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BALLYRUNNERS Programme

Ballyrunners is an activity-based programme targeting young people who can be described as “very hard to reach” by mainstream services and whose lifestyle can be characterised as:

  • Early School Leavers
  • May have criminal or addiction issues
  • Lack of interest in obtaining training or education
  • Far removed from labour market

Target of Ballyrunners

Priorities of the Ballyrunners project are hard to reach young people that have little or no engagement with services. We specifically target early school leavers and those far removed from the labor market.

Many of the participant will have Criminal and or Addiction backgrounds.

Primary aim of Ballyrunners

Is to provide participants with the skills (confidence, motivation, self-esteem and outlook for the future) to successfully apply for education, training and or employment.

This programme also provides the participants with information, guidance on related careers while giving them an appetite and interest to consider moving towards the world of work.

Above all, our participants will have the opportunity to improve not only their social, inter and intrapersonal skills. They will become more cognitively aware of the choices that they make and the impact on them and those in their community.

In addition, this is a high support, low threshold programme that runs 3 days per week and has 4 main components:

Personal Development

Modules include Addiction Awareness, Choice and Challenge, Career Guidance, Preparing for Work, Drama, Animal Care (This delivered by The DSPCA) Cooking etc.

Community Involvement

Restoration of community gardens, community clean up and graffiti clean up.

Physical Activity

Young people train for and participate in a FUN RUN for Simon Community (A service for the homeless). Along with a team from Án Garda Siochána they take part in a selection of activities such as:

  • Mini football community league
  • Hill Walking
  • Yoga, as well as undertaking other physical activities.

Champion of Champions Modules

  • Which include: Archery, Basketball, Skipping, Indoor Football, Penalty Shots, Running Laps and more!

In addition, facilitators take part in all of the activities alongside the participants. For the purpose to help build relationships and trust of the young people involved.

To overcome these difficulties, Ballyrunners has been established to engage young people in a dynamic programme that aims to create and promote routine, work ethics and productivity. In addition to helping build positive relationships, promote pro-social activities and challenge offending or anti-social behaviors.

Our sponsors/partners and a bit of information about them

-For further information, access the specific website by clicking the Logo-
The Ballymun Job Centre (BJC) was established in 1986 as a community response to a chronic unemployment situation. Since opening, the BJC has adapted to changes in the environment in order to respond more effectively to the needs of the community.
An Garda Síochána, more commonly referred to as the Gardaí or “the Guards”, is the national police service of the Republic of Ireland. Furthermore the service is headed by the Garda Commissioner who is appointed by the Irish Government. Our headquarters are based in Dublin’s Phoenix Park.
The Probation Service protects the public and create safer communities by helping offenders to desist from committing more crime. We have a strong record of reducing re-offending, managing offenders safely in the community, reintegrating prisoners after release and of providing an effective, efficient and value for money service.
Ballymun Local Drugs Task Force was set up in 1997 to respond to drugs issues in the Ballymun community. The Task Forces are government funded to work with community, voluntary and statutory services and put in place responses to drugs and alcohol issues. We do this by encouraging co-ordination and co-operation between services and by listening to the needs of the local community.