On Monday May 20th Youth Work Ireland hosted a National Forum on Collaborative Approaches to Supporting Young People with Physical Disabilities at IHREC’s offices in Dublin. The event brought together 28 organisations from across the youth sector, disabiltiy sector and policy space for a day of learning, dialogue, and collective action.
This powerful event was planned by Youth Work Ireland’s Access and Inclusion Working Group who together curated a dynamic and meaningful programme that placed young people’s voices at its centre and sought to spark new forms of cross-sector collaboration.
The event highlighted the need for better supports and access for young people with physical disabilities who are underrepresented in youth services.
One of the most impactful sessions of the day came early on and featured Emma Ward and Ciara McGagh – members of Youth Work Ireland Galways Youth Access Group. This session created a space for attendees to hear directly from young people about what meaningful inclusion looks like in practice. Their honesty, insights, and advocacy were a powerful reminder of the importance of youth agency in shaping policy and services that affect them.
The event also highlighted examples of collaboration in action with the members of the Access and Inclusion group sharing practices from their organisations, demonstrating how youth work and disability services can work together to remove barriers and enhance participation.
In the afternoon the attendees worked in small groups to identify actionable steps for improving inclusion across communities and services. These sessions were designed to not just reflect—but to provoke ideas and commitments.
Participants explored questions such as:
How can we build stronger relationships between youth and disability sectors?
What practical steps can we take to create inclusive environments?
What policy changes are needed to support structural transformation?
Next Steps
The forum concluded with group feedback, powerful reflections, and a shared sense of momentum with participants agreeing on tangible follow-up actions and identified opportunities for continued collaboration.
It is hoped that this forum will be a launchpad for change, for shared responsibility, and for a more inclusive youth work sector that sees and serves all young people.
