Ballymun Youth Action Project (BYAP) is a community-based response to drug and alcohol misuse. It was founded in 1981 after three young people in Ballymun had died from drug-related causes. As a response that has come from within the community of Ballymun, we strive to reduce the negative impact of drug and alcohol use on the lives of individuals and families, and on this community.
We seek to do this through
- Working with individuals who are using, reducing, or who have stopped using drugs and/or alcohol;
- Supporting families impacted by drug and alcohol issues;
- Supporting the community in their work of prevention and intervention as responses to drug and alcohol issues;
- And building capacity through training and research.
Our Vision:
Our vision is one where people have the right and the opportunity to live and thrive without being held back by the negative impact of drug or alcohol use.
Our Mission:
Our mission is to reduce the negative impact of drug and alcohol use on the lives of individuals and families, and on this community.
Locals from Ballymun wait outside BYAP for the arrival of President Mary McAleese for a special visit to mark the Project’s 30th anniversary
Our Way of Working:
- We place the person at the centre of any response we make, respecting where they have come from, where they are at now, and where they see they could be.
- We support the possibility of change, and work to facilitate that change in a respectful, non-judgemental way.
- We recognise the many barriers that people face when making changes, and we know that each person who comes to us brings a unique story and experience.
- We are clear that each individual lives within a context of many other systems including their family, the education system, the justice system, and the health system. Our work takes this into account, and at times must address the bigger issues that are presented by these systems.