My experience in working with young people and community related services for more than 20 years in India motivated me to enhance my professional and research skills in the field. Growing up in the Salesian setting, I developed a passion for working with young people and for the achievement of social change linked with equality and social justice. For this reason, I chose to study the Higher Diploma in Community and Youth Work at NUI Maynooth. This course has helped me to develop new skills, additional knowledge and greater confidence. The HDCYW has also enabled me to develop reflective practice and a more professional approach to community and youth work. Furthermore, M.A Applied Social studies helped me to deepen my theoretical understanding, reflective practice, research and writing skills. Now, I am doing my 3rd year PhD in NUIM, Department of Applied Social Studies and my research area is “Youth policy in Ireland and India: A Comparative Study”. I am awarded John and Pat Hume scholarship to carry on my PhD studies.

Casimir Raj Motcham is a PhD Research Student at The National University of Ireland, Department of Applied Social Studies, Maynooth, Ireland. His area of research is “Youth Policy in Ireland and India: A Comparative Study”. He has completed both an M.A in English at Annamali University and B.Ed in English at Madras University in India, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Community and Youth Work and an M.A in Applied Social Studies in Ireland. He has 20 years of experience working with young people in India. He has conducted training programs, workshops and seminars to young people and youth workers on life skills. He was the Director of Don Bosco Industrial Training Institute and was involved in the 2004 post tsunami relief and rehabilitation activities at Tharangambadi, Tamilnadu, India.