Youth Theatre Ireland Support Material 2025 / 2026

Empower Youth Theatre Encounter: Creativity for All, offers a transformative residential experience where young people with disabilities and/or other barriers for participation engage in fun, artistic, skill- building and social activities over three days.

Centre Stage +20 (2019), Youth Theatre Ireland’s third national study, highlighted a strong culture of inclusion within youth theatre:

18% of members reported a disability—9% above the national average (Census 2016).

85% of these were Autism Spectrum Disorder, Dyspraxia, General Learning Disabilities, or Behavioural Disorders.

Members also reported high levels of anxiety, depression, and stress.

The National Festival of Youth Theatres, a regular Youth Theatre Ireland Programme,

offers a five day, four-night residential programme. Over 100 young people from 12 youth theatres take part with up to 150 people on site.

Over the years it has revealed access challenges:

Some participants, particularly on the autism spectrum, found the event overwhelming.

Wheelchair users faced physical barriers at the venue.

Rural isolation and financial hardship further limited access for some.

These findings highlighted the need for more inclusive, accessible events. The

Empower Youth Theatre Encounter took place on July 7–9, 2025, at Kilkenny College as

a tailored response.

It was funded through a €50,000 grant from the Toy Show Appeal and the Community

Foundation Ireland.

10 Youth Theatres participated from counties across Ireland, including Clare, Cork, Dublin,Louth, Kildare, Tipperary, Wicklow, and Wexford.

38 young people (ages 12–17) took part in this exciting event, with 23 participants experiencing their first time away from home.

Welcoming & Inclusive Environment

Hosted at Kilkenny College in a safe, sensory-friendly space for young people aged 12–17.

Designed to welcome participants from diverse backgrounds and abilities, promoting inclusivity and a

sense of belonging. Supported by a large, experienced team from Youth Theatre Ireland, youth theatre leaders, contracted specialists, and primary carers.

Creative & Artistic Development

Participants took part in workshops led by specialist facilitators in acting, improvisation, ensemble work,

puppetry, and more. Focused on building artistic skills, self-expression, confidence, and teamwork in a supportive setting. Encouraged each young person to flourish creatively alongside their peers.

Participant feedback

Artists, leaders and young people reflections film

https://youtu.be/tgRI6JXqLnM?si=n4kiHWqlth3dCT8n

Empower Participants 2025

“Empower was the best experience of my life, there ware good teachers and I made a lot of friends”

“This project was amazing for people with no much self confidence or confidence in general and the level of drama is ideal for improving drama skills for everyone”

"It was great fun, everyone was very friendly and I loved how inclusive it was"

"This was an amazing, character-building experience and I made new friends!"


Parents of 2025 Participants

“Our daughter’s 3 days spent with the Empower Youth Theatre Encounter 2025 group was one of the best experiences of her life to date. From the offset every young person enjoyed a friendly, inclusive, respectful and fun environment where participants had fun together, learned new skills, gained confidence and above all made new friends through the extensive action packed programme. The disco was the icing on the cake.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all who organised the event - her wish would be to meet up with the individual groups again to continue their drama journey together. Maith thú “

“The Empower Project was absolutely amazing for my child. The support and thought that went into organising it was unreal - I am 100percent confident that he would not have had a similar opportunity elsewhere and it also gave me such confidence to send him off in a setting without me for the first time”

“My daughter is a fuller version of herself, because she had a space — an inclusive space — where she could express herself and meet others.”

“I was so impressed & grateful for the lovely time he had, the supervision & support allowed me to partake independently in this residential programme.”

“Massive thank you. I hope this project continues and gives children from all around the country the chance to experience it as we did. It was a wonderful experience.”

Evaluation insights

Insightful Feedback & Impact

We gathered valuable insights through surveys, postcards, image reflections, and interviews with participants and primary carers.

29 out of 38 participants (76%) completed an evaluation, with 79.31% rating the event as Excellent or Very Good.

100% agreed the project was a positive experience and enjoyed working with others on creative projects.

93.1% of participants made new friends during the event, highlighting the strong sense of community fostered throughout the weekend.

19 participants had never taken part in a Youth Theatre Ireland programme before, making this a groundbreaking experience for many.

Carer Satisfaction

26 primary carers completed a post-event survey, with 96.2% agreeing the project was a positive experience for their young person

The National Festival of Youth Theatres took place from 30 June–4 July 2025 in Kilkenny College. The festival welcomed 100 young people, alongside youth theatre leaders, facilitators, assistants, and Youth Theatre Ireland staff, for a week of creativity, collaboration, and connection.

The youth theatres that participated in 2025 were Activate Youth Theatre, Backstage Youth Theatre, Cabinteely Youth Theatre, DLR Mill Youth Theatre, Dreamstuff Youth Theatre, Glengarriff Youth Theatre Group, Griese Youth Theatre, MAD Youth Theatre, Making Waves Youth Theatre, Roscommon County Youth Theatre, and Wonder Youth Theatre.


Five workshop options were offered to young people, allowing participants to explore a range of theatrical approaches and techniques. Theatre Skills with Ursula McGinn explored bringing theatre from page to stage through directing and devising. Musical Mastery with Ben Morris developed musical theatre skills through acting and singing. Physical Theatre with Nóra Ní Anluain Fay explored movement, gesture, and physical storytelling. Game Changers with Darren Yorke used games and creative challenges to build confidence, teamwork, and performance skills. Playing the Story with Barry Morgan combined theatre, improvisation, and game design to explore interactive storytelling and audience participation.

