More young people to benefit as €1.2 million investment supports volunteers and youth clubs nationwide

Funding will support volunteer recruitment, retention and the expansion of youth clubs across Ireland

Minister for Education and Youth, Hildegarde Naughton, has today (Monday) announced funding of €1,218,000 for 12 national youth organisations to support initiatives aimed at increasing youth sector volunteering and expanding the number of volunteer-led clubs operating across the country.

The funding, awarded through the Volunteer Activation Fund, will support a wide range of projects designed to strengthen volunteer recruitment, training and retention, while enhancing the capacity of organisations to deliver high-quality youth work services for communities nationwide.

Projects funded this year include initiatives focused on environmental action, Scouting, youth arts, Irish language youth work and services for young people with additional needs.

The Volunteer Activation Fund will support a range of projects throughout the country, including:

• Establishing new volunteer-led Scouts groups in communities where no Scouting provision currently exists.
• Increasing staff capacity to support volunteer-led youth work.
• Strengthening volunteer-led ECO UNESCO clubs across the country.
• Delivering capacity‑building programmes to expand volunteer‑led services for young people with additional needs.
• Designing and piloting a Volunteer Activation Toolkit to encourage more participation in volunteering.
• Recruiting, training, and retaining volunteers to deliver high-quality Irish-medium youth work.
• Establishing new volunteer‑led youth film hubs and expanding access to youth arts opportunities in underserved regions.

The projects funded under the scheme are expected to increase capacity across the youth sector while enhancing organisations’ ability to attract, support and retain volunteers. 

Since the establishment of the Volunteer Activation Fund in late 2024, more than €2m has been allocated to support volunteer development and the growth of volunteer-led clubs, underlining the Government’s commitment to strengthening youth work provision and participation among young people.

Confirming the funding, Minister Naughton said:

Notes to editors

The Volunteer Activation Fund 2026-2027 has been established to provide additional support to youth services organisations in recruiting, retaining and supporting volunteers. 

The primary objective of the fund is to increase the number volunteers in the youth sector and the number of volunteer-led clubs operating across the country.

A total of €1,275,000 was made available by the Department of Education and Youth to support impactful projects to meet these objectives, of which €1,218,153 is being granted to the twelve successful organisations.

All projects funded under the Volunteer Activation Fund are being delivered by a national youth organisation funded under the Youth Services Grant Scheme of the Department of Education and Youth.

Grants have been awarded, following a review of applications by an assessment panel, to the following organisations:

Volunteer Activation Fund Allocations

Youth Organisation Award

Foróige €115,930 

Scouting Ireland €119,500

ECO-Unesco €119,350

National Federation of Arch Clubs €65,000

Youth Work Ireland €110,378

Localise €70,715

Crosscare €118,107

Irish Girl Guides €105,002

Ogras €108,000

Young Irish Film Makers €111,000

Macra na Feirme €120,000

Belong To €55,171 

Total €1,218,153