So what Signposts aims to do is to skill up key young people in listening and communication skills, in protecting and looking after themselves and enabling them to become familiar with all the key services and agencies for youth. All the evidence shows that less than 10% of young people know of the services that are available to them.

The initial pilot group for this was made up of volunteers from STEP and Wot ! and one of our programme volunteers. They met weekly for 7 weeks doing research, visiting agencies, doing role plays and discussing issues. At the end the participants rated the project very highly and felt it had been really worth while for them.

The programme has been adapted for a school setting with much larger groups and modified aims and is being run in partnership with Ashton School with their Transition Year classes. It is has also now been rolled out to other setttings e.g. Travellers' Young Women's Group, Cork Foyer residents.

Contact Edel Stout or Ber Beville at the YMCA or e-mail: youthmgt@indigo.ie