The Irish government has launched a new safety, education and training initiative aimed at young people, entitled ‘All Right, All Night’, which seeks to highlight public safety when socialising at night.
The initiative, which was launched by Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin TD, follows on from a recommendation in the Night-Time Economy Youth Forum and Action 34 from the Report of the Night-Time Economy Taskforce, which suggested ways that current structures could support and enhance safety measures in night-time economy settings.
In 2023, the government provided funding of €240,000 to support the development of a training and education programme designed specifically for young people aged 16-24 years.
Developed by University College Cork, the programme addresses the experiences of sexual violence and harassment frequently witnessed or experienced by young people during social activities, particularly at night.
The launch of All Right, All Night aims to encourage people to sign up to this training and support a safer night-time environment.
The programme will consist of a series of bespoke, pilot training workshops and education programmes for young people, delivered in school settings and other out-of-home environments such as sports clubs and youth groups.
Participants will also develop practical skills on staying safe, keeping their friends safe, and making helpful, safe, and effective interventions when witnessing problematic behaviour.
“This training programme further supports our objectives for a safe and inclusive Night-Time Economy,” Minister Martin commented. “It has been developed in direct response to a recommendation arising from our Night-Time Economy Youth Forum, in which young people highlighted the need for a training and education programme like this.
“I really welcome this initiative, which will help promote a safe and positive night time environment for young people and equip them with the skills they need to support each other. I hope that young people and youth leaders will sign up for this training and spread this message of safety and inclusion.
“This initiative is part of a suite of safety initiatives being implemented to support the Night-Time Economy and builds on previous work my Department has done with venues and club owners to roll-out vulnerability training for staff and efforts by the HSE Safer Night-life Programme to promote safety in the Night-Time Economy”.
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