Expand+The criteria you must meet to access the Youthreach programme depends on whether you apply to a Youthreach centre managed by an Education and Training Board (ETB) or a Community Training Centre.

ETB Youthreach programme

To be eligible for Yout...

Hide-The criteria you must meet to access the Youthreach programme depends on whether you apply to a Youthreach centre managed by an Education and Training Board (ETB) or a Community Training Centre.

ETB Youthreach programme

To be eligible for Youthreach provided by your local ETB, you should be between 15 and 20 years of age. You must be unemployed and an early school leaver without any vocational training and who has not attempted the Leaving Certificate. Some exceptions can be made to this rule, for example if you are a lone parent.

Community Training Centre Youthreach programme

To be eligible for Youthreach provided by your local Community Training Centre, you should be between 16 and 21 years of age. However, young people under the age of 25 who are disadvantaged and unemployed may attend the programme with agreement from SOLAS.

The training on offer varies from centre to centre, often depending on the facilities available. If you have an interest in a particular career, you should look around for a centre offering a suitable course rather than applying automatically to the centre nearest to you.

Expand+Courses are free and trainees aged over 16 receive a weekly allowance. You will get a travel allowance if you have to travel 5 km or more to the centre. You may also qualify for free childcare and a meal allowance - you should check with the centre.
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Hide-Courses are free and trainees aged over 16 receive a weekly allowance. You will get a travel allowance if you have to travel 5 km or more to the centre. You may also qualify for free childcare and a meal allowance - you should check with the centre.

The 2016 weekly allowances are as follows:

Trainee(s) maximum payment per week

16 - 17 years €40
18 years and over €160.00 (with some exceptions)

If you are over 18 years of age and you are currently getting a social welfare payment of more than €160, you will continue to get the higher amount while you are on Youthreach as long as you are eligible. If you were getting a reduced age-related Jobseeker's Allowance (JA) before starting Youthreach any means that were deducted from your JA will also be deducted from your training allowance. This also applies to people getting a reduced age-related basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA).

Expand+Programme Aims

This programme aims to offer you:

• To offer participants long term career focussed work experience supported by the Advocacy service

Support, information and guidance on how you can plan your route towards further education...

Hide-Programme Aims

This programme aims to offer you:

• To offer participants long term career focussed work experience supported by the Advocacy service

Support, information and guidance on how you can plan your route towards further education or training (FET) or work.

• The chance to build your skills, abilities, talents, interests and confidence so that you ready to start other courses or training, getting a qualification, or work.

• A range of different subjects to try, depending on what is interesting, useful or important to you in moving forward to further study, training or work.

• The opportunity to use what you are learning in your everyday life and in the future for further study, training or work.

• Opportunities to be more confident by using what you are learning in new situations.

• The chance to get ready to start working towards a qualification by working on new areas,
or the block or gaps you might have that hold you back.

• Teaching that is interesting, adult friendly and that encourages you to see how it’s possible
to make the changes you want in your life, by discussing your own ideas, experiences
and opinions.

• Teaching that focuses on what you want, or need, to learn.


Learning Outcomes

At the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Use new skills in one or more areas of
• Study skills and key skills such as writing assignments, projects or essays
• Computers and other technology
• Practical or vocational skills for further education or training (FET) or work.

You’ll also be able to:

• Recognise the skills you already have, and how prepared you are for certified FET study,
or employment. This course will help you realise what you already know and know how to do.

• Decide what you need to work on in the next FET course or class you go on to.

• Judge what kind of teaching helps you the most. This might help you decide what you want
to do next.

• Work in a group with other adults who are there for the same reasons as you.

• Put into practice what you have learned on other study or work situations.