About the Irish Youth Foundation
The Irish Youth Foundation is a registered charity and grant making foundation in the Republic of Ireland dedicated solely to meeting the needs of children and young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.
We do this by supporting a wide range of outstanding projects and organisations across the country and by working closely with Ireland’s dedicated youth workers and project leaders to help give Ireland’s underrepresented young people the tools needed to reach their full potential in life.
All our funds are raised through donations from people like you. Philanthropic individuals and companies who want to reverse the social and personal damage caused by poverty, educational disadvantage, homelessness and social exclusion, and are committed to working towards a fairer, more inclusive Ireland.
Our growing impact
raised
Over the last 4 years
projects supported
young people impacted
As a teenager with goals and ambitions it was amazing to have an adult believe in you and give you backing. When it came time for me to do the Leaving Cert, Declan had a room made up for me with a table and chair to do study. Just having this private space to study was a goldmine as there was no way I could study in the flats. I graduated from UCD with first class honours and won thesis of the Year.
I can honestly say that my career and life today would not be possible if it were not for the work that Declan and his team do.
Head Physiotherapist,
Scoliosis Unit at Temple Street Children’s Hospital
Chief Executive
Prior to joining IYF Lucy was CEO of Charities Institute Ireland. During that time she was a member of the Consultative Panel on the Governance of Charities established by the Charities Regulator. In 2012 she co-founded Hireland, a multi award winning social initiative which started as a kitchen conversation with friends discussing the economic crisis that had hit Ireland and grew into a national movement calling on the nation’s small and medium enterprises to kick-start Ireland’s economic recovery by pledging to hire 1 more person. Over 5,400 jobs were created since Hirelands inception in 2012. She has been recorded by Forbes magazine as leading the charge with social entrepreneurship. Lucy has 20 years experience marketing national and international brands. She lectures NFP Marketing at US University Champlain College where she is also a board director and she has worked closely with the UCD Innovation Academy as a mentor. She is a graduate of Philosophy from UCD and a post graduate of Marketing from the UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School. She is currently completing the Diploma in Corporate Governance at the UCD Michael Smurfit Business School.
Head of Grants & Programmes
