Regional Youth Service launches online Chat Service for Leitrim

Youth Information, a service available in Co Leitrim through Youth Work Ireland North Connaught (YWINC) is offering a new online youth chat system called the Digital Youth Information Chat Service.

The online chat service is the first of its kind in Ireland and has been expedited by a number of partner organisations to support young people during the Covid-19 lockdown.

The service is stafffed by professional Youth Information Workers including Catherine McCann and Anne Brennan of Sligo/Leitrim.

It is aimed at young people between the ages of 16 and 25 and will be available from 4.00 p.m. to 8.00 p.m. on https://direct.lc.chat/10341532

“The service will provide youth information to young people who cant easily access physical Youth Information Centres. We know the need for the service based on our day to day experience” said YWINC Regional Director Pat Forde.

“The service is critical because it responds to the information needs of young people in Co. Sligo in real time and helps them navigate different arguments and information sources by being able to interact with a trained professional through the chat service on ncycs.ie. “It is impartial, non-judgemental, reliable and accurate and through youth organisations working together nationally, it provides a vetted and youth friendly online facility that is especially helpful with large numbers of young people out of school at the moment”.

The Youth Information service is funded locally by Mayo Sligo Leitrim Education & Training Board (MSLETB).

The launch of the online initiative was welcomed by the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Katherine Zappone who said “it is particularly welcome at a time when young people are facing enormous challenges in all areas of their lives, especially in mental health.”

“I would like to commend the Youth Information Partnership for working together nationally to provide information for young people on a dedicated online facility. Any initiative which seeks to support young people in maintaining their health and wellbeing is particularly welcome now and into the future,” she said.

Pat Forde said the exciting service is a natural extension of what youth information workers do day-to-day but enhances this work by recognising both the importance of the online lives that young people lead and the challenges of the Covid-19 lockdown.

He thanked the organisation’s partners in Youth Work Ireland and said they all expected the service to make a significant contribution to young people’s lives.

“Young people move between the online and real worlds and need to have trusted adults to interact with and help them navigate life’s challenges on that journey,” said local Youth Information Coordinator at YWINC Catherine McCann.