Introduction Our young people are the most creative, energetic, motivated and expressive people in our society, but this presents challenging problems. The fact that they often feel bored and misunderstood plays a big role in how they make choices in life, however they have interests, passions and inspirations and want an environment and structures in which they can express themselves by releasing their excessive energy. In situations where these facilities are limited or unavailable, our young people are left to find their own ways to vent their frustrations, usually through behaviors that challenge our communities and society, such as alcohol and drug abuse illicit. They are strongly influenced by their peers, peer group and pressure to experiment. The way the media glorifies and portrays problems greatly influences how our young people deal with these challenges, for better or worse. This essay will define “youth work” and focus on how youth work can help young people with problems related to drug addiction. Discussion To understand the relationship that youth work can have on adolescents with drug addiction, we must first define 'youth work'. Youth work is 'a planned educational programme, designed with the aim of assisting and enhancing the development personal and social of young people through their voluntary participation and which is complementary to their formal, academic or professional education and training; and provided mainly by voluntary youth work organisations." (Youth Work Act, 2001). In this definition we can see that youth work is an extension of education and an action plan that supports young people within a non-formal and informal education system that operates in society, reaching out to these young people...... middle of paper .....youth work and services aimed at young people are vital to help tackle this growing problem : drug abuse by our youth. References Alexander, B., (2001) The Roots of Addiction in Free market Society, Vancouver, Canadian Center for Policy Alternatives. EMCDDA (2010). . www.emcdda.europa.eu/.../att_120104_EN_EMCDDA_AR2010_EN.pdf [accessed 03.01.11]Long, J., Jackson, T., Kidd, M., Kelleher, T., Sinclair, H. (2004a). Demand for treatment for problem alcohol use in the South Eastern and Southern Health Board areas, 2000 to 2002. Occasional paper 10. Dublin: Health Research Board Van Hout, MC (2009). ''Letter to the editor''. Journal of Alcohol & Drug Education 53 (1): 7–www.drugsandalcohol.ie/12266 [accessed 03.12.10]The Youth Work Act (2001). www.irishstatutebook.ie/2001/en/act/pub/0042. [accessed 04.02.11)