Max HeyraudPsyCare Ireland: Welfare and Harm Reduction CLG has been awarded €81,100 through the Department of Justice’s Community Safety Fund to launch a new national programme focused on safety and empowerment in Ireland’s nightlife scene.
The initiative, called NITE (Nightlife Intervention and Training for Empowerment), is a youth-led, peer-driven project aimed at reducing harm and promoting well-being among young people who attend clubs, festivals, and community events across the country.
NITE aims to equip participants with practical knowledge on substance awareness, essential tools for self-care and staying safe during nights out, and guidance on supporting friends through challenging experiences. The programme also provides training on when and how to seek medical help, alongside accessible, stigma-free harm reduction resources, all to empower young people to look after themselves and each other.
“At its core, NITE is about empowerment, compassion, and preparation,” said a spokesperson for PsyCare Ireland. “It’s about helping young people care for themselves and each other — with understanding, not judgment.”
The NITE Programme has also been recognised in the National Rural Safety Plan 2025–2027, highlighting its role in improving drug harm reduction in rural communities across Ireland. The pilot phase is set to begin in 2026, with a nationwide rollout to follow.
This funding marks a major milestone for PsyCare Ireland, a volunteer-led organisation known for delivering welfare and harm reduction services at festivals and events nationwide.
“Receiving this support means we can take our experience from festival fields into everyday nightlife spaces,” the organisation said. “We’re deeply grateful to our team, our volunteers, our partners, and the communities we serve for making this possible.”
