The Children and Youth Programme is an independent, academic collaboration between the two UNESCO Chairs in Ireland at the University of Ulster and NUI Galway. Using a multidisciplinary framework the Programme will draw upon the knowledge and expertise of researchers from a wide range of disciplines on issues affecting children and youth.

The first output of the Programme will comprise a series of Special Reports and corresponding Briefing Papers to be disseminated at regular intervals during 2011 and 2012. The first report released on October 24th, A rights-based approach to monitoring children and young people’s well-being (available here) will be followed by five reports addressing issues such as policy development and implementation, youth justice, educational achievement, mental health, and civic engagement.

The Children and Youth Programme is based in the UNESCO Centre at the University of Ulster and in the Child and Family Research Centre at NUI Galway. The Programme is headed by Professor Alan Smith, holder of the UNESCO Chair in Education for Pluralism, Human Rights and Democracy, and Professor Pat Dolan, holder of the UNESCO Chair in Children, Youth and Civic Engagement.

See futher full Press Release and further information on the work of the UNESCO Chairs in Ireland and the Children and Youth Programme can be accessed on the dedicated Programme website, www.childrenandyouthprogramme.info

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