Waiting, Waiting, Waiting is a short film featuring young people from Youth Work Ireland’s Member Youth Services. It gives voice to the lived experiences of Direct Provision. The film threads multiple voices from varying perspectives, to express the overarching themes of frustration, autonomy, helplessness and hope, felt by young people growing up in Direct Provision Centres in Ireland today.

The 10 minute film was produced with the support of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission and features ten young people aged between 14 and 24 who have lived or are living in Direct Provision Centres in Cork, Longford and Limerick. 

The film making process was youth led from the beginning with the young people supported to determine the themes, concepts. messaging and cinematography style for the film. The film provides a safe space for this group of young people to articulate their feelings about their lives, and their aspirations for the future.

The film is made up of three shorted videos – Waiting to Start, Waiting to Leave and Waiting for Life – which give space to the variety of perspectives of the young people involved, all sharing their own version of the theme of waiting.