HISTORY
Poppintree Youth Project is an independent community managed youth project which, supports the personal, interpersonal, social and analytical development of young people within the catchment area of Poppintree, Ballymun.
Poppintree Youth Project was established in April 2007 following the amalgamation of two projects, The Ballymun Animal Care Association (BACA) Youth section and the Columban Youth Project, who had been working in the area for over fifteen years. Initially working out of the flats in Balcurris and then the basements on Balbutcher Lane, the two Boards through cooperation, collaboration and voluntary community participation ensured a strong foundation for Poppintree Youth Project.
As part of the regeneration of Ballymun the Board of Poppintree Youth Project negotiated with Ballymun Regeneration Ltd and Dublin City Council for a purpose built Youth Centre. After a long hard struggle the Project finally moved into its new premises in October 2009 and is now firmly established within its catchment area of Poppintree.
The Poppintree Youth Project is situated in Poppintree, Ballymun within the catchment of the Dublin North West Area Partnership. A local authority housing estate Ballymun in a large urban area on the north side of Dublin now called Ballymun Town. While working in the catchment area of Poppintree the project links collaboratively to initatives within the wider Ballymun area, Dublin city and nationally.
If you haven’t been up to see us yet, you should Poppin and have a look around, the kettle is always on the boil, we are at the rear of Poppintree Community/Sports Centre complex in Poppintree.
Our Model of Practice
We work with 10-24 year olds in whose individual and collective needs and circumstances put them at risk of not achieving/fulfilling their potential. As a community youth project PYP also undertakes collaborative work with parents/guardians and make links with local community, voluntary, statutory groups/organisations and businesses.
Young people are involved in the design, planning, implementation and evaluation of diverse programmes and activities and contribute to the decision making processes within the project.
Poppintree develops activities and programmes based on the interests and needs of young people and utilizing an open door policy; planned programmes, group work and individual work to ensure quality communtiy youth work occurs. Age, gender, ethnicity and needs are taken into account as the programme emphasis promotes participation, leadership, conciousness raising and inclusion.
Young people are involved in the decision making process of the activities and programmes and the Governance of PYP. The dynamic between youth workers and the young people is based on a community youth work approach which features Empowerment, relationship building, critical consciousness, positive sceptical reflection, active participation, anti oppressive practices; partnership and collective actions.
In practicing an Open Door policy, intergenerational and collaborative work, PYP ensures a connection between the Project and the community, this is seen as an investment in collective action and a mechanism for change.