YAP Ireland Sustainability Statement
YAP Ireland is committed to maintaining and improving how we perform as an organisation with focus on Social, Economic and Environmental Sustainability.
Social
Our Vision is:
A society where all Children, Young People and Families are confident and connected to their communities.
Each year we work with over 600 young people and families providing them with a needs-led, strengths-focused service that we believe leads to sustainable communities and socially resilient citizens. Our work embodies principles of fairness, diversity, and inclusion, by fostering a culture of voice, respect and collaboration. We train hundreds of community-based Advocates in the YAP Model each year, and they in turn take this positive strengths-focused approach to working with young people and families into other aspects of their communities and workplaces. We are committed to continuing this work which we believe contributes hugely to social sustainability.
Economic
As a preferred provider of services to young people and families, the YAP service is good value for money and the improvements achieved by the young people and families are long lasting and sustainable, often avoiding young people having to go into care at a huge cost to the state. By optimising resources efficiently, investing in the education of staff, young people and families we believe that this in turn provides people with better education and employment opportunities, leading in the longer term to a more sustainable economy.
Environmental
YAP staff and the young people we work with have been working together on various projects that contribute to creating sustainable communities and socially resilient citizens. Some of these projects include tree planting, up-cycling, creating community gardens, swop shops and many more. The young people we work with are passionate about their environment and we are humbled every day to be learning from them.
YAP operates a hybrid working environment that requires employees only to attend the office for less than half of the working week. This is not just a benefit to employees, drastically cutting down on commuting times, it is also a benefit to the environment in that it reduces our carbon footprint as an organisation.
We have also moved from paper records to electronic records. This has greatly reduced the amount of paper and card that we are using.
We have effective waste separation systems in place in all locations, recycling and composting where possible, and so reducing the amount we send to landfill.
Continuous improvement
YAP Ireland are committed to transparency and accountability in our sustainable efforts.
Some of the projects for the coming 3 years will be:
• Putting sustainability front and centre of all our activities and projects.
• Educating employees and service users to develop Green Skills and boost awareness of sustainable practices.
• Reducing our dependency on printed materials and when printing is essential, looking for the most sustainable options for this.
• Using suppliers who are committed to sustainable practices.
• Minimising our environmental footprint by maintaining sustainable waste management systems in all our locations and where possible minimising waste generation.
We look forward to the Board, Staff, Young People and Families joining us on our Sustainability journey and keeping us to our word of maintaining and improving how we perform as an organisation with focus on Social, Economic and Environmental Sustainability.
