arts settings who want to:

• Deepen their understanding of the role of youth arts in youth work settings and the principles and values underpinning youth arts practice.
• Build their youth arts toolkit, developing new skills and exploring methodologies across a range of youth arts practice and project management areas.
• Develop their competency in youth arts practice so they can apply their learning to their work with young people in youth work settings.

Eligibility

Please note that applicants for the Certificate must be:

• Aged at least 21 years old on 1st January 2025.
• Be based in Ireland.
• Participants must be currently working as a volunteer/ paid employee / contractor with young people in a youth work or youth arts setting, have support from their organisation to take part in the Certificate, and have support to deliver a short youth arts project as part of their coursework and final assessment towards the end of the Certificate. This part of our criteria is designed to ensure that our Programme’s investment of time and funding in the training of youth workers and youth arts practitioners/artists results in improved provision and outcomes for young people in youth work settings.

If you are interested in the Certificate and would like to discuss your eligibility, please do contact Rhona at rhona@nyci.ie

Delivered by

The NUI Certificate in Youth Arts is developed and delivered in partnership by Maynooth University and the National Youth Council of Ireland.

The Certificate is led by the National Youth Arts Programme team at NYCI in conjunction with staff from the Department of Applied Social Studies at Maynooth University and with the participation of a wide range of guest facilitators and inputs from youth arts and youth work.

The Course Co-ordinator is Rhona Dunnett, National Youth Arts Programme Manager and a member of staff at the Department of Applied Social Studies, Maynooth University acts as Academic Director of the Certificate programme.

Apply for the NUI Certificate in Youth Arts 2025/2026

The deadline for applications for the 2025/2026 course was Friday, June 13^th 2025 at 5pm. Interviews are taking place shortly and places will be offered for the 2025/2026 course in the coming weeks.

If you are interested in applying for the NUI Certificate in Youth Arts 2025/2026, but haven’t yet submitted an application form, please email Rhona Dunnett at rhona@nyci.ie as soon as possible and complete the below application form, uploading a reference from senior management in your organisation.

Please contact Rhona Dunnett, National Youth Arts Programme Manager, at rhona@nyci.ie with any questions about the Certificate or queries about the application process.