www.communityvoice.ie - Community stories from Dublin 15

Extreme travel challenge for NYP

A local group providing services to young people and their families is hoping to meet a shortfall in funding by organising and extreme travel challenge next month. David Creed preparing for his extreme travel challenge

Established in 1993, the Blakestown and Mountview Neighbourhood Youth Project (NYP) has a proud record of empowering young people to achieve their full potential, despite the many pitfalls that litter their life’s journey. The value of this service to the local community cannot be underestimated, focusing as it does, on the root cause of problems that hinder many young people from developing fully.

For the past seventeen years the worth of the scheme has been recognised by the HSE who have paid a generous annual operating grant to the service to enable it to continue the good work with young people aged 9-14 years and their families in the Blakestown and Mountview areas.

However, in the current economic climate the NYP has been hit hard in the cutbacks this year having 5.78% cut from one funding line and 6.35% cut from the core funding. The savagery of the cuts created serious doubts within the NYP that they could continue to provide their full range of services to the local community.

“Like lots of other people and groups we were in shock when we heard the news,” said NYP manager David Creed. “There was a lot of giving out, shouting and complaining and then we got our heads together and came up with a few ideas for fundraising.

“Firstly, we bought some nice pens, had them engraved with the logo “I’m a Friend of the NYP” and we sold them. That went well and we raised €700. Other friends of the NYP did their own thing on our behalf. The Fit Kids Fit Teens, for example, organised a raffle and raised €640.”

The next big event is the Extreme Travel Challenge which is being undertaken by the staff of the project. Basically the challenge is to cross the country in three days by (a) trekking over Benbulben; (b) canoeing from Carrick-on-Shannon to Longford, a distance of 19 miles and then (c) cycling from Mullingar to Blanchardstown on the third day.

The challenge will take place from Tuesday 15th to Thursday 17th June and sponsorship is being actively sought. All monies raised will go towards direct frontline programme costs.

Anybody interested in sponsoring either the participants or the event as a whole is invited to contact the NYP (tel. 820 5253 or davidcreed@nypblanch.ie).

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