John Gregg

 

John Gregg worked in construction for many years but after the last recession hit he decided a change was in order. He turned to Youth Work in the Clondalkin area and has been a central figure there for the past seventeen years. Along with all his colleagues a massive change has come about in the facilities available to young people in Clondalkin. The Youth Service provide Youth Cafes as a place for teenagers to meet up, they run various clubs for young people to share new skills, they train Junior Leaders and they organise the annual Summer Project for children in the area.        

 

 John feels that he is not a hero as he is just “giving back to young people what he would have liked as a kid” and that the real heroes of Clondalkin are the young people involved in the Youth Service. He describes himself as a “big kid” that “can’t say no to people”.

 

He feels all members of the Youth Service Staff have been there to talk and listen and that is why they have been recognised in this Face Forward project.

 

The Youth Service Staff motto is that “their door is always open!” to all people in Clondalkin.