Donegal Youth Service are asking the local community to help them secure their headquarters by buying the building which has recently come up for sale.
The funds need to be raised just before Christmas, which is why the organisation that works with young people the length and breadth of the county are asking for a Christmas Miracle.
The DYS headquarters is housed in the second floor of La Scala House on Port Road Letterkenny. The building was put up for sale in October, sparking fears that the service might have to move from its central location.
Donegal Youth Service has launched a campaign to buy La Scala House with the hope of developing the ground floor into a new part of the centre.
Lorraine Thompson, DYS Regional Director said “If Donegal Youth Service are successful in buying the building, it will be a community asset for this generation and for generations to come. Our door is always open to young people, and a permanent base in the heart of Letterkenny would give security and stability for all of the young people of Donegal.”
“We are concerned for our future. We are concerned about rent hikes, and we will be at the mercy of any future landlords. A permanent space would mean we can expand, and that we can continue to grow to meet demand. To always be where young people expect us to be in the town. When we buy the building we will open a more accessible ground floor unit.”
“A donation towards the building is a donation that will stay in our community. It will benefit generations of young people in Donegal. It will benefit all of us. Together we can make a difference and do something great.”
The building on the Port Road is home to many DYS projects, as well as the base for our outreach work.
It’s home to Daybreak, which was recently a National Finalist in the first ever National Lottery Good Causes Awards, The Letterkenny Youth Information Centre, LOFT (Learning Opportunities For Teens), BreakOut (LGBTI+ Project), Youth Talk Donegal (mental health support service), Youthscape, Reactiv8/2, Worldwide Voices, Donegal Youth Council, Community Employment, Young Carers, and the Youth Outreach Project.
Last year over 11,500 young people engaged with the service throughout the county.
Lorraine continued: “It’s a space that’s a home away from home, a space for young people to learn, to grow, to make friends, to reach their own individual potential, to be supported, and to be heard. A space that supports their mental and emotional health. A place just for them. It’s all of that and more, and can continue to be for generations of our young people if we can buy it.
“So we are asking you, our community, to please get behind us and help us to buy our building. You can help by either making a donation, or by running a fundraiser online or offline, as well as sharing it with your friends. With our community behind us, we know a Christmas Miracle is possible.”
The DYS is appealing for donation to their online campaign on www.gofundme.com/help-us-buy-the-dys-building or through facebook.com/donegalyouthservice or on the website via PayPal www.donegalyouthservice.ie/donate or in person, or by cheque to 16-18 Port Road Letterkenny.
Donegal Youth Service are an energetic and contemporary youth organisation meeting the needs of young people countywide. For more information contact 074 91 29630, visit www.donegalyouthservice.ie, or find DYS on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter. Donegal Youth Service are a registered charity. Charity No. CHY 15027.
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