The leaders' programme combined meetings, practical workshops, and professional development sessions. Leaders took part in The Art of Play with Nuala Kerrigan, CPAP with Cathal Thornton, Workshop Skills with Calvin Magee, Organisation Station with Katie Meehan, and a session on Volunteers with Eoghan Doyle. The programme provided opportunities for leaders to share skills, develop their practice, and connect with other youth theatre practitioners.

Social events throughout the week included a scavenger hunt on the first day, the Variety Night where participants showcased their talents, and a performance of Yellow by Jody O’Neill, performed by Eleanor Walsh, a former Kilkenny Youth Theatre member.

The festival continued to provide dedicated evening social spaces within Kilkenny College, including an arts and crafts room, pool room, kitchen, and quiet room. These spaces were popular with participants, offering opportunities to relax, socialise, and build connections with young people from other youth theatres in a more informal setting.

17 youth theatres performed 15 minute extracts from plays in our Playshare collection, or devised their own work, at 5 venues across the island of Ireland on Cruinniú na nÓg 2025. They had the opportunity to perform at large venues, do a workshop with other youth theatre members, and see other youth theatres work. Tickets were free to the public and we worked with local authorities to get non-youth theatre groups to the performances. We also ran a free workshop for any young people interested in youth theatre at each venue after the performances.

We provided each youth theatre with a bursary plus covered their transportation costs to and from the venue on the day.

14 young people worked with 3 playwriting mentors over 3 months to hone their playwriting skills. They had in an-person residential in October and the continued the rest of the sessions online. The programme culminated in each participant writing a 10-20 minute that was performed by a youth theatre on Cruinniú na nÓg 2026 and added to the Playshare collection.

Participant Feedback

“I made new friends and got to learn new things and have fun in a positive space where us young actors can grow and perform as part of a group. It was a truly inspirational experience!”

"It was really good and improved my self-esteem and confidence I was scared to perform but after seeing the other performers being so confident and normal I knew I could do that. To all the people were so nice and altogether was really fun thanks for the amazing time.”

“It was very fun and I got to meet lots of new people from other Youth Theatres. Performing on that big stage was a nice change of pace from the small stage we usually perform on. I'm glad I got to take part in this!”

Evaluation insights

79% felt more confident and improvement in self esteem

84% felt more connected to Youth Theatre community in Ireland

80% felt their performance skills improved

14 young people from affiliated youth theatres participated in our Young Critics programme in 2025. They attended workshops and 3 shows at Cork Midsummer Festival across 3 days and shared their reviews on a public panel. The programme concluded at Dublin Theatre Festival in October where they saw 3 productions, attended the professional critics panel, and presented their reviews on a public panel over 3 days.

The Young Critics were also invited to attend Mission Critical at the Abbey Theatre in November 2025. This event examined the current state of Irish Theatre Criticism and Reviewing. 2 Young Critics wrote responses to this event which have been published by the Abbey Theatre and contributed to the report written on the event by Dr. Tanya Dean.

Participant feedback

“The programme gave me a play to learn about theatre criticism and how to fo about writing it, which really developed my writing skills. Our creative response pieces also open up my eyes to the different ways a person can respond to a piece. I think we saw some amazing plays that really have stuck with me, and challenged my world view a lot. I'm also so glad I made such amazing friends throughout all this.”

“Young critics has been an amazing opportunity for me for sure. I've learned so much about the world of theatre criticism, writing for stage, and everything that foes along with those. I feel like I've developed skills I otherwise never would have, and I've made some amazing friends I wouldn't have connected with at all without young critics. I had an amazing time!”

Evaluation insights

100% of the respondents to the evaluation made new friends, feel more confident voicing their opinions, learned new skills, and have a greater appreciation of the range of opportunities in the world of theatre.

14 young people from affiliated youth theatres are participating, in Young Critics 2026. They attended workshops and 3 shows at Cork Midsummer Festival and shared on a public panel across 3 days. The programme will conclude at Dublin Theatre Festival in October through workshops, seeing shows, and a public panel.

SOUNDBOARD: Amplifying Youth Theatre Voices is the new version of Youth Theatre Ireland's Youth Board Programme. SOUNDBOARD is a programme all about amplifying young peoples' opinions and having a say in Youth Theatre Ireland's decisions. Participants on SOUNDBOARD will attend monthly meetings and events, work closely with the Youth Theatre Ireland team and board, and deliver the Members' Forum workshop at the National Festival of Youth Theatres in July.

In 2025, the Youth Board was rebranded as Soundboard, with a renewed focus on acting as a voice for the Youth Theatre Ireland membership. Soundboard members attended our annual symposium, and delivered a members forum workshop at the national festival of Youth Theatres.

An outgoing member of the 2025 Soundboard took up a place on our board of directors, signifying a strong foundation being built on the programme for future industry leaders. In 2026, in lieu of the members forum, participants have devised a digital ‘Youth Theatre Town Hall’ event. Members of the current group have also taken part in various training days such as an NYCI Youth Workshop on youth work and skills audits.

Members of the soundboard continue to represent youth theatre Ireland at events such as Belongto’s Rainbow award ceremony, and governmental focus groups.


Participant feedback

‘I got a great insight into how Youth Theatre Ireland works and the different ways youth theatres are set up.’

