CI Studio were invited by An Post to design a set of two stamps to reflect the work of youth clubs around Ireland which provide a safe space and belonging to young people, in addition to a variety of life defining experiences and skills.

Youth groups in Ireland span a wide variety of contexts including community, language, identity and education. All serve to enhance connection and strong relationships among their peer groups, offering one pathway to a secure adulthood.

Belvedere Youth Club is Ireland’s oldest youth group, based in Dublin's north inner city. It traces its origins back to 1918 when Belvedere Social Services took over two inner city youth clubs.

We took a trip to BYC to get a sense of the place, the people behind it and the kids who treat it as their home. We experienced first hand what makes these youth clubs so special and so important to our society and helped form our approach to the design of the stamps.

Statements pinned to the walls and hand-drawn on posters captured the young people’s messages of belonging and inclusion—values embraced by everyone within the youth club community.

These messages became the inspiration for the stamp design, where we incorporated simple linear house shapes to represent these happy, welcoming spaces. To ensure the young people were part of the design itself, we held a photo shoot with them, using their arms and hand gestures to express the spirit of inclusivity and camaraderie that defines these clubs.

It was an honour and a privilege to be part of this project and to meet the people who make these youth clubs such an essential part of our society.