Inspiring & Powerful YSI Stories 2001-2022

Inspiring & Powerful YSI Stories 2001

- 2022

Collier, Co-Founder of Young Social Innovators

Rachel

Rachel Collier

Rachel Collier co-founded Young Social Innovators (YSI) with Sr. Stanislaus Kennedy in Ireland in 2001 She worked as CEO for 21 years to give young people, particularly teenagers, access to doing and learning about social innovation. YSI is now a national organisation with an international reach which has brought social innovation education toover600post-primaryschoolsand160,000teenagers

ACommunicationsgraduate,sheworkedpreviouslywithSr StantohelpestablishFocus Point in 1985 where she managed communications and education She served on the Boardofitssisterorganisation,FocusHousingAssociationandwasManagingDirectorof Focus Ireland, a research, development and education organisation Following that, and prior to establishing YSI, Rachel worked as a consultant providing services with a particularfocusonstrategicplanningandtrainingforBoardsandstaffwithinthenot-forprofit,youth,communityandsocialservicessector

Over the past twenty-one years, since 2001, over 160,000 teenagers have engaged in various social issues that concern them through Young Social Innovators.

After choosing an issue, young people work in teams to explore and learn more about their chosen issues and develop innovative solutions to address them Over the course of their project, most teams present their issue and innovative ideas for change to panels at one of the many YSI Regional Speak Out events, and they communicate their idea to many in their local community. I have been fortunate to have seen many of them. What has always impressed me is the enthusiasm and commitment of the young people involved in these social innovation projects. There have been many many inspiring youth-led social innovations over the years. I treasure all of them, so it isn't easy to pick a few to share.

Every now and then, I meet alumni, some of whom are now in their 30s, and they love to recall their YSI projects Most fondly remember their innovations; many tell me of how their YSI project influenced their career and life choices Sometimes the connection happens in a random way as happened on the day I returned a call to a local radio station in Athlone

Fun but Serious Stuff

It was around the time of the Speak Out Tour when a radio station contacted me to talk about local stories At the other end came a question: "Rachel Collier, is that you from YSI?" "Yes", I said and "whom am I speaking to"? Before she put the call through to the radio presenter, she said, "this is Alison, (Alison Spittle, now comedian). "I did YSI years ago when I was in Moate Community School" Her voice jogged my memory and to one of our great Speak Out events hosted by that school some years back where she stood at the podium and captivated the audience with her very amusing but powerful speech on smoking and why you should never go near a cigarette! "yes, that was me", she said

Throughout March the YSI staff team take to the road in one of Toyota's donated vans for the YSI Speak Out Tour All YSI project teams in the senior cycle have the opportunity to present in one of the many venues hosting the tour across the four provinces. The team looks forward to this as it's the first time in the year we get to meet our young participants and educators (Guides) and see the amazing innovations being done throughout the country. We have a good formula whereby teams have 2 minutes to Speak Out, to tell us about their issue, what change is needed and what they are doing about it Our partners volunteer at the events and enable YSI's small team to expand during the Tour!

Alison Spittle, Moate Community School Anti Smoking Project 3

We can never tell what will come up on stage, which is the beauty of it. While the events are fun, they deal with serious issues

Deep Personal Impact Drives Change and Innovation

What moves us most are the many human stories of bravery, endurance, and courage Repeatedly, young social innovators choose issues that come from reallife experiences either amongst themselves, their families or friends or they are issues they see within their school or local community. This mirrors what happens elsewhere in social innovation too – much social change stems from people who have been impacted by issues and want to do something about it They feel deeply about something and are in a position to spot gaps and opportunities for change

