Ballyfermot Youth Service Drumfinn Park

What Ballyfermot Youth Service Drumfinn Park does

Ballyfermot Youth Service (BYS) is a registered Irish charity (CHY 21365; Registered Charity Number 20150532) operating community youth programmes in the Ballyfermot and Cherry Orchard areas of Dublin. The organization delivers free educational and recreational services to young people aged roughly 5 to 30, structured around an integrated set of facilities: a head office at 41 Decies Road, the Gurteen Youth Club, an Adventure Centre at Park West Industrial Estate, and the Oakwood Residential Centre in Wicklow. Core offerings include confidential drop-in information centres with late-night openings five days a week, a peer education and drug awareness programme (including the 'Can U HAC It' and 'Stop B4 U Drop' resources) delivered in primary and secondary schools, adventure sports such as kayaking, residential programmes, and Erasmus+ international youth exchanges.

The organization operates a non-commercial model: services are provided at no charge to beneficiaries, with no pricing tiers or paid product lines. Revenue is grant-funded, drawn from a small set of public sources including the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, the HSE (€15,000 annually toward peer education), Dublin City Council, Erasmus+ (via Léargas), and historical support from the Youth in Action programme and FÁS. Operational reach is concentrated within Dublin and Wicklow, with international exposure limited to funded exchange partnerships (e.g., Kungalvs Kommun, Sweden, for the 2018 E+ Generation exchange). The peer education programme, established for 10+ years across three secondary schools at an annual cost of approximately €92,000, has been recognized as a model at national level.

Governance is exercised by a board of directors with day-to-day leadership provided by Youth Service Manager Gerry Mc Carthy (documented as of March 2023). The organization has approximately five employees and depends on statutory grant continuity rather than commercial revenue. The technology footprint is minimal — a website, social media presence on Facebook and Instagram, and an internal 'DAS' admin system — with no proprietary platform, API, or AI/ML capabilities. Strategic activity over the documented period (2010-2023) reflects programmatic continuity and incremental international engagement rather than scaling or diversification of the underlying operating model.

Name

Ballyfermot Youth Service Drumfinn Park

Legal name

Ballyfermot Youth Services

Website

https://ballyfermotyouthservice.ie

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Ballyfermot Youth Service is a registered Dublin charity delivering free drop-in, peer education, drug awareness, adventure sports, and Erasmus+ exchange programmes to young people aged 5-30 in the Ballyfermot and Cherry Orchard area, funded primarily by Irish government and EU grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Youth Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), RV (Recreational Vehicle) Parks and Recreational Camps (7212)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts, Sports & Recreation-Based Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Development & Sports Outreach Programs (EDAIAGAG), Youth Adventure Camps & Summer Programs (THAAAOAB), Youth Multi-Sport Camps (General Athletics, Summer Camps) (MPAKAJAA)

Keywords

• Youth services
• Community youth work
• Peer education
• Drug awareness
• Adventure sports

Headquarters

HQ city

Dublin

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding: Funded primarily through government grants including Local Drugs Task Force (LDTF) funding through the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, with additional support from HSE, Dublin City Council, and EU programmes.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Ballyfermot Youth Service provides free, community-based educational and recreational programmes for young people aged 5–30 in Ballyfermot and Cherry Orchard, Dublin. Service delivery is organised around free drop-in Information Centres, school-based Peer Education and Drug Awareness programmes (including the Can U HAC It drug education resource and the Stop B4 U Drop alcohol harm-reduction campaign), an Adventure Centre offering kayaking and outdoor activities, the Gurteen Youth Club, residential programmes at the Oakwood Centre in Wicklow, a Local Training Initiative in Sports Recreation & Exercise, and international youth exchanges under Erasmus+ and Youth in Action.

