Foróige: Where ‘ordinary magic’ is a daily event

Foróige works with over 50,000 young people aged 10-18 each year

”Working with young people is one of the greatest privileges, being allowed into their lives at the most important stages,” shares one Foróige employee.

Foróige clubs are a safe place for young people to hang out, meet new friends and have a voice. Guided by the tagline ‘Empowering Youth, Enriching Communities’, what makes a Foróige club different is the fact that it is run by the young people themselves, allowing them to believe in themselves, make decisions and practice leadership. As the leading youth organisation in Ireland since 1952, its purpose is to enable young people to involve themselves consciously and actively in their development and in the development of society.

Sarah O’Dwyer has been in Foróige since she was 10 years old, and is now Senior Youth Officer, South Region. “Having been with Foróige for 27 years, I have seen the organisation from every perspective — I tell people that I’ve been on a Foróige apprentice trial for most of my life,” she says with a smile. “I have gone on a professional and personal journey with Foróige, so it really has made me who I am.”