YOUTH Work Ireland has joined forces with Limerick Youth Service to document the experiences of young people who are living in Direct Provision.
Limerick-based creative agency Piquant were commissioned to produce a short film series where young people living, or who have lived in, Direct Provision could tell their stories and share their experiences.
Ireland’s reception system for asylum seekers, known as Direct Provision, sees people accommodated across the country in communal institutional centres or former hotel style settings.
The Direct Provision system is currently being re-structured by the government, and so far, young people’s opinions have not been sought.
The Film ‘Waiting, Waiting, Waiting’, which was launched last week in the Irish Film Institute (IFI), featured ten young people sharing their experiences and stresses of living in Direct Provision.
“We need to work together to do more to support young people. Youth Work Ireland aims to get this film in front of as many people and government departments as possible to ask them to end Direct Provision and make a change,” said Gina Halpin, Head of Information and Inclusion at Youth Work Ireland.
The young people who took part in the filming project are living in, or have lived in, Direct Provision centres in Limerick, Mallow and Longford.
“I know many young people are going through the same thing as me but I hope we can change the system for other young people. This video platform gave us the opportunity to voice what we couldn’t say,” said Limerick-based film participant Kimberly Justen.
Youth Work Ireland is a Federation of 20 member youth services and a national office who work together to support, empower, inspire, and educate young people through the delivery of best practice youth work services.
The ‘Waiting, Waiting, Waiting’ film series was funded by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission and is available to watch on the Youth Work Ireland website here
