Clare volunteer joins board of Youth Work Ireland

A CLARE man has been appointed to the board of Ireland’s largest youth organisation. Kilnaboy’s Seán Roche moves to the top table of Youth Work Ireland after 43 years of voluntary service to Clare Youth Service and Kilnaboy Youth Club.

Youth Work Ireland comprises nationwide youth services from Donegal to Cork and a national office that works together to support, empower and educate young people through the delivery of best practice youth work services. 

Seán has represented the voice and experience of rural youth clubs within Clare for many years and CEO of Clare Youth Service Margaret Slattery said his move to the national forum will be very positive.

“This is a significant appointment for Clare. Seán is a strong voice representing the experience and challenges of rural youth services  and their importance to the health of the community and wellbeing of young people especially those who are rurally or socially isolated,” said Ms Slattery.

“I know that he will bring great experience and judgement to YWI and will be instrumental in helping youth services adjust to a myriad of new social challenges.”

Now in his fifth decade of volunteering, Seán’s enthusiasm is legendary in his Burren heartland.

His volunteering journey began as a 21-year-old after he graduated as a club member. The tradition in those days was that if you wished to stay in the club, you became a leader.

So, he’s never really left the club and over 40 years on, he said, “It’s very fulfilling. Kilnaboy Youth Club has always had a special ethos of developing and taking care of local young people and it’s been great to see the leadership that’s been developed in conjunction with Clare Youth Service.”