‘It was a great chance to share opinions about youth theatre and be listened to by Youth Theatre Ireland.’


Evaluation insights

89% of members of Soundboard would recommend participation to a friend.

427 youth theatre members from 20 youth theatre groups from the island of Ireland performed 20 minute plays written by young playwrights, or devised their own piece, at 5 venues, to over 800 people across the island on Cruinniú na nÓg 2026.

We ran youth theatre development workshops in Co. Donegal, Co. Kildare, Co. Longford, Co. Antrim, and Co. Kerry, in the lead up to Cruinniú na nÓg with non-youth theatre groups. These groups were also provided with free transportation and free tickets to the performances on Cruinniú na nÓg.

We provided each youth theatre with a bursary plus covered their transportation costs to and from the venue on the day. We also covered accommodation and food expenses for any youth theatre that had to travel a distance longer than 3-4 hours.

On Cruinniú na nÓg, youth theatres got to perform on large stages, see one another’s work, participate in a large workshop and make new friends with young people from other youth theatres.

Participant Feedback

"It was fantastic, out of all my theatre activities, this was some of the most fun I've had. It made me want to continue youth theatre.”

"It helped disabled children like me feel special.”

“It was really fun, it improved my confidence when performing and I got to talk to people with similar interests to me!”

“I had a lot of fun doing it with my youth theatre and I would happily take part in it again in the future. I think that it has helped my self-esteem and confidence by just participating in the day.”

Evaluation insights

79% felt more confident and improvement in self esteem

83% felt more connected to Youth Theatre community in Ireland

79% felt their performance skills improved

Finding Your Authentic Voice– A Youth Theatre Practice Symposium 

Each November, Youth Theatre Ireland holds a youth theatre practice symposium in partnership with third-level institutions. 

Here we explore themes impacting youth theatre practice through, presentations, workshops, talks and performances over two days.

Youth Theatre Ireland’s tenth annual Youth Theatre Practice Symposium again took place at TU Dublin, East Quad, Grangegorman Campus, Dublin 7, on Nov 14th & 15th 2025.

Delivered in partnership with TU Dublin School of Media, and TU Dublin Conservatoire, this year’s event returned focus to performance and creative skills including voice, text, and radio.

Programmed and curated by Alan King, Youth Theatre Ireland, Sarah Fitzbibbon TU Dublin Conservatoire & Dr. Mary Ann Bolger, Head of Media Arts, School of Media TU Dublin.

What Is An Authentic Voice?

In a world of increasingly artificially generated ways of expressing ourselves, how do we hold onto and celebrate what is authentic and real? How can we creatively express that authentic voice? The symposium will consider the idea of the “voice” from a wide range of angles: languages, dialects, and accents; writing from and about real experiences; the spoken word; skills of singing, speaking and listening; and many more.

Finding Your Authentic Voice

This is an essential ingredient of becoming an artist, person, and citizen. Youth Theatre fosters the artistic, social, personal and development of young people.This journey of creative discovery is embedded in youth theatre practice. Through this holistic approach we grow as artists and begin to find our own authentic voices; and with academic rigour and practice we hone our voices to reach wider audiences as we share our stories and our experiences through theatre and drama.

By bringing together some of this country’s most original and authentic voices from the worlds of Irish theatre, youth theatre, film, T.V and radio we provided an exciting symposium focusing on performance and creation.This symposium is aimed at those already engaged in youth theatre practice, artists, theatre makers arts and community workers with an interest in youth theatre, theatre, education, youth work and community sectors.

Speakers: 

Phillip McMahon - The Search for Authenticity and Why Being Real Matters

Aoife Sweeney O’Connor – Finding Your Authentic Voice

Hannah Morrissey - How My Creative Hobbies Help Me to Express Myself

Jen Cummins T.D. – How Youth Theatre Influences My Life in Politics

Darren Thornton - Everyone Wants To be Part of A Team


Core Elective Workshops delivered both days. Participants Choose 2
Workshop 1: Gregory Burrowes – Sound on Film an introduction to the principals and craft of recording great sound onset.
Workshop 2: Helena Walsh – The Empowered Voice
Workshop 3: Dr. Ciara Murphy & Brian Keegan – Discover Your Voice: Professional Studio Acting Workshop Max 16 participants
Workshop 4: Esosa Ighodaro – Representation and Storytelling

Making Connections (networking) Workshop with Barry Morgan from Youth Theatre Ireland

Youth Theatre Ireland Quiz

Alcohol free social event for delegates. Networking and fun.

Hosted by Youth Theatre Ireland Directior Eoghan Doyle and Child Protection and Wellbeing Officer Cathal Thornton.


Saturday Sessions : Elective. Participants Choose 1
Session A

Panel

In Conversation with…

Shaz Oye in conversation with Rose Ugoalah, Trudy Nolan and Faith Olasogba, as they discuss access & inclusion, and representation in Irish culture, theatre and the arts

Supported by The Lir Acadamy

Session B

Screening

Youth Theatre Picture Shows

A screening of short films made by Youth Theatre followed by a discussion of young people's film inYouth Theatre.

Hosted and supported by Ciarda Tobin IFI Next Gen

Session C

Workshop

Finding Authentic Youth Voice through Theatre Criticism Faciliated by

Dr. Karen Fricker & Dr. Tanya Dean

Emerging Voices Panel Chaired by Lara Coady

Join members of our Emerging Voices programme as they reflect on their Symposium Experience.

