Sunday, the 22^nd April 2012 marked the Annual KDYS Youth Day Event, 1,000 members of KDYS Youth Clubs and projects came with their Youth Leaders from the four corners of the Kerry Diocese to attend the highlight event of the year.

DJ Peter Karim got the crowd dancing at the 3pm Mega Disco. Revolution Dance group performed for the crowd in the Brandon on the day and set the bar in terms of dance technique for all present. Winners of competition on the day will be announced through our website this coming week along with photos of the day.

The objective of KDYS Youth Day is to create an opportunity for young people to meet and experience recreational and social activities and in doing so enjoy the fun of meeting with their peers from all over the Diocese of Kerry. Linda Kearin, KDYS Youth Day Manager said ‘Involving young people in recreation is critical to their well being, Youth Day demonstrates what is possible when young people come together with the support of youth leaders. Youth Day has developed significantly as a key element of the KDYS recreational programme and our desire is not only to sustain this but to add even more options for the young people of the Kerry Diocese’.

The scale of the experience can only be appreciated when we know that the activities filled the KDYS Youth Centre and the Brandon Conference Centre in Tralee. Socialising and great FUN was the theme of the day and the recreational activities included, Dance workshops, Health & Beauty, High-energy zones, Chill-out zones, Indo Boarding, Headspace and of course X Factor! . KDYS band project members put their all into performing for their peers throughout the day at the Brandon.

John Gilmore, President Youth Work Ireland and Patrick Burke, CEO Youth Work Ireland were in attendance on the day, KDYS Youth Day is one of the events featured in Youth Work Irelands ‘Youth Week’. Youth Work Ireland Week 2012 began on Saturday 21st April and will run until Sunday 29th April. At the last count there is almost 200 events and activities going on around the country. At a national level, there will be a briefing for all Oireachtas members in the Dail on Wednesday 25th and the acclaimed Irish Youth Music Awards in Liberty Hall Theatre, Dublin on Saturday 28th. For further information on Youth Week activities log on to www.youthworkireland.ie

KDYS was delighted with the support received in delivering a safe, alcohol-free event of this scale particularly from the KDYS volunteers, young people & staff, Gardai, The Red Cross, Kerry Recreation Sports Partnership and Kerry Community Transport.

At 5pm on Sunday it was all over for another year as the Young people and Youth Leaders headed for their buses for the journey home. Tim O’Donoghue, CEO of KDYS stated: I am delighted with the large turn-out on KDYS Youth Day 2012 as we are now even more aware that youth participation is vital to develop and maintain the well-being of our society’

Catch up on KDYS Activities across the diocese and photos of Youth Day by logging on to KDYS website www.kdys.ie