About NIYF
The Northern Ireland Youth Forum is youth led.
This means that it is run by young people and is all about young people.
- The NI Youth Forum is a regional voluntary youth organisation which is youth-led and was established in 1979 by the Department of Education to promote the voice of young people. We support young people to have a say on things that are important to them.
- Our purpose is to promote youth voice and to help young people have opportunities to have a say on issues that affect their lives (UNCRC, Article 12).
- We do this in different ways: 1-1 work, group work, residentials and international opportunities, experiential learning, lobbying and advocacy, and speaking truth to power.
- The NI Youth Forum is led by young people. Our Executive Committee is made up of young people aged between 11-25.
- The NI Youth Forum works on a range of themes including: youth voice, mental health, housing & homelessness, poverty, education, environment, policing/justice and safety, transport, inclusion and diversity, and peace building.
About NIYF
NI Youth Forum promotes the voices of young people; Speaking Truth to Power. By working together we speak more loudly and we will make sure those in position of power will hear your opinion. We are an independent; radical; youth led body. Any young person between the ages of 11-25 years can get involved.
All young people have opportunities to have a say on issues that affect their lives.
Our mission is to empower young people to challenge disadvantage and inequality; effect change and contribute to building a just, fair and equal society. We want to help children and young people who do not have what they need because of poverty, who are being treated unfairly or because they don’t have the help and support they need when they need it – like at school or the doctor
Youth Led – the Youth Forum is entirely youth led. Governed and managed by young people aged 11-25. We invest in supporting young people to take the lead; be activists and be in control.
Youth Voices – all young people have the right to have a say and their views should be taken into account and acted upon.
Caring – we want everyone who works with us to feel safe, respected and valued.
Kindness and how we treat one another is at the heart of what we do.
Rights Based – we are a rights based organisation and our practice is embedded in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Equality, diversity and inclusion – all young people have a say; are welcome and should be supported.
Core Work
Under our core work we:
- Work with Local Youth Councils;
- Organise events, activities conferences, seminars, etc based on the issues that are important to young people;
- Advocate for young people based on issues that affect their lives;
- Submit views to the Minister for Education; Department of Education; Youth Council for Northern Ireland, Education and Library Boards and other statutory and voluntary organisations on issues which affect the lives of young people;
- Support young people to participate at a policy making level on committees such as the Youth Service Liaison Forum; European Youth Forum etc.
History of NIYF
We aim to support young people to raise and discuss issues of importance to them.
2023
FORTIFICATION OF PLACE AND BRAND
2012
NEW FUNDING
1979
FOUNDATION
Meet Our Team
Meet our Youth Workers, Managers, Directors & Administrator teams.
