Donegal Youth Service
Donegal Youth Service is an Irish registered charity founded in 1981 that delivers youth services through 30+ affiliated clubs and projects across County Donegal, supporting more than 15,000 young people aged 3-30 annually.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1981
- HeadquartersIreland, Ireland
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Donegal Youth Service does
Donegal Youth Service is a registered Irish charity (RCN: 20050696) founded in 1981 that delivers youth services across County Donegal through 30+ affiliated youth clubs and projects, supporting more than 15,000 young people aged 3-30 annually. Headquartered at 16-18 Port Road, Letterkenny, the organization provides a portfolio of programmes including the LOFT (Learning Opportunities For Teens) project jointly managed with Foróige and funded by Tusla, the Letterkenny Youth Information Centre, Ireland's first online Youth Information Live Chat service launched in 2020, and the Our Generation Mental Wellness App launched in September 2023.
The organization's technology footprint includes digital service delivery through the Youth Information Live Chat platform connecting young people aged 16-25 with trained Youth Information Officers, and the Our Generation mobile mental wellness application designed by young people within the Our Generation cross-border peacebuilding project. Additional digital infrastructure participation includes INTERREG ATLANTIC AREA projects and European youth information networks (Eurodesk, ERYICA, Europe Direct Letterkenny).
Donegal Youth Service's revenue model relies on three streams: core government and statutory grants from Tusla, the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, HSE, Donegal County Council, and the International Fund for Ireland; charitable donations and fundraising via PayPal, Facebook, and corporate partnerships; and nominal program fees (€20-50 per person for summer camps), with most direct services provided free to participants. The organization operates under a Board of Directors with Lorraine Thompson serving as Regional Director, supported by a management team of 31 employees including Youth Information, Youth Outreach, and Community Employment scheme supervisors.
Donegal Youth Service firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Donegal Youth Service
- Legal name
- Donegal Youth Service
- Website
- https://donegalyouthservice.ie
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1981
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Donegal Youth Service is an Irish registered charity founded in 1981 that delivers youth services through 30+ affiliated clubs and projects across County Donegal, supporting more than 15,000 young people aged 3-30 annually.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Donegal Youth Service industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Youth Services
- NAICS
- Child and Youth Services (62411), Child and Youth Services (624110), Educational Services (61), Educational Support Services (6117)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK), Youth & Young Adult Workforce Programs (Out-of-School Youth) (EDAAAOAD), Youth-to-Adult Transition & Life Skills (Independent Living, Soft Skills) (EDAAAFAN)
Keywords
Where Donegal Youth Service is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ireland
- HQ country
- Ireland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Donegal Youth Service business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Charitable Donations and Fundraising: Relies on public donations and fundraising activities including PayPal donations, Facebook fundraising, and corporate donations. Registered charity accepting one-time and monthly contributions.
- Government and Statutory Funding: Core funding from government bodies including Tusla, Department of Children and Youth Affairs, HSE, Donegal County Council, and International Fund for Ireland for specific projects.
- Program Fees: Some programs charge nominal fees for summer camps and activities (e.g., €20-50 per person for summer camps), though many services are free to participants.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Others | Free programs - Drop-in services, youth clubs, one-to-one support |
| Unit Pricing | One time | Summer camps and activities - €20-50 per person |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Donegal Youth Service product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Donegal Youth Service is a registered charity that delivers youth services across County Donegal through 30+ affiliated youth clubs and projects. It provides drop-in youth information centres, online chat counselling support, summer camps, employability programmes, LGBTI+ support, mental wellness tools, and targeted programmes for vulnerable groups including young carers and NEET youth.