Emerging Voices is a group of senior youth theatres members aged 18 and over who are

participating in the Symposium for the first time. Though a formal application process, they have been selected to experience the Youth Theatre Practice Symposium as individual artists, theatre makers and youth theatre members.

Mentored over two days by theatre maker Lara Coady, this panel is drawn from our youth theatre membership.

Playshare Workshop. Facilitated by Rebecca Feely.

Workshop for 30 for youth theatre members participating in Playshare Showcase

Playshare Showcase

Playshare is Youth Theatre Ireland’s literary resource for young performers. It currently contains over 120 plays for young performers that have been written by playwrights, and youth theatres alike.

Every year, we highlight this collection by bringing our youth theatres to our annual

Symposium to perform extracts from new and existing plays

The Playshare event is always one of the highlights of the Youth Theatre Ireland calendar, as it celebrates youth theatre practice and brings young people to the heart of the Symposium.

Join us and cast of youth theatre members as they come together to present their skills, their craft, and their joy for youth theatre.

Stagecraft Youth Theatre performing Pop Up devised by Stagecraft Youth Theatre

MAD Youth Theatre are performing Salt Mountain by Carmel Winters.


Participant feedback

"The Symposium left me recharged, inspired and enthusiastic about what's to come. Its everything that's right with the world and I wish everyone had the opportunity to be a part of that. It's thanks to the courage, openness, creativity and hard work of young people and youth leaders, we are creating a positive society that we want to be part of." 

“This year’s Symposium was an education for me as an emerging facilitator. I had the opportunity to meet so many amazing people working in Youth Theatre across the country, to have honest conversations about inclusion and accessibility in theatre and to hear from the young people themselves about their experiences with youth theatre. It was a fantastic experience and I look forward to the next!”

“The amount of thought that went into the description and info being neurodivergent friendly this year was really impressive. Visual guide and supports were excellent.”

“I had a fabulous time at the Youth Theatre Ireland Symposium. It was a special moment to see experts and facilitators come together for this countrywide event, the atmosphere could not have been more welcoming and it was a great chance to upskill and reflect on how we can make a difference to the youth of today. I truly felt it did empower our voices.” 

“Overall, I loved the symposium. There were so many workshops I wanted to do! Had a great time meeting and seeing everyone and cannot wait to come back next year.” 


Evaluation insights

Evaluation 

36/104 Respondents to Evaluation Survey, Overwhelmingly positive response to event. 

56% rated event as Exceptional 

44% as Very Good 


Some Reasons for Attending 

"Continue engaging with improving my own personal practice, reconnecting with why I do the work I do, meeting like-minded and interesting people, reconnecting with the joy of youth theatre." 

"To hear discussions on inclusion and authentic voice. To meet with other youth theatre practitioners." 

“Youth Theatre Ireland continues to excel in providing inspiring speakers and workshop opportunities for anyone with an interest in youth arts and practitioner/facilitation training”

Speakers, Presenters and Workshops  

Overall, how relevant were the speakers and workshops to your practice?
81% rate as Very Relevant
17% Somewhat Relevant
1% Irrelevant

Overall, how useful were the speakers and workshops to your practice? 
83% Very Useful
17% Somewhat Useful

What elements of the Symposium did you enjoy the most?
Workshops, informal chats, meeting new people and reconnecting with friends and colleagues, speakers and presentations, Playshare Showcase, positive atmosphere

What elements of the Symposium did you enjoy the least? 
Cannot think of anything
The weather
More time to talk, ask questions after speakers
Not being able to do everything.

“Had a great time, it was very well run, very professional, and I felt valued.”

“Excellent Symposium, top quality speakers and workshops, very well organised”

“Well done! It was really excellent and I'll recommend it to everyone next year.”

“Well paced for both days, great atmosphere. As an introduction to Youth Theatre Ireland, was pretty much flawless!”

Workshop and Facilitators 

“Both workshops I attended were built on collaboration, so the facilitators were responding and changing the plan to suit the groups which was excellent to see.”

“It is always a pleasure to attend workshops as a participant rather than a facilitator. It's so rare that we have opportunities to explore and extend our own practice or engage with different modes/thoughts of practice. It is so important to have this opportunity as it informs and enable our own practice to improve and develop.”

“Both interesting as a professional actor and as a youth theatre facilitator.”

 

Do you feel the voices of young people were suitably present at the Symposium?

83% Yes 

17% Undecided – (They were mostly delegates who only attended Friday) 


How do you rate the event in terms of Inclusion and Accessibility 4.75/5

“Great space for inclusive practice”

“I think all spaces were accessible and the theme of the symposium highlighted the importance of inclusion in relation to authenticity. I'm not sure what could have been better or different, but it felt like inclusion was really considered in the planning”

“Great wheelchair accessibility”

12 Young people from affiliated youth theatres participated in 3 days of workshops engaging in youth theatre facilitation training. They explored the qualities of a good facilitator, workshop design, and left with a deeper understanding how to lead workshop. Designed to inspire the new generation of youth theatre leaders.Their accommodation, travel, and food was all covered by Youth Theatre Ireland.

Participant feedback

“I thought the programme was well structured and that the facilitator did a fantastic job throughout the weekend helping us through what we needed to learn.”

“The best part was getting other people’s perspective on facilitating and comprehending how to lay out a workshop plan.”

Evaluation insights

100% felt encouraged to contribute to the workshops.

