New research findings provide further evidence that Ireland’s Youth Diversion Projects (YDPs), which employ 550 people and support thousands of youngsters, have tangible and valuable impacts. In a world supposedly led by “influencers”, the greatest influence can actually come through good relations established between youth workers and young people.

A three-year deep dive by academics from UL found that when youth workers establish “effective, trusted relationships” with young people it helps to generate positive change and to reduce offending behaviour. Establishing such relationships can lead to greater trust by young people in adults and services, improved ability to cope with challenges, increased confidence and self-worth, and less engagement in crime.

As Dr Seán Redmond, who teaches Youth Justice at UL, said when the research was launched in March:

“Relationships cannot change the world or the structural inequalities that many of our young people face, but they are agile, endlessly flexible and resilient to knocks and shocks.”

• Helen McGuire, Sean Redmond, Caitlin Lewis, Jackie Dwane and Eoin O’Meara Daly at the report launch. PHOTO BY Alan Place.

The team behind the research are not going to let this paper gather dust on a library shelf. To provoke discussion about youth justice work, a new six-part podcast series will be hosted by Cork community worker James Leonard from the acclaimed The Two Norries podcast. As James remarked at the launch,

“If you haven’t got a good relationship with your young person, your evidence-based treatments will fall by the wayside.”

The team is also organising webinars and events.

As part of their work, the researchers aimed to develop guidance for youth justice workers and to support the policy of intervening to divert young people from crime. The research for the ‘Better Together Report’* was conducted by the Research Evidence into Policy, Programmes and Practice (REPPP) team in the School of Law at UL. It was funded by the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration.

Commenting on the launch of the report, Minister of State with Responsibility for Youth Justice, Niall Collins, said:

“Investing in youth diversion and youth justice services is a key priority for Government, as it provides invaluable support to An Garda Síochána in its work to address youth crime and protect communities.

“I recognise the dedication and expertise of youth justice workers who facilitate these youth diversion pathways, and I commend them for their efforts to change the lives of young people for the better.

“This invaluable work has an undeniable positive impact on the lives of children, their families, their communities and on society as a whole. It moves young people away from pathways that, in the absence of diversion, would very likely lead to re-offending and imprisonment.

Speaking again about the findings, Dr Redmond said that building trusted connections helps young people to “negotiate adversities, seize and sustain new opportunities and get exposed to new affirming networks – and in this way are potentially transformational.

“Our evidence supports continued investment in, and further development of, relationship building to help change young people’s offending behaviour in Ireland,” he said.

About Youth Diversion Projects:

YDPs are primarily for 12-17 year old “at risk” youths. Each project is community based and involves multiple agencies in devising youth crime prevention initiatives and organising activities to facilitate personal development, promote civic responsibility, and improve long-term employability prospects. The Youth Diversion Programme that supports the projects was established under the Childrens Act 2001 and there are now 101 YDPs across the State. Foróige is one of the main providers at community level.

About the UL research unit:

Established in 2016, Research Evidence into Policy, Programmes and Practice (REPPP) is a research collaboration between the School of Law in University of Limerick and the Department of Justice.

REPPP’s mission is to support the youth justice system in Ireland to make rational judgments regarding youth justice policy and practice that are informed by scientific evidence. It does this through significant and ongoing policy-oriented youth crime research.

• At the report launch: Eoin O’Meara Daly, Tina Morin, Sean Redmond, Caitlin Lewis, James Leonard, Jackie Dwane and Susan Leahy. PHOTO BY Alan Place.

Download the report:

* The full title of the report is: ‘Better Together: Developing Relational Practice to Effect Change in Young People’s Offending Behaviour’. You can download the report, watch a video of the launch and find out more about the podcast series and other events here: www.ul.ie/artsoc/ccjvs/research/youth-justice/reppp.