Are we capable of changing our opinions? As youth workers, are we obliged to revisit our long- held opinions, our values, our morals and how we see the world? And what has changed in the past couple of years for the lads, in their youth work journeys, in their lives beyond youth work and in their opinions about some of our most talked- about topics on the podcast? In this episode of YouthPod Ireland we reflect on the past and see if there has been any growth in our thinking. And we want you to not only listen but to do your own soul- searching and reflection as you join us for another episode of YouthPod Ireland.

After a covid- enforced year of absence, the lads are back with another season of YouthPod Ireland, where the conversations at the table are, as always, all about the young people.

In this first episode of Season 07, we look at the changes that have occurred in our own lives over the last year, in the lives of young people and in the youth work sector.

A long- awaited catch- up for three of the original YouthPod Ireland crew and the first of very many more to come as we continue to have those countless arguments, opinions, discussions, ideas and debates but as ever, as long as it is youth- relevant, we've got you covered.

Big thanks to our silent sponsors for keeping the show on the road and to the many, many listeners, new and old who have continued to dip into our library of episodes over the past year... you've made this comeback all the more special and worthwhile.

We are delighted to be back... thank you for the continued support!

The final episode of Season 06 is an exclusive episode for the Connect Digital Youth Festival and in this episode we talk to Thomas McCarthy, a youth worker from Core YS who has shown great innovation and adaptability in connecting with young people in the spaces in which they most comfortably exist. We talk about the online world of gaming, street work, workshop skills and so much more in this fantastic episode with a really sound and very informed practitioner in the field of youth work. Enjoy the episode.

In light of the recent and tragic death of George Floyd, may young people took to social media to express their support with the anti racism movement that came as a result on this deplorable incident. In our own community, mother, teacher and Bray native, Emer O Neill posted her own account online and impacted so many in doing so. So we invited Emer on the podcast to share more of her journey and the result is a fantastic interview and an invaluable insight into her experiences as a person of colour who grew up in Ireland and lived in the US. We really hope you enjoy the episode and learn as much as we did.

Over the past 18 months, Adrian McCarthy has connected with young people in our youth project, community and beyond to capture their journeys and genera lives in his role as a documentary and film maker. Adrian's documentary will hit our screens in the Autumn but we caught up with him in advance to learn why he chose young people as the subject of his next documentary, what he learned about them, what value he saw in the youth work sector and so much more.

We extend our sincerest thanks to Adrian for his participation in both the podcast and in capturing some of our stories in a youth work context and similarly, Adrian extended his gratitude to all of the young people who participated and to the staff of our three centres and Yvonne and Niamh in our management team, for the opportunity to capture this very unique journey.

Cian O' Neill is an inspiring young man living with cerebral palsy who has become a disability activist in his community, a youth ambassador for his local GAA club and won a Garda Youth Award for his dedication to volunteerism and community activism. He is a dear friend of ours in our local youth project so this week we took time to speak to Cian and capture his journey, on YouthPod Ireland Podcast.

He has travelled the world, seen the front line of war zones, learned Kung Fu with monks in monasteries and made international news as a prominent travel blogger and social media influencer but William Meara is also the co founder of one of the world's most rapidly rising International brands... the global phenomenon that is Bingo Loco. Check out this insane story of where it all began, what William has learned from his travels, the adversities of his formative years and how he came to pursue his passions rather than other people's expectations of him. One of our very best episodes to date!

This week we are joined by Bray native and prominent DJ and television host, Laura Whitmore. The former MTV presenter has become a household name hosting some of our favourite TV shows like 'Love Island' and 'I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here Now' and Laura has also amassed huge social media followings with her loyal fan base. In this episode we explore the world of the media, pressures of celebrity, self care, women in the media and so much more. Big thanks to Laura for giving her time and energy to this great interview. Enjoy.

It has been a tough week for people across the globe and despite an international pandemic, there is still room for a media witch hunt in relation to young people. Is it justified? Is there a reason why young people are being targeted right now? Is their portrayal fair or are we acting according to human nature, finding blame in times of dramatic change and hardship? We discuss young people and the media in this week's YouthPod Ireland.

In a time of 'social distancing' it became immediately evident that the 'digital youth work' skill set was missing from our daily work. So in this episode we explore further, how we are responding to the corona virus pandemic, how are youth work has evolved to meet the needs of young people, what we have found useful and what future gaps we can identify and prepare for in the youth sector. We are joined by a full podcast team and another local young person, Sam Barron. All feedback to [email protected]