It's no different for younger people - their projects are often determined by individual experiences that their peers are willing to support and engage with I was struck by a team in Drogheda whose topic was mental health and illness They were quite an ordinary-looking group of about eight teenage boys until one team member stepped forward and declared," I have Tourette’s, and I have always seen myself as a bit different". There was silence in a room full of perhaps 300 teenagers He spoke of his experience and shared it with this group of strangers Another young man stood up from another YSI team that day He explained how his Dad nearly died from a farm accident. He had been just 14 years old when he was driving a tractor and looked behind to see his dad lying on the ground, his arm almost cut off by a machine. His Dad, bleeding heavily, told him not to worry it would be ok as his son tied a rope around his dad’s arm, cutting the blood supply to stop the bleeding He saved his dad that day He and his team did not want to see more farm accidents and were working hard to promote farm safety. YSI Guides facilitating social innovation have told me of the deep impact the learning process has had on their students, particularly when a student has firsthand experience of the issue the team is working on This is something they are, and need to be, careful about, particularly when facilitating issues where young people disclose personal information which we know happens.

Pure Bravery

In 2014, at the Young Social Innovators Annual Showcase in City West, we selected three teams to present their Speak Out at our Guest Reception event called, 'The Impact of Social Innovation Education in Ireland'. Aptly named, I think as when the young people presented, guests could see the different types of innovative solutions and actions taken by YSI teams - from community action (Jigsaw YSI team was about helping older people access local services), to inventing/improving a product (WISE team on creating a way to safeguard lifesaving water rings) to campaigning.

The campaign, with its quirky name 'Goldilocks and the 29 Hairs' described a team who were supporting one of their own members When they were brainstorming ideas in class, Katie stood up and said she had something to say.

From a young age she had kept a secret from everyone and wanted to share it. She re-enacted this at the Speak Out with her team flanked each side of her and, looking out to a room of YSI guests and partners, she continued: "I took off my wig and said I suffer from Alopecia" At that point, Katie removed her wig again to the audience and continued to say how difficult it was for her growing up with this secret. Her classmates decided to do something.

They set up their team, Goldilocks, who was Katie and the 29 Hairs, who represented her classmates That team did phenomenal work in creating awareness about alopecia through their campaign to collect 1 mile of hair. One mile of hair which could be used to make wigs for other sufferers. They created a mascot that moved around creating awareness wherever it went.

That day in City West Katie did not have to remove her wig In fact, she only made the decision to do it on the spur of the moment what bravery. The audience was dumbfounded. The impact of Katie's address to the audience was unforgettable As one person said to me afterwards, it was not her vulnerability that ground the room to a halt but her absolute confidence and bravery She was not to be pitied; she was proud of what the team was doing for others

It's the outrageously funny and sad moments that are so memorable at YSI events every year None of us ever know what is coming next, literally Dayl Cronin has been a super MC over the past few years, and his 'dance-offs' are infused by energy and pure terror.

Then there was the day at the Munster Speak Out when a team of young people from Mercy Heights secondary school, walked down the centre aisle of Cork City Hall with large posters of the 5 men who were lost recently at sea when the Tit Bonhomme sank off Glandore They advocated for safety at sea, and there were no dry eyes that day. Some team members had lost family members in that disaster.

Golldilocks and the 29 Hairs

Local changes

Very real and tangible changes and improvements have been brought about by YSI teams in their local areas. Several youth cafes were established in towns throughout Ireland, such as those in Drogheda and Cork, in an effort to provide a safe space for young people to socialise

Projects aimed at improving road safety have seen great success in communities such as in County Cork, where the ‘Road Safety in Carrignavar’ project team successfully campaigned to have a pedestrian crossing put in place in their village to better protect school-going children

'Road Safety in Carrignavar''

In Dunleer, Co Louth, the 'Shelter or Shiver' team succeeded in having a bus shelter installed in the village to shelter people from the rain as they waited to travel to school

Gardens, playgrounds and local facilities have been created around Ireland by YSI teams, such as the beautiful play park in Kilcullen Co Kildare, whose origin story lies in a campaign started by the YSI team 'Play is the Thing'. Young people secured the support of the Mayor of Kilcullen and local councillors and were instrumental in creating a committee of interested parents who continued their campaign A site was secured later, and the Council pledged to build it Hopefully, someday, some of that team will bring their children there to play.

