Funding for ChillOUT

Funding for ChillOUT

Green Party TD for Waterford welcomes almost €40,000 funding for Waterford and South Tipperary Community Youth Service ChillOUT-Reach programme which will work on building LGBTI+ inclusion in rural communities. The funding (€39,797 ) which was announced by Roderic O’Gorman TD, Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth will be used by the organisation to provide support to the youth LGBTI+ community through outreach, activities and education. It was part of a €1.5 million allocation for 42 LGBTI+ community service based projects throughout the country.

Welcoming the funding which aims to assist the development of rural community infrastructure to be inclusive and welcoming of LGBTI+ persons, Deputy Ó Cathasaigh said:

“This is very welcome news for Waterford and our youth LGBTI+ community but particularly LGBTI+ youth in rural parts of the county who may not have ready access to the same services as young people in the city or larger towns and I thank my colleague Minister O’Gorman for recognising this need.”

“Waterford sent out a very strong message of inclusivity and support when the PRIDE flags were damaged during PRIDE month last summer. Waterford is an inclusive city and county and people and organisations across the city and county came out in support for the LGBTI+ community at that time.”

“I invited Minister Roderic O’Gorman to visit Waterford last summer to present a PRIDE flag to the PRIDE committee and raise the flag. While in Waterford, he praised the people of Waterford for their support and solidarity with the LGBTI+ community. He said that the people of Waterford shown themselves to be caring and compassionate and he met with representatives of the ChillOUT youth project to support them in their work”


The mission of the WSTCYS ChillOUT youth project is to provide a safe supportive community where LGBTI+ young people are accepted and appreciated for who they are and encouraged to take PRIDE in themselves. They provide opportunities for young LGBTI+ to meet up with peers, create awareness and to take action on issues and local and national policy development related to LGBTI+ issues.

More Information

More information on ChillOUT here: https://wstcys.ie/services/chillout-lgbti-youth-project/