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THE governing body of The European Youth Information and Counselling Agency (ERYICA) is meeting this week in Killarney as part of an enhanced engagement in Ireland.

The meeting, which is being organised by Kerry Diocesan Youth Service and Youth Work Ireland, will examine a variety of EU-wide topics relevant to young people and youth services today. The main focus of ERYICA is supporting and promoting quality general youth information policy and practice at all levels, a process which KDYS leads on in Kerry and Youth Work Ireland nationally.

The meeting and an associated seminar in Dublin next week will work to further develop critical areas of youth information provision in Ireland and throughout the EU.

ERYICA is composed of national bodies (non-governmental or governmental) which seek to guarantee the right of young people to full and reliable information, which helps them make the choices they face in their lives, and which promotes their autonomy and their active participation in a democratic society.

Tim O’Donoghue, director of KDYS Services said: ”We are delighted to bring this significant European meeting to Kerry and to host it in our youth centre in Killarney. This is a key part of our ambition to develop our Killarney Centre into a formally approved ‘European Youth Centre’ under the Council of Europe. If successful the Killarney Centre will be the first European Youth Centre in Ireland and will represent and strengthen Ireland’s commitment to Youth Development in Europe. This will, most importantly, open up new opportunities for local young people and professionals to access many opportunities across Europe under a range of European initiatives.”

Patrick Burke, CEO of Youth Work Ireland, added: “Ireland has a particularly strong and proud record in supporting the provision of youth information and has been the model and inspiration to many other European countries. The Irish voice on this matter therefore commands respect at a European Level. The meeting of ERYICA in Kerry will formulate a strong message emphasising the critical importance of Youth Information Services and for the new Youth Strategy currently being formulated by the European Commission to strongly support the right of young people to quality and appropriate information.”
 

 
Above: The governing body of The European Youth Information and Counselling Agency met in Killarney today as part of an enhanced engagement in Ireland. The meeting which is being organised by Kerry Diocesan Youth Service) and Youth Work Ireland, will examine a variety of EU-wide topics relevant to young people and youth services today, at the meeting were, Tim O'Donoghue, director, KDYS services, Jaana Fedotoff, CEO, ERYICA, Mayor of Killarney Municipal Area, Cllr Brendan Cronin and President of Killarney Chamber of Tourism & Commerce, Kate O'Leary. PICTURE: VALERIE O’SULLIVAN