Product overview
Donegal Youth Service is a countywide youth support organisation offering a portfolio of programmes and projects through 30+ affiliated youth clubs and projects. The core offerings include the Youth Information Live Chat service (online chat for ages 16-25), the LOFT (Learning Opportunities For Teens) project (ages 12-25, jointly managed with Foróige), and numerous targeted programmes including BreakOut (LGBTI support with national accreditation), Youthscape (NEET youth support ages 14-24), Our Generation (cross-border peacebuilding with mental wellness app), World Wide Voices (integration), Young Carers support, and specialized youth clubs. The service operates from Letterkenny and supports young people aged 3-30 across County Donegal.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- LOFT (Learning Opportunities For Teens): A youth project for teens providing drop-in services, summer programmes, and activities for young people aged 12-25, jointly managed with Foróige and funded by Tusla.
- ASPIRE
- BreakOut
- Youthscape
- Our Generation
- Letterkenny Youth Information Centre (YIC)
- Youth Talk & Counselling Service
- European Youth Work / Europe Direct
- Elevate 55
- IGNITE
- GOGREEN
- World Wide Voices
- Young Carers
- ATLIC
- CLYP
- TYESI (The Targeted Youth Employability Support Initiative)
- Community Employment
- Youth Information Live Chat
Products and services
- Youth Information Live Chat Online chat service connecting young people aged 16-25 with trained Youth Information Officers for free professional and personalised information on a wide range of topics.
- Our Generation Mental Wellness App Mobile application that teaches mental wellness to young people in a fun and engaging way, created and designed directly by young people from Donegal Youth Service under the Our Generation project.
- LOFT (Learning Opportunities For Teens) Youth project jointly managed by Donegal Youth Service and Foróige and funded by Tusla, offering programmes, groups, and activities for young people aged 12-25, including drop-in services, summer camps, fitness programmes, music, art, and one-to-one support.
- ASPIRE Project dedicated to helping local youth clubs get started and thrive, supporting the development of youth clubs across County Donegal.
- BreakOut Programme for LGBTI young people, their friends and allies, providing support and safe spaces; has achieved national accreditation.
- Youthscape Cross-community and cross-border programme for young people aged 14-24 who are not in employment, education or training, providing mentoring, accredited training, and financial incentives for completion.
- Our Generation Cross-border and cross-community initiative to build peace through youth development, delivered in partnership across Sligo, Monaghan and Donegal.
- Letterkenny Youth Information Centre (YIC) Drop-in youth information service operating 12-6pm Monday to Friday, offering guidance and support for young people aged 16-25.
- World Wide Voices Integration project helping international students and young people from different cultures and backgrounds connect and build leadership skills.
- Young Carers Support group for young people aged 12-24 who have extra caring responsibilities at home, providing connection, understanding, and activities.
- Youth Talk & Counselling Service Counselling and youth support service for young people.
- TYESI (Targeted Youth Employability Support Initiative) Employability support initiative designed to help young people move toward employment, education, or training.
- ATLIC INTERREG ATLANTIC AREA project fostering youth innovation and entrepreneurship in the blue economy.
Quantifiable outcome
- 15,000+ young people supported annually
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Donegal Youth Service
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Donegal Youth Service technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Donegal Youth Service partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.
- ForóigecoreCo-management partnership for LOFT (Learning Opportunities For Teens) youth project in Letterkenny. Foróige and Donegal Youth Service jointly manage the LOFT project, which is funded by Tusla.
- Youth Work IrelandcoreParent organization providing Garda Vetting services. Youth Work Ireland is a registered organisation with the Garda Central Vetting Unit and processes approximately 2,000 vetting applications per year for Member Youth Services including Donegal Youth Service.
- ERYICAcoreEuropean Youth Information and Counselling Agency. DYS received the European Youth Information Quality Label from ERYICA in partnership with Council of Europe.
- EurodeskcoreEuropean youth information network. DYS participates in Eurodesk campaigns including Time to Move, providing information on mobility opportunities across Europe.
- Europe Direct LetterkennycoreCollaboration on European mobility events and information sessions. Partners on Time to Move events and Europe Day celebrations.
- Regional Cultural Centre LetterkennysecondaryPartnership for cultural events including 'Alone Together' online music festival as part of Cruinniu na nÓg. Joint programming for arts and cultural activities for young people.
- Donegal County CouncilcoreOngoing partnership for community events, youth council funding, and social inclusion initiatives. Funded Donegal Youth Council and various community programs.