100% benefitted from everyone sharing their experiences.

80% felt that the training had a practical relevance to them.

Child Protection Awareness Programme (CPAP) is a training devised by NYCI and delivered on behalf of Youth Theatre Ireland by Child Protection and Wellbeing Officer Cathal Thornton. It presents information regarding being aware of and responding to child protection concerns in a youth work setting.

Youth Theatre Ireland is one of the most active providers of CPAP, offering both scheduled sessions at regular intervals, and bespoke trainings in youth theatres home venues, delivering to over 70 participants in 2025.

The training covers legislation, statutory requirements, bullying, definitions of abuse, reasonable grounds for concern, responding to concerns, safe recruitment, reporting procedures, codes of behaviour, and other related topics.

This year we partnered with the Irish Association of Youth Orchestras and delivered CPAP for their team, and will be looking to collaborate further in future.

Cathal also consulted with NYCI to offer feedback on their pilot refresher course for CPAP.

Participant feedback

‘I think Cathal's approach was great—a perfect balance for all skills in the room. The Group rules at the start were a great way to work with a new group and to feel supported by each other.’

‘Cathal approached the training in a way that was accessible. He made a heavy topic digestible. The workshop was well-balanced with information and group interaction.’

‘The clear structure with which Cathal brought the group through all the aspects of child safeguarding; from defining terms to giving an overview of legislation to thinking through real-world examples. This clarity and structure, along with the suppled resource material, has given me a strong framework of support.’

Evaluation insights

100% of participants felt more confident handling a child protection concern having completed the training.

Youth Theatre Ireland Climate Action Training. Dedicated to creating a greener, more sustainable future in youth theatre.

This programme was funded through a €10K grant from the Climate Action Works Engagement Fund through Community Foundation Ireland.

In this new strand, Youth Theatre Ireland Climate Action Training, our affiliated youth theatre members will work with leading Irish theatre makers, and pioneers in sustainable theatre practice, to help create a greener, more sustainable future in youth theatre.

It brings together some of the leading minds and changemakers working in Irish theatre, youth theatre, film, and youth work, to focus on sustainable practices in youth theatre.

Aims of Youth Theatre Ireland Climate Action Training:

To educate young theatre makers in sustainable practices
To bring young people together to collaborate on Climate Activism in an engaging way, that builds on their own passions, interests and needs.
To share this practice with the wider youth theatre movement through a global platform.

Four workshops took place in Nov 2025, offered in partnership with regional hubs, Funding was allocated to pays artists fee and associated costs, cover youth participation including transport, welfare and chaperones, venue rentals and lunches.

Participating Youth Theatres from counties Roscommon, Cavan, Leitrim, Limerick, Clare, Wicklow, Dublin, Wexford, Laois participated.

The workshops were:

Workshop 1: What’s Already There? Rethinking Creativity & Sustainability by Luke Casserly. 36 participants from 4 neighbouring youth theatres. Hosted by Roscommon Co. Youth Theatre at Roscommon Arts Centre

Workshop 2: Nature's Voices by Alex Konieckza & Barry Morgan. with 34 participants from 2 YTS. Hosted by WACT Youth Theatre (Wexford) at YMCA Wexford

Workshop 3: Strategies for Hope and Story Telling in the Climate Era by Maeve Stone 31 participants from 2 YTS.. Hosted by County Limerick Youth Theatre at – HoneyFitz Theatre Bruff, Co. Limerick on Sunday 16th November 2025

Workshop 4: Eco-conscious Theatre Making : How Can We Act When The House Is on Fire by Sinead Wallace. 18 from 2 YT Hosted by Mr sands YT At Wolfe Tone Youth Club, Bray, Co.Wicklow, Sunday 30th November 2025

The facilitators wrote up their workshops as a sharing resource, these were edited by a freelaance arts paractioner with significant editing experience

These are now hosted on the Youth Theatre Ireland website as a free resource

https://www.youththeatre.ie/resources/youth-theatre-ireland-climate-action-training-workshops

Full descriptions of activities are in included in the workshop write up, that show the differing approaches and methods to explore the issues.

Participant feedback

"I think this was a great experience and I got to socialise with others while doing drama and learning about climate change"

"This was very good and made me more aware of the environment"

"I really enjoyed working with Clare Youth Theatre and the workshops helped me appreciate our environment"

"Broadened my horizon on the environment and my impact for the future"

"it was an eye opening experience and i got to meet and talk to people my age"

"I really enjoyed the creative freedom in this project!"

"Do more performances and workshops about issues"


Leader’s Feedabck


"The themes of this workshop will have an immediate effect on our upcoming shows; as we

are doing a double bill of performances, we will consider how we can share props and

costumes between the two shows. There’s a stronger sense of excitement amongst the

members, and I think they will be very excited to continue" - Leader Mr Sands Youth Theatre, Bray, Co.Wicklow

"We will also consider more carefully how many scripts we print out for the shows, as well as

providing snacks with a lower carbon footprint and less single-use plastic.

As leaders, we understand better what we’ve been doing ‘right’ in our youth theatre practice, and what we could do to improve it and make it more environmentally conscious and sustainable. More importantly, it has shown that the issues of climate change and

sustainability are as relevant to the young people as they are to us, and it will be something

we keep in our minds when we are planning our artistic programme for future years" - Leader Mr Sands Youth Theatre, Bray, Co. Wicklow

"I've gained new ways to tap into devising. Using facts & evidence of objects. Creating a narrative around an object. This will be useful for future devising. " Leader Roscommon Co. YT

"It was a wonderful opportunity for youth theatre members to engage with other groups & participate in a workshop with Luke Casserly. It was an interesting way of getting young people to learn about the environment & climate. An added bonus was getting to catch up with the other leaders."

