Teenagers get €1,100 to develop innovative solutions at Dragon's Den-style event

 

Teenagers from AVS, Donegal Town and Rosses Community School in Dungloe have been awarded €1,100 to develop innovative solutions to social challenges at a Dragon's Den-style event.

Students from both schools have been awarded funding totalling €1,100 to advance their ideas for ways of bringing about positive change in their communities, through their participation in the Young Social Innovators’ (YSI) Social Innovation Den in conjunction with Community Foundation Ireland.

Students from Abbey Vocational School, Donegal town, secured €500 for their The Greenest Link project aimed at highlighting TFI Local Link Bus Services as an alternative public transport facility on offer to people in Co Donegal. They were awarded funding to produce leaflets on the Local Link for older people.

Students from Rosses Community School, Dungloe, secured €600 for their Menstrual Waves project aimed at promoting menstrual health education in schools.

Caption: Left to right: Clodagh Glackin, Rowan Buchanan and Freya Burton from Abbey Vocational School, Donegal Town, who were awarded €500 in Social Impact Fund support for their The Greenest Link project through the Young Social Innovators’ Social Innovation Den in conjunction with Community Foundation Ireland

The team presented their idea for producing an easy-to-understand menstrual cycle tracking booklet to help students understand the impact that changes in hormones can have on how they feel at certain times in the month, including how it can affect their sports and exercise routines. They were awarded funding to cover the cost of printing the booklet as well as leaflets for parents and students. They will also receive mentoring in social media and marketing. 

The high point of the YSI Den is a series of Dragon's Den-style pitching sessions at which the teenagers recently presented their ideas to a panel of representatives, including from Dublin City Council, Community Foundation Ireland and EirGrid, to enable them to access Social Impact Fund support to advance their projects.

Roger Warnock, CEO of Young Social Innovators, said: “The innovative ideas awarded Social Impact Fund support through our Social Innovation Den this year show how strongly engaged our young people are when it comes to the pressing and relevant issues impacting on people and society today. 

Denise Charlton, chief executive of Community Foundation Ireland added:

“Young people are leaders in addressing many of the challenges facing communities across Ireland. On mental health, biodiversity, equality and climate change, they are successfully setting the agenda. We are proud to partner with Young Social Innovators and the young voices which drive our shared mission of equality for all in thriving communities. In these challenging times, the work being undertaken is more important than ever.”

For more information about Young Social Innovators, see www.youngsocialinnovators.ie.