Our dedicated team gathered at the Killarney Centre for a Strategic Planning day. Together, we delved into our 6 strategic goals for 2023-2026.

Our incredible senior managers and board members took charge, each focusing on a specific goal. They shared insights, and accomplishments, and explored new avenues during open discussions among all employees.
The day was a resounding success, with amazing conversations about our organisation’s future. 

To view our KDYS strategic plan 2023 – 2026 Click Here!

WHAT IS COMHAIRLE NA NÓG?

Comhairle na nÓg are youth councils which are based in 31 local authority areas in the country. They give young people and children the opportunity to be involved in the development of local services and policies that affect them. Our members then try to influence local decision-makers to achieve their desired outcome, impact or change.

We are from all from different parts of the county as well as different backgrounds, cultures and ethnicities. We meet at least once a month, usually on a Friday evening or a Saturday and work on our chosen topic, as voted on by you during our Annual General Meeting. We have previously worked on Facilities for Young People and Climate Change as well as Positive Youth Mental Health. This year we will be working on the topic of School and Exam Pressure.

WHY JOIN COMHAIRLE?

All children and young people have a right to be heard in all matters affecting them. If you feel like your voice is not being heard, or you would like to be part of something that values what you have to say, then this is the group for you. We seek to include and encourage ALL young people from every background, ethnicity and ability to participate in Comhairle.

WHERE DO WE MEET?

In Kerry, we hold Comhairle meetings at least once a month, although this increases when we are working on a certain topic or project. We may also have smaller sub group meetings between the main meetings. Meetings are generally held in Tralee although we do try to vary this as much as possible to try to accommodate young people from all over the county. If a meeting is to be held in Cahersiveen for example, we will provide a bus from Listowel or Tralee to travel there. Meetings are also held over Zoom when necessary.

HOW TO JOIN KERRY COMHAIRLE NA NÓG?

To find out more about joining Kerry Comhairle na nÓg contact Ann Marie Spillane annmariespillane@kcys.ie or on 085 787 5138.

Kerry Comhairle Info Flyer

ORGANISATIONAL OVERVIEW

Our Vision

For all young people to be valued and supported to achieve their full potential as participating members of the community

Our Mission

KDYS is a community-based youth work organisation committed to serving all young people in a safe, fun and positive environment, through the provision of youth spaces, services, mentoring, training and ongoing opportunities for their holistic development, and by advocating for their needs.

Our Values

Young person-centred, Rights-based, Empowering, Inclusive, Respectful, Non-judgemental

KDYS Strategic Plan 2023-2026

https://kcys.ie/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/474660_KDYS-Strategic-Plan.p…

KDYS Impact Report

https://kcys.ie/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/480019_KDYS-Impact-Report-31…

Our Work

In 2022, KDYS worked with almost 5,000 young people, children, and their families within the Diocese of Kerry. Our work was supported by 380 volunteers providing activities, clubs and mentoring supports to young people in over 30 local communities. We currently employ 74 people across our services and youth centres. KDYS provides the following programmes and services to young people in Kerry:

• • • Youth Diversion Project
    • 5 x UBU projects
    • Youth Information Service
    • Comhairle na nOg
    • Universal youth work in specific locations
    • Integration youth work for Ukrainians and International Protection Applicants
    • County-wide youth clubs
    • Youth Mentoring
    • Youth spaces – KDYs has 5 youth centres available for use by the community and providing dedicated spaces for young people to meet.

KDYS Family Support Services

In addition to youth work, KDYS provides specific family support services including:

• • • County-wide Access service to children in care (open to Tusla referrals only)
    • County-wide Support programme for teens at risk of coming into care/placement breakdown (Tusla referrals only)
    • Pilot Family Centre in Killarney (open to all)
    • Family Support for Ukrainian families (Killarney)

TERMS OF REFERENCE

• • • The purpose of this tender is to identify an individual/agency to work with KDYS to carry out an in depth review of our Family Support Services.

TIMESCALE

• • • The contract will begin in February 2024 and it is envisaged the work will be undertaken over an eight to ten week period with a target completion date of no later than Friday 12th April 2024.

TENDER PROCESS

• • • Written tenders will be invited from competent organisations/persons with experience and a proven track record of undertaking similar therapeutic project review work within the Community & Voluntary / NGO sectors.
    • Completed proposals must be received no later than 5pm on Thursday 7th March 2024 by post or email to:
      Address: Berni Smyth, CEO of KDYS
      Email: Please insert Project Evaluation Tender in title line and email to ceo@kcys.ie
    • Proposals will be assessed and scored by members of the Senior Management Team overseeing the process.
    • The selection of the preferred provider may be solely based on the written tender. If this is the case, the selected individual/entity will be expected to make a presentation to the Senior Management Team in advance of commencing the piece of work.
    • However, following the assessment of written tenders, the Senior Management Team may decide to invite a number of applicants to make a presentation followed by questions, before making a final determination on the preferred provider.

TENDER INFORMATION

Services to be provided

• • • A single contract will be awarded to a knowledgeable, experienced, qualified, and responsive individual/organisation to conduct a project review of the KDYS Family Support Project 2023
      • Describing Family Support work undertaken by KDYS in 2023
        • The aims & objectives,
        • The model(s) of practice, and intervention pathways
        • The service delivery structure, including:
          • the referral pathway from open to close of cases
          • staffing
          • outputs
          • the geographic coverage across the whole catchment area.
        • Including 2022 quantitative data
      • Reflect on the evolution of the service delivery model over recent years.
      • Review the effectiveness of the current model / framework including
        • how referrals are processed,
        • triage process,
        • progression into different intervention pathways
        • engagement with relevant stakeholders
          • • closure of cases
        • impact
        • recording processes, and
        • including mapping timelines for each stage of the process
      • Compare and contrast our service model to other similar services
      • Provide a clear analysis of research data and findings
      • Identify appropriate recommendations for growth and development
    • The contractor will be responsible for:
      • engaging with and gathering information from all relevant internal and external stakeholders,
      • researching and analysing information, and
      • producing a Draft Review Report including recommendations for implementation.
    • The contractor will be responsible for all printing, photocopying, external meeting room hire and all ancillary costs including their own travel and subsistence where necessary and appropriate.