Evaluation insights

95 from 125 participants completed post event survey:

Key Findings: 87% rated the experience as Excellent or Very Good.

55% had never taken part in a Youth Theatre Ireland event before.

All 4 organising leaders filled out an evaluation report.

Feedback and observations from leaders:

"One of the key benefits of the workshop was the chance for our group to connect with three other Youth Theatres. The enforced connection with new people and the sharing of work not only built confidence but also developed their ability to communicate ideas clearly and work effectively under time constraints."

"really valuable for our young people to meet others who share the same interest in drama, especially since we come from a small town where opportunities like that are limited. They enjoyed seeing different approaches, exchanging ideas, and realising that there is a wider community of people their age who love theatre just as much as they do. "

"workshop was very informative and engaging. The participants had a lot of opinions on sustainability that they wanted to share from the very beginning, and got invested in the topic. It has encouraged them to adopt a ‘bigger picture’ view of the art we make"

Feedback from artist/ facilitator:

"it was also really valuable to formally write up the workshop for sharing. I am often asked for facilitation resources, and it’s great to be able to direct practitioners to a clearly documented, accessible workshop model. This extends the life of the project beyond the initial delivery and supports wider sector learning" - Alex Koneczika - Artist / Ecologist

The Drama Facilitation Training Course (DFTC) is Youth Theatre Ireland’s part-time, QQI-accredited Level 6 training programme for people working, or intending to work, as drama facilitators with young people.

Across the two cohorts included in the 2025 period, 64 participants undertook the training. The course combines theoretical learning, practical drama facilitation, experiential learning, reflective practice and leadership development. Participants explore how young people learn through drama and develop the skills required to create safe, inclusive and creatively ambitious spaces for participation.

The programme provides participants with practical tools and methodologies that can be applied immediately within youth theatres, community settings, education, arts outreach and other professional contexts. Participants also have opportunities to learn alongside practitioners from across Ireland, developing professional networks and a supportive community of practice.

The course contributes to the development of a skilled national workforce of drama facilitators, supporting the quality and sustainability of youth theatre and youth arts practice in Ireland.

Participants also engage with practical festival/performance opportunities as part of their training, allowing them to connect the theory and methodology explored on the course with real-world practice.

Participant feedback

“The Drama Facilitation Training Course made it possible for me to pursue and sustain a career in the arts. The work of Youth Theatre Ireland isn’t just life changing for young people, but for the facilitators they work with.”

“The course definitely changed the trajectory of my career - I get far more work as a freelance facilitator and coach than I did prior to training.”

“The DFTC was an incredible experience, enhancing my skills, giving me confidence to pursue further Facilitation opportunities and helping me make valuable connections in the world of youth theatre.”

“Doing the course was the best decision I have ever made I still remain in contact with my comrades, it was a great opportunity to find and build community across the country. [...] I am a more confident facilitator from taking part in the DFTC.”

“The skills that are taught in the course are invaluable, the basis of creating that safe space is key and cannot be underestimated.”

“The training was invaluable to me as a worker within the film and TV sector. I use the skills that I learned daily. I get involved with other projects within the arts sector due to the training.”

“The YTI drama facilitation course was invaluable in building the skills to effectively facilitate a wide variety of groups. Having the qualification has given me confidence to design and deliver a wide range of projects for young people.”

“The skills learned through the course transition across differing sectors, and massively benefited me in promotions and other opportunities.”

Evaluation insights

Participant feedback demonstrates a strong and sustained impact on participants’ professional practice, confidence and career development. Participants reported that the training equipped them with practical skills and methodologies that they continue to use in their work with young people and across the wider arts, education and community sectors.

A recurring theme was the impact of the training on confidence and employability. Participants described the DFTC as having changed the trajectory of their careers, increasing access to freelance work and further facilitation opportunities, and in some cases making it possible for them to pursue and sustain a career in the arts.

Participants also highlighted the transferability of the skills developed through the course, with graduates reporting that they use the learning in drama, arts outreach, education, film and television, arts and crafts and other community settings.

The course also appears to have had a significant impact on quality of practice. Participants described continuing to use course resources, planning tools, theoretical frameworks and facilitation techniques in their work, with increased confidence in designing sessions, working with diverse groups and creating safe and supportive environments for young people.

A further significant outcome was the development of a national peer network and community of practice. Participants reported maintaining relationships with their cohorts after completing the training and valued having a network of practitioners they could continue to learn from, collaborate with and seek support from.

Constructive feedback focused primarily on the desire for continued professional development opportunities, including refresher training, shorter “top-up” courses, advanced training and opportunities for DFTC alumni to remain connected and share jobs, opportunities and learning.

The Belong To Rainbow Award is a holistic approach to LGBTQ+ inclusion in youth organisations that involves the whole community. Over the course of 12 months, Youth Theatre Ireland were supported in implementing evidence-based actions across a number of key areas, which research shows improve the wellbeing and safety of LGBTQ+ youth.

The Rainbow Awards are valid for three years, after which time there will be renewal process.