Product overview

Ballyfermot Youth Service operates as a community youth organization providing educational and recreational programmes to promote positive involvement of young people. The service consists of multiple integrated programmes and facilities including: Information Centres (free confidential drop-in services), Peer Education & Drug Awareness Programme (delivering drug education in schools), Adventure Centre (kayaking and adventure sports), Erasmus+ Youth Exchanges (international mobility), Oakwood Residential Centre (residential programmes in Wicklow), Gurteen Youth Club, and LTI Training Initiative. Key educational resources include the Can U HAC It programme and Stop B4 U Drop campaign. The organization functions as a unified youth service model rather than a technology platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Information Centres Free, confidential drop-in facilities offering information and free internet service with late night openings, five days a week, serving as the first point of contact for young people seeking information on a variety of issues.
• Peer Education & Drug Awareness Programme A programme that empowers young people to work with other young people on drug awareness issues, drawing on the positive strength of peer groups. Delivers structured drug awareness education in primary schools (6-week programme for 5th and 6th class) and secondary schools, with a 10+ year track record as a model for other projects at local and national level.
• Adventure Centre Adventure sports facility located at 42 Canal Walk, Park West Industrial Estate, Dublin 12, offering kayaking and other adventure activities with natural amenities including lakes, forests, walking trails, and mountain biking trails.
• Erasmus+ Youth Exchanges International youth mobility projects under the Erasmus+ programme enabling young people from Ireland to participate in exchanges with partner countries, supporting personal development, European citizenship, and intercultural dialogue.
• Oakwood Residential Centre Residential centre based in Wicklow used throughout the year for programmes, with natural amenities including lakes, forests, walking trails, kayaking activities, and mountain biking trails.
• Gurteen Youth Club Youth club facility at Gurteen Park providing recreational and educational programmes for young people in the Ballyfermot area.
• Local Training Initiative (LTI) - Sports Recreation & Exercise Training initiative providing opportunities to develop new skills in Sports and Recreation, including food preparation training, delivered over a period of weeks.
• Can U HAC It Programme Drug awareness programme focusing on Hash, Alcohol, and Cocaine designed by young people, broken down into 6 sessions with an objective to broaden knowledge about drug effects on individuals, families, communities and society. Includes a resource pack and DVD.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Kungalvs KommunminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2018Swedish local government authority that coordinated the Erasmus+ youth exchange project 'E+ Generation' in Italy, partnering with Ballyfermot Youth Service and other organizations.
• City of Dublin Youth Service Board (CDYSB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoordinating body for youth services in Dublin, providing strategic partnership and support.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Foróige: Ireland's leading national youth organisation operating youth clubs, projects, and programmes for young people aged 10–18. It is the most direct peer to Ballyfermot Youth Service in terms of youth-development mission, club-based delivery, and public grant funding model.
• Crosscare: Dublin-based social care agency offering youth services, family support, and community programmes. Comparable as a Dublin-anchored nonprofit delivering youth services through government and EU funding, with similar beneficiary demographics.
• Finglas Youth Resource Centre: Community-based youth service in Finglas, Dublin, providing drop-in, training, and recreational programmes for young people. Operates on a similar model (charity-registered, grant-funded, multi-programme community youth work) in a comparable Dublin neighbourhood.
• Youth Work Ireland: National federation of youth organisations across Ireland providing community-based youth services, training, and advocacy. Highly comparable to Ballyfermot Youth Service in target population, delivery model, and grant-supported nonprofit structure.

Emerging players

• Youthreach: Department of Education programme providing second-chance education and training to early school-leavers aged 15–20. Comparable through Ballyfermot's LTI initiative which delivers similar sports/recreation training to similar demographics.

Others

• Gaisce – The President's Award: National youth achievement award programme in Ireland, often complemented by youth organisations as a personal development pathway. Comparable as a youth-development framework that Ballyfermot's LTI and adventure programmes can plug into.
• Léargas: Irish national agency managing EU programmes (Erasmus+, European Solidarity Corps) in youth, education, and training. Functions as both a funder and strategic partner for Ballyfermot Youth Service's international exchange programmes.

Broad incumbents

• City of Dublin Youth Service Board (CDYSB): Statutory body coordinating and funding youth services across Dublin, including grant distribution to local youth projects. Comparable as the umbrella funding and coordination mechanism of which Ballyfermot Youth Service is a member project.
• Scouting Ireland: Ireland's national scouting association delivering youth development through adventure, outdoor activities, and community programmes. Comparable in youth development focus, adventure sports activity, and youth-led experiential learning, though broader in scale.

Regional players

• Outdoor Recreation NI / National Outdoor Recreation Forum (Ireland): Regional body supporting outdoor recreation and adventure activities for youth and communities on the island of Ireland. Comparable through Ballyfermot's Adventure Centre and Oakwood Residential Centre outdoor programming.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/522097717837921
• Instagraminstagram.com/ballyfermotyouthservice
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ballyfermot-youth-service-drumfinn-park

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Ballyfermot Youth Service Drumfinn Park