MOJO, a Kildare organisation supported by Co. Kildare Leader which supports programmes for young men in distress will receive funding of €50,373 to expand its programmes for men in the 18-24 age category according to Kildare South Fine Gael TD Martin Heydon.
The funding was confirmed by Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Katherine Zappone this week as part of the Quality and Capacity Building Initiative funding which will see the investment of €2 million to 51 organisations across the country.
Deputy Martin Heydon said: MOJO is a great organisation which has been helping Kildare men since it was established in 2015. Mojo targets men in distress, and works with them through a defined twelve week programme. I know from feedback I have received on the programmes that they have been very successful in supporting men to develop resilience and identifying positive progression paths.
“This very welcome funding will allow MOJO to run a more targeted intervention with younger men. A pilot for men in the 18-24 age group was run last year and highlighted the need for more such programmes. The new targeted programme will be delivered in the Hive in Kildare town but it is anticipated that men aged 18 – 24 will come from a wider area around Co. Kildare.
Mojo’s main programme is currently running in Newbridge and they have just started a short intervention in Celbridge.
“Programmes such as those run by Mojo are critical to assist young men in our areas who are struggling to manage in their lives. I had raised this application and others from Kildare with Minister Zappone in the Dail recently. I took that opportunity to emphasise to her again the need for Kildare youth services to play catch up following years of lack of funding. I am glad that this funding will go to a very worthwhile cause.”