The aim of the Rainbow Award is to bring each organisations on a journey of embedding LGBTQ+ inclusion into their Youth Service. Belong To wants every young person to be able to access local youth services that are free from homophobia, transphobia, and biphobia.

In Janurary 2026, Youth Theatre Ireland joined eight other youth services from across Ireland in being awarded Belong To LGBTQ+ Youth Ireland’s Rainbow Award at a ceremony which took place on Wednesday, 21 January at Wood Quay Venue, Dublin 2.

Following an 18 month process, a delegation of Youth Theatre Ireland staff, Soundboard and Board members attended the celebration.

Here we had the opportunity to meet with other youth services who also received their awards and enjoyed hearing from insightful speakers and youth panelists. It was a true celebration of inclusive youth work practice.

Belong To is the national organisation for LGBTQ+ young people in Ireland. Belong To offers youth groups, advice, information, and crisis counselling for LGBTQ+ youth, and supports LGBTQ+ youth groups across Ireland. They also campaign to ensure policy is informed by the voice and experiences of LGBTQ+ young people.


Speaking at the ceremony, Alan King, Deputy Director of Youth Theatre Ireland said:"As a National Organisation, Youth Theatre Ireland leads the way. We lead by example, and we model positive behaviours and attitudes and embrace difference.

By participating in the Rainbow Awards, Youth Theatre Ireland shows its members, that:

Yes, We do care,

Yes, We look out for you,

Yes, We value you,

Yes, We’ll create a safe space for you.

You can come here and meet other young people and adults who are just like you.

You can come here and meet young people and adults who are not like you,

but:

They will respect you,

They will care for you

They will have your back.

So today, we don’t just accept an award. We renew a promise. A promise that, at Youth Theatre Ireland you are safe, you are seen, you belong."

Leading On is Youth Theatre Ireland’s annual residential professional development programme for youth theatre practitioners. The programme provides an intensive space for practitioners to explore new artistic approaches, develop their facilitation practice, gather practical resources and make connections with colleagues working across the youth theatre sector.

In 2026, Leading On took place from 6–9 August at The Granary Theatre, UCC, Cork, and focused on Playback Theatre: Stories in Motion, facilitated by experienced theatre practitioners Anna Galligan and Dave Kelly.

The four-day residential brought together 20 youth theatre practitioners, comprising 4 men and 16 women, for an intensive programme of practical workshops, ensemble work, improvisation, storytelling and reflection. Participants were introduced to the principles and practice of Playback Theatre and explored a range of short-form and long-form structures, ensemble exercises and performance approaches.

The programme focused on developing skills in spontaneous improvisation, active listening, physical and vocal expression, collaboration, responsiveness and ensemble awareness. Participants also explored how Playback Theatre approaches could be adapted for their own creative, educational and facilitation contexts.

A key outcome of the programme was the development of participants’ practical understanding of Playback Theatre. Over the course of the residential, participants progressed from exploring and experiencing Playback structures to developing the confidence and practical knowledge to facilitate a range of activities themselves. Participants left with a bank of practical structures and approaches that they can adapt and use within their own youth theatre and group work.

The residential format also created valuable opportunities for practitioners to connect with peers, share experiences and learn collectively. The intensive nature of the programme required sustained creative, physical and reflective engagement across four long days, creating a challenging but highly immersive learning environment.

Participant feedback

The 2026 Leading On residential was highly engaging and provided significant opportunities for artistic and professional development. Participants demonstrated a growing understanding of Playback Theatre throughout the four days, developing from an initial exploration of the form towards a stronger understanding of its principles, structures and potential applications within their own practice.

The intensive nature of the residential was an important part of the learning experience. The work was physically and creatively demanding, with long days requiring sustained concentration, participation and reflection. While participants experienced fatigue as the programme progressed, they remained highly engaged and enthusiastic about the work. The combination of challenge, play, experimentation and group reflection created a supportive environment in which participants were able to take creative risks and develop new skills.

A particularly significant outcome was the practical nature of the learning. Participants did not simply gain an awareness of Playback Theatre; they developed a repertoire of structures and techniques that they can now take into their own practice and facilitate with groups. This creates potential for the impact of the programme to extend beyond the residential itself, as participants bring new approaches to the young people and communities they work with.

The residential also supported peer connection and collective learning. Bringing 20 practitioners together in an intensive residential setting created opportunities for participants to exchange ideas, experiences and approaches, strengthening connections across the wider youth theatre network.

While quantitative participant evaluation data is not available for this report, qualitative observations from the programme indicate strong engagement, enjoyment and learning. The combination of new artistic skills, practical facilitation resources, peer connection and an intensive shared experience contributed to a successful Leading On residential.

Evaluation insights

Overall participants found the work demanding but incredibly rewarding. The increase from a three-day residential to a four-day was equally as impactful. Participants also complimented the organisation of the event and the facilitates and support offered by The Granary Theatre.

A major element of Youth Theatre Ireland’s work is youth theatre development. In the main this is supporting individuals and community groups to establish sustainable youth theatres in their communities that align with the Criteria for Affiliation with Youth Theatre Ireland.Youth Theatre growth, development and sustainability is a labour intensive endeavour that requires patience, grass roots cultivation and continued mentorship.

To sustainably grow the number of affiliated youth theatres a proactive, innovative, and targeted approach is needed. This is achieved through focused stakeholder engagement, building leadership capacity, increased funding, and visibility & advocacy.