- Kids OwnsecondaryPublishing partnership for youth writing workshops. Collaborated on Transatlantic Youth Writers Workshop with Young Chicago Authors.
- Young Chicago AuthorssecondaryInternational cultural partner for Transatlantic Youth Writers Workshop as part of Culture Night Donegal 2020.
- Northwest Regional Drug and Alcohol Task ForcesecondaryPartnership for Party in the Park annual event and community health initiatives.
- RSA (Road Safety Authority)secondaryPartnership to host 'Check it Fits' child car seat safety service in Donegal locations.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Donegal Youth Service competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Foróige: Ireland's largest youth organization, co-manages DYS's flagship LOFT project. Operates a nationwide network of youth clubs and projects serving similar age groups with comparable programmes such as mentoring, employability support, and personal development.
- Crosscare: Irish voluntary social services agency delivering youth support, counselling, and community programmes. Comparable offering in youth information, mental health support, and targeted interventions for vulnerable young people.
- Scouting Ireland: National youth organization delivering personal development programmes through local clubs across Ireland. Comparable in operating an extensive county-based club network serving similar age cohorts.
- ISPCC: Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, delivering Childline and youth support services. Directly comparable in providing youth counselling, child safeguarding, and protective services in Ireland.
- BeLonG To Youth Services: Irish national LGBTI+ youth organization. Directly comparable to DYS's BreakOut programme in supporting LGBTI young people, with national accreditation and a more specialized focus.
Broad incumbents
- Youth Work Ireland: National federation of which DYS is an affiliated Member Youth Service. Provides Garda Vetting infrastructure for DYS and offers directly competing youth work services across Ireland at greater scale.
- Barnardos Ireland: Major Irish children's charity providing services including support for young carers, mental health, and youth development. Operates nationally with overlapping programmes for vulnerable and at-risk youth.
- National Youth Council of Ireland: Representative body for voluntary youth organizations in Ireland. Coordinates the youth work sector and engages with European networks such as Eurodesk and ERYICA, mirroring DYS's European partnerships.
Emerging players
- Jigsaw: Irish youth mental health service supporting 12-25 year olds. Comparable in addressing youth mental wellbeing through one-to-one support and digital tools, including a youth wellness app similar to Our Generation.
- SpunOut.ie: Ireland's primary youth information digital platform, providing online information on mental health, education, and wellbeing. Closely comparable to DYS's Youth Information Live Chat service in target audience and content.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Donegal Youth Service social profiles
Digital presenceDonegal Youth Service compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Donegal Youth Service financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Donegal Youth Service leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Donegal Youth Service funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Donegal Youth Service M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Donegal Youth Service
What does Donegal Youth Service do?
Donegal Youth Service is a registered charity that delivers youth services across County Donegal through 30+ affiliated youth clubs and projects. It provides drop-in youth information centres, online chat counselling support, summer camps, employability programmes, LGBTI+ support, mental wellness tools, and targeted programmes for vulnerable groups including young carers and NEET youth.
Is Donegal Youth Service a public or private company?
Donegal Youth Service is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Donegal Youth Service founded?
Donegal Youth Service was founded in 1981. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Donegal Youth Service based?
Donegal Youth Service is headquartered in Ireland, Ireland, in the Europe region.
How does Donegal Youth Service make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Charitable Donations and Fundraising is the primary driver. The others are government and Statutory Funding and program Fees.
Who are Donegal Youth Service's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Foróige, Crosscare, Scouting Ireland, ISPCC and BeLonG To Youth Services. Broad incumbents are Youth Work Ireland, Barnardos Ireland and National Youth Council of Ireland. Emerging players are Jigsaw and SpunOut.ie.
Does Donegal Youth Service have an API?
No public API is recorded for Donegal Youth Service.
What industry is Donegal Youth Service in?
Donegal Youth Service's product category is Community Youth Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGADAD, Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits, with a secondary code of BPAGADAK, Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits. Its NAICS code is 62411 and its SIC code is 8200.