Mission Statement

To enable young people to gain for themselves the knowledge, attitudes and skills necessary to meet their own and others’ developmental needs.

KDYS Background

Since our establishment in 1971 the Kerry Diocesan Youth Service has always striven to meet the real needs of young people through committed volunteers, trained staff and the implementation of best practice.

Presently KDYS delivers a diverse range of family support, children and young peoples services spread throughout the Diocese of Kerry. The added value that KDYS brings to each individual programme is that it co-ordinates an integrated approach in responding to young peoples needs. KDYS recognise that in all communities there are young people with a range of distinct issues that combine to marginalise the person and ultimately lead them into a life filled with more negative behaviour. KDYS understands how individually diverse projects such as early school leaving – Youthreach, Garda Youth Crime diversion work, drugs and alcohol projects, family support projects such as Springboard and Neighbourhood Youth Projects as well as universal services for young people, can combine to generate a more effective overall response to the young person. 

The KDYS is the first youth work organisation in Ireland to receive the YWI Quality Standards Award, The Excellence Ireland Award and the FAS Excellence Through People standard. Also, we are a gold medal Youth Health promoting organisation.

KDYS Priorities 

q  Maintain Front-Line Services – 2009 has seen a reduction in funding for Mainline Services of over €110,000, the ending of funding for a nationally acknowledged education programme for Young Travellers (€90k) & the reduction in generated income (fundraising, fees etc).

q  Develop & Enhance existing programmes to meet increased needs in current climate, i.e. Mentoring & Training Programmes.

q  Volunteers are vital to our work.  We will support their active involvement and development in all aspect of our work.  The added value of working with volunteers in delivering a youth provision is considerable – our experience can demonstrate that a government investment is matched many times through community involvement, particularly the participation of volunteers.

q  Seek support for the maintenance and development of Youth Facilities/Youth Cafes – KDYS currently has Youth Centres (incorporating Youth Cafes) in Killarney, Listowel, Tralee, Killorglin & Millstreet with additional Drop-Ins in Cahersiveen, Kenmare and Castleisland. 

q  Work with stakeholders to demonstrate the value of developing practises and systems which record more clearly how projects assess needs, design their responses and measure the impact of said responses over time.

The KDYS Youth Centre in Killarney is a flagship project which to date has attracted investment of over €3m. To complete the project – the development of an Education & Research Facility – an additional capital investment of €1m approx. is required. It is expected that this investment will come from fundraising, philanthropic & statutory sources.  

KDYS Delivery of Services