Contract Type

• • • The award will be a single, fixed price contract for the project to the successful individual or entity for the piece of work described.

Term of Contract

• • • The term of the project will be for a fixed period determined by the length of time necessary to conduct the piece of work.
    • It is estimated it will take no more than ten weeks.

Tender Information

• • • A tender response must include the following:-
    • Names and CV’s of the personnel actually undertaking the work outlining their relevant experience and qualifications.
    • Demonstration of an understanding of the brief.
    • Project management methodology: The proposal must include a detailed description of how the proposer intends to deliver the work with a particular focus on how outcomes will be delivered and identified.
    • Evidence of prior experience and track record in the delivery of similar projects.
    • At least one example of a similar piece of work
    • A minimum of three referees who can be contacted including one that the tenderer was engaged by within the last twelve months.

Budget

Your tender should outline a breakdown of your proposed budget and should include:

• • • All staffing costs (the number of days and the rate per day including VAT)
    • Any other costs expected to be incurred in the completion of the project – printing, photocopying, room hire, other ancillary costs
    • Specification of applicable VAT rates

Assessment of Tenders

• • • The following criteria will be used to determine the successful tenderer;Non-Price Criteria: Total Weighting (65)
    • Experience of undertaking similar work (20)
    • Methodologies (15)
    • Sectoral Knowledge (10)
    • Personnel (10)
    • Ability to deliver project within time frame (10)Price Criteria – Total Weighting (35)
    • The tendered fee (20)
    • Value for money (fee/days) (15)Total Marks 100
    • Availability to start and complete the piece of work on the dates to be agreed by KDYS is a given.
    • The contractors should be available to make a 10 – 15 minute presentation on their proposal.
    • Please note: The cost of drafting or presentation of tenders must be borne by the Tenderer.

Queries and Information Concerning this Tender

• • • The sole point of contact in relation to queries regarding this tender call is Berni Smyth, CEO, KDYS. Queries must be submitted by email to ceo@kcys.iebefore Thursday 7th March 2024 – queries and requests by phone or post, or queries received after this date, will not be responded to.
    • Any information provided in response to queries and requests received from any tenderer will be shared with all tenderers to ensure transparency and fairness in the process.
    • The identity of the tenderer who made the query or request will not be shared.

General Conditions

• • • The lowest proposal received is not a guarantee of award of contract. Suitability and previous experience as well as availability will be a consideration.
    • It will be a condition of appointment that the proposer appointed shall be able to provide evidence of Tax Clearance and VAT number where applicable.
    • Payment for services covered by the proposed contract will be on foot of appropriate invoices, which will be based on agreed deliverables. Invoicing arrangements will be agreed with the successful proposer, following the award of contract.
    • The proposer will be required to provide regular updates to In Sync Youth & Family Services during the course of the contract.
    • All costs must be quoted in Euros and specify if VAT inclusive or exclusive applies.
    • The total estimated costs should be clearly stated and must be a single fixed figure quotation.
    • The single fixed figure agreed for the piece of work will be the sole cost paid by In Sync Youth & Family Services.

Confidentiality of Evaluation

• • • After the official receipt of tenders, information relating to the examination, clarification, evaluation and comparison of tenders and recommendations concerning the award of contract will not be disclosed to tenderers or other persons not officially concerned with the process.

Writing credit to – ActiveLink Kerry Diocesan Youth Service: Invitation to Tender | activelink

On Sunday 10 December 2023, International Human Rights Day, the Council of Europe’s Quality Label Centres launched the StudioStar podcast series. The KDYS EurOg European Quality Label Youth Centre Killarney hosted an event in house which enabled young people from Ireland to engage with their peers, online, across the European Union.

Young people from 11 European countries worked under professional guidance in the 13 youth centres bearing the Council of Europe’s Quality Label on a podcast series on the right to freedom of expression. In that StudioStar podcast series, they explored the concept of freedom of expression, how far it should go, and what value this human right has in their home countries.

The young people spoke about their experiences while creating the podcast series and, of course, various clips were listened to.  The show was hosted from Destelheide, ADJ’s Centre for Youth, Arts and Creation in Dworp (Belgium), in partnership with SNJ and Council of Europe.

KDYS was supported in this project by Youth Information, Kerry Comhairle na nÓg and Radio Kerry.  Thank you so much to all those who participated in the PodCast which was successfully compiled by Nora Butler KDYS Youth Information Digital Youth Worker.

To listen to the podcast on Spotify click StudioStar Podcast

View a Radio Kerry article –‘“KDYS takes part in international podcast series” 

Stay tuned for our CEO’s forthcoming analysis of #Budget2024, examining its potential effects on the well-being of children and young individuals and its implications for the future growth of youth work.

To view our pre-budget submission, please select the link below:

• • KDYS Pre-Budget 2024 submission

Below is a video from RTE speaking to young people about what they would like from the budget. Please click below to view:

• • https://www.rte.ie/news/budget-2024/2023/1009/1409448-budget-young-people/