Kildare and Wicklow ETB attends national Youth Work Matters conference
KWETB Chief Executive Deirdre Keyes with Denis Leamy CE Cork ETB, Minister for Education and Youth Hildegarde Naughton TD, ETBI Youth Services Support Manager Ruth Griffin, ETBI Acting General Secretary James Eustace
KILDARE and Wicklow ETB delegates attended the Education and Training Boards Ireland's (ETBI) national Youth Work Matters conference where Minister for Education and Youth Hildegarde Naughton TD launched the Summer Meals Pilot Project report and shone a spotlight on the growing issues surrounding holiday hunger.
The report highlights the extent of food insecurity experienced by young people across Ireland outside of the school term, with 60% of Youth Workers reporting high levels of holiday hunger in their communities.
The report, undertaken by ETBI, the Department of Education and Youth and Horizons Research, confirms that holiday hunger is prevalent in local communities with youth workers frequently observing young people arriving hungry, skipping meals or taking food home to support their families. The report found that the end of the school year creates a “cliff edge” for some families in accessing foods.
In total, 41 youth services operating under the UBU Your Place, Your Space framework provided over 5,000 young people per week with nutritious meals while also supporting wider wellbeing.
Addressing delegates at the conference, Minister Naughton announced, “I am very pleased to confirm that the programme will continue in 2026 with increased funding of €600,000, allowing us to expand participation from 41 to 77 youth services across the country.
“I want to sincerely thank the education and training boards and youth services involved for their continued commitment to supporting the wellbeing of young people in their communities.”
