Founded in 1985, the Irish Youth Foundation (IrYF) is an independent development trust, the first of its kind in Ireland dedicated exclusively to children and youth. Its mission is to make a positive and lasting difference in the lives of Irish children and youth, especially the deprived and disadvantaged.

IrYF accomplishes its mission by raising funds and making grants to youth projects and voluntary youth organizations throughout Ireland. It has a formal project assessment process “action-research” to ensure that the lessons learned in one situation can be applied elsewhere. IrYF's principle areas of interest are homelessness, substance abuse, disadvantaged young people, and social education. IrYF has started a new program in Northern Ireland with the Irish Youth Foundation (UK) whereby both foundations’ combined resources and jointly established a grant fund in Northern Ireland.

Illustrative Programs/Grants

• Promotes youth leadership and involvement in the community through the “Youth Investors: Young People as Grantmakers in their Communities” program. Program involves four groups of 10-12 disadvantaged youth, ages 14-19, in various parts of Ireland.

• Provides modular training in information and communication technology for young people between the ages of 10 and 14. Over 30 young people have benefited from the program so far.

• Supports an early preventive parenting centre which runs programs aimed at preventing teenage pregnancy and supporting at-risk mothers and their infants.