The City of Dublin YMCA, established in 1849, is one of the oldest YMCA's in the world. Over the years we have acquired considerable experience in designing and implementing high quality programmes aimed at addressing the holistic needs for the young people that we cater for. The City of Dublin YMCA is a Christian organization which promotes the equality of every person. Our services concentrate on providing opportunities to each individual to grow and develop holistically, body, mind and spirit. The City of Dublin YMCA consists of a gym and fitness classes, youth work programmes, STEP Programme, Transitional housing programme, Private and Community Crèche, Community Employment Scheme and sports grounds. It is a very busy place and has 80 members of staff with an additional 10-15 volunteer’s depending on the time of year. Our clients vary depending on which service they access. Many are from the local community which would be classified as disadvantage. Many people who use the gym and child care facilities come from local colleges and private businesses within the city center.We believe that the programmes and opportunities that the YMCA offers compliment the Erasmus plus programme. The YMCA is a youth and community movement that works with children, young people and families with particular regard to those who are disadvantaged and disaffected. Underpinned by Christian principles, each YMCA responds to local need and seeks to share and learn from being a part of a national and international movement.Our EVS volunteers are placed the following areas depending on the need and arising trends:PAKT differs from many youth work interventions or children’s activities in that the whole family and not just the child is involved. PAKT promotes positive parenting attributes that are associated with resilient young people, including relationships characterized by warmth and boundary setting .Parents, who are seen as our partners, are encouraged to be active in the programme both through volunteering in children’s activities, and in managing the programme. Volunteers will experience being part of the PAKT Team and will have the opportunity to learn how to plan programmes for children and young people and as well as being able to evaluate sessions, gathering data and building relationships with families in difficult circumstances. Marketing and Fundraising: A Marketing and Fundraising EVS volunteer would work alongside the Fundraising Coordinator and Sales and Marketing Manager. They will learn about the social enterprise side of the YMCA and how important it is to raise funds to ensure that our community and social programs can work. They would work on on specific campaigns such as our Christmas Tree Sale, ,membership campaings, promoting the YMCA social programs and the YMCA Social enterprises. They would be tasked with researching opportunities for fundraising, database management and volunteer recruitment. Digital marketing and telephone communications would be two skills they could expect to develop in their time with Dublin YMCA. Youth Work: EVS volunteers would work alongside our youth workers helping them to run, plan and evaluate groups and sporting opprotunites for young people in the local area. These groups range from homework club, to anger managment, to anit bullying and drop ins. EVS volunteers would gain learning in facilitating groups, writing up programs and setting boundaries and discipline techniques with young people. STEP: EVS volunteers would work alongside our tutors in our STEP program. STEP is a full Fetac Level 4 program which gives 10 young people the chance every to complete this in a non formal education manner. The young people who access this program are between 16-24 and have either dropped out of school or had a bad experience in the traditional schoool environment. Volunteers would gain skills in planning and preparing sesssions, teaching sessions and one on one literacy work. Childcare: EVS volunteers would work alongside our Childcare workers in specific childcare rooms. We have a private and community childcare centres working from children 3 months - 6 years of age. The volunteers would help to plan activites for the children and learn about Siolta and Aishtear in doing this. They would also be given the opportunity to take part in assessments and observation giving them valuable knowlege that they could use in pursuing a childcare career.EVS is a vital part of the YMCA. Each year there is valuble experience and a transfer of learning. The impact of the EVS program is sustainable due to the impression and relationships which the volunteers make with the young people and the impact on the local community. The YMCA on a day to day basis is a diverse place which is a community for many nationalities, our volunteers are key to helping us to grown that community and to learn from each other what it means to be part of a larger community and environment.