At present there are 27 “developing youth theatres” in the youth theatre development book. These “developing youth theatres” range from people who we have had one or two conversations with to those who are developing policies and building teams, to those that are close to affiliation.

Each of these leads in hugely demanding of time, energy and expertise. Development is done on a case by case , in a bespoke manner to respond to the needs of each individual organisation. This is done through countless emails and phone calls, zoom meetings, site visits and thorough feedback and support in writing policies, developing Governance structures and artistic mentorship.

From January 2025 – Sept 2026, 3 youth theatres have become affiliated to Youth Theatre Ireland..The timeline from initial conversation to full affiliation was on average 3 years for each group. The affiliated groups are:

Theatre Making and Citizenship Cork, YP – July 2025
Theatre Making and Citizenship Cork -Young People (TMACC-YP) youth theatre was set up in 2021. It arose from conversations between The Everyman and YMCA, Cork - regarding theatre making and cultural citizenship, engagement and locality, equality and diversity, health and wellbeing.Inspired by their friends in Graffiti Theatre and The Abbey, the long-term collaboration between The Everyman and YMCA has created a unique template of youth theatre which is fun, free, youth-led and inclusive. Hundreds of young people (16-19 year olds) have been facilitated in finding their voice, their tribe and stepping into their place as citizen artists.

TMACC-YP is led by professional theatre-makers together with youth support workers from YMCA.

The Everyman is for Everyone: this is our aspiration.

https://www.youththeatre.ie/news/everymans-tmacc-yp-affiliates-with-youth-theatre-ireland

Snapped Youth Theatre Aug 2025

Founded in 2023, Snapped Youth Theatre (SYT) grew out of a partnership between The Source Arts Centre, Youth Theatre Ireland, and Meitheal 21. It began as an in-house programme for Down Syndrome Tipperary, offering workshops that celebrated creativity, play, and self-expression.

Today, Snapped has evolved into an inclusive youth theatre, primarily geared towards teenagers with a mild general learning difficulty but open to all young people. It’s ideal for participants who prefer a more relaxed, process-based workshop experience with less emphasis on public performance.Workshops are imaginative, supportive and collaborative, a space where every member can explore theatre at their own pace, build confidence, and express themselves creatively through acting, movement, and storytelling.Snapped is a sister youth theatre you the well established Youth Theatre Ireland affilited YT: Fracture at The Source Arts Centre. Both led by Emily Matthews and Danielle Martin.

Snapped offers a playful, inclusive, and flexible space that prioritises creativity, collaboration, and self-expression.Fracture offers a high-energy, performance-focused experience for young people who want to create and perform on stage.

https://www.youththeatre.ie/news/snapped-youth-theatre-affiliates-with-youth-theatre-ireland

Dingle Youth Theatre May 2026

Dingle Youth Theatre was established in April 2022, affiliating with Youth Theatre Ireland in 2026.

The youth theatre is supported by Family Resource Centre Áiseanna na hÓige, in Dingle and meet weekly in the centre. The group is made up of young people aged between 11 and 18 years and all young people within the West Kerry locality.

Dingle Youth Theatre provides an essential artistic and social output for the young people of the Dingle peninsula. The artistic leaders are supported by a dedicated support staff, and Dingle YT is now part of the community.

Established in 2022, it was initially funded through Deidre Enright, the LCYP coordinator for Kerry, through their youth theatre grant scheme. It now receives funding directly from the Kerry Arts Office

It is the first of its kind youth theatre that is run through a Family Resource Centre with no previous youth service provison. As such, it is at the heart of its community. It is a model and structure worth taking note of and replicating in the future.

Dingle Youth Theatre is a good example of how visionary leadership, joined up thinking, resource management, adequate funding, and investment in people, can lead to sustainable youth theatres nationally.

https://www.youththeatre.ie/news/dingle-youth-theatre-affiliates-with-youth-theatre-ireland

In addition

2 Youth Theatres are ‘Getting Ready for Affiliation”
They need to complete Affiliation Forms, do internal checks and pay membership fees. The aim is to have both groups affiliated by ened of 2026.

4 Youth Theatres have “stalled.”Considerable time and energy has been invested in developing groups but this has now slowed down for a variety of reasons. These include a lack of interest, change in personnel or management, change in organisational focus, overworked in other areas or lack of funding. Many of these stalled groups, do not respond to communication offers from the development lead.

21 groups are in “early-stage development.”These would include those where we held a number of meetings (online or in person) and would be talked through the affiliation process. They may be developing policies, or they may no longer continue to respond or develop any further.In addition, there were 9 youth theatre leads they were moved into the archive file. These were leads, that substantial time and attention was given to, but for a variety of reason, decided to no longer continue the process of affiliation. They may pick this up in the future but at present they don’t warrant a commitment of any further time on Youth Theatre Ireland’s behalf.

A development focus for Q4 2026 is to re-establish contact with dormant group and close off all ‘dead leads’ to focus developmnet work in 2027.

Participant feedback

"We are incredibly proud that our TMACC-YP programme is now affiliated with Youth Theatre Ireland and is part of a national network committed to bringing high-quality youth theatre to young people across the country. At The Everyman, we are passionate about nurturing the next generation of theatre-makers and audiences, and this affiliation reflects our commitment to inclusion, participation, and ensuring that that young people’s voices are heard on our stages and in our stories”.
Des Kennedy Artistic Director of Everyman, Cork.