THE FIRST BRANCH of youth development organisation Foróige outside Ireland has launched.
The group opened its Philadelphia club last Saturday.
The pilot collaboration between the Irish Immigration Centre and Foróige will “serve as a model to engage Irish-American youth”, its organisers say. They hope it will give young people the opportunity to “connect with their Irish heritage in a contemporary way”.
The pilot includes Foróige’s suite of developmental programmes, such as Leadership for Life and Civic Engagement.
This pilot collaboration between the Irish Immigration Centre and Foróige will serve as a model to engage Irish American youth and give many more young people the opportunity to connect with their Irish heritage in a contemporary way. The pilot includes Foróige’s suite of developmental programmes, such as Leadership for Life and Civic Engagement.
Foróige Chairperson, Sandra McIntyre said:
“Foróige was honoured to have been approached by the Irish Immigration Centre to work in partnership to grow and reinvigorate their youth engagement programme in line with the objectives of Ireland’s National Diaspora Policy – Global Irish.
“Much of adolescence is about belonging and this launch is about celebrating the opportunity that Foróige and the Irish Immigration Centre are giving Irish American young people to belong, not only to a Foróige Club, but to Ireland, and the Global Irish Family. I am so proud to be representing Foróige here in Philadelphia. This partnership proves the international appeal of the Foróige ethos and it’s empowerment of young people.”
John O’Malley of the Irish Immigration Centre said:
“The Irish Immigration Centre is proud to be the home of the first Foróige club located outside of Ireland.
“Part of our organisation’s mission is to help strengthen our community. Our partnership with Foróige helps achieve that goal by allowing us to reach young people, some of whom may not have been exposed to their Irish heritage through Irish dancing or youth GAA programs, and connect them to their heritage and today’s Ireland. We are grateful for Foróige’s partnership with us and the support and encouragement for this initiative we have received from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.”
Minister of State for the Diaspora and International Development, Ciarán Cannon called the launch “a vital resource for the vibrant Irish community in Philadelphia”.
The charity works with over 50,000 young people and 5,500 adult volunteers annually, through a network of more than 650 youth clubs & cafés, 160 targeted projects and national programmes such as Entrepreneurship (NFTE), Health & Wellbeing, Citizenship and Entrepreneurship.
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