A group of younger social innovators from Knocknaheaney, Cork, successfully campaigned to have a new playground facility installed after the previous one was destroyed by vandalism leaving nowhere for younger children in the community to play. Their viral rap song posted to YouTube called on and attracted the attention of political and public representatives who committed to rebuilding the playground. Another Cork-based team created a peace garden to remember those who died by violence.

In Tuam , Co Galway, several YSI teams from Presentation College, worked over a number of years to improve the appearance and promote pride in their town. From regenerating waste ground to painting boarded up windows and installing a sculpture in the town square recognising its heritage, the town was literally transformed through the work and endeavours of the young people

From Local to National Impact

We have seen social innovation projects which began at the local level have a wider national and international impact. The issues arising in local areas often reflect more widespread need. These might include for example, issues in relation to poverty, mental health and well-being, inequality, climate change and others When an idea gains traction and 'sticks' in one area, it is a good indicator that it might have relevance elsewhere.

One of the major issues we faced in recent years was the influx of migrant workers, asylum seekers and refugees to Ireland. Young people again rose to the challenge of thinking about ways to help

A YSI team, 'We are All Human', was inspired by the difficult journey faced by one of their classmates who had fled the war in Syria, eventually gaining asylum with her family and settling in their hometown of Clones, Co Monaghan. They wanted to raise awareness about the plight and rights of refugees and find ways to make refugees in their community feel welcome

They created an app called 'Monaghan Welcomes You', designed to provide essential information about local services in various languages. They also campaigned for the family reunification bill to be passed as well as hosting an innovative community event to raise awareness of the journey experienced by refugees fleeing their homes

We are all Human Team, Drogheda Speak Out Tour 2019

An unforgettable local social innovation which went national was developed by a team in Clondalkin, Dublin, called 'CAST Film Festival'. The project was inspired by the loss of a young person in the local community to suicide. This ambitious team in Collinstown Park Community College ,with its passionate YSI Guide Noel Kelly, wanted to provide a creative outlet for young people to challenge the stigma around mental health. The medium of film was chosen, and the team wrote and produced a short film called First Aid for the Mind, which led to powerful conversations among students, staff, and the wider school community. Following the success of that first film, the team saw an opportunity to get more of their peers involved and so the CAST (Caring About Society Together) film festival was born. Some 400 teenagers from around the country attended the Gala night in the Green Isle Hotel one year all dressed up in their beautiful eveningwear. CAST became an established national film festival for many years and the founding team was awarded YSI's High Impact Award in 2017

The Young Social Innovators of the Year 2013 were from Eureka Secondary School, Kells. Their concern was about how to increase the numbers of teenagers signed up as organ donors They were touched by the donation of organs by a young man in their area and then discovered how few of them had signed up as donors Many of the team continued the project into a second year in which they created and produced an education pack, "Three Times More Likely," which included a video and resource for teachers that was sent to all secondary schools in Ireland. The Irish Kidney Association worked closely with the young people on a national level enabling the project to continue and be sustained as the students went into their Leaving Certificate year. Their video was powerful and included contributions from professionals, parents of donors and young recipients.

A team from Mallow in Cork was another which began as a local campaign and then became a national one with a huge legacy On 4th December 2015, I was honoured to be in Farmleigh House at the invitation of the Minister of Justice to the inaugural Day of Remembrance of Missing People in Ireland. This National Day of Remembrance all began with a team of young social innovators from Davis College and their project 'Forget me Not' Amongst the many things they did was to lobby the Government for this national day of remembrance to be introduced After meeting families of missing people, they felt that a day should be set aside every year to remember those who have gone missing and their families.

CAST Film Festival Team 2013

Their Guides, Kathy Kilgannon and Colette O'Callaghan, were some of those educators who invest deeply in the work of the team. Their hard work, passion, and conviction were instrumental in supporting the team to achieve so much

It was incredibly emotional; hundreds of people in one room had lost someone close to them The depth of sadness was palpable How could there be any deeper sadness and grief in the one place at one time, I thought? It was a bright, crisp winter day in the Phoenix Park After the proceedings which were beautiful - speeches, songs, music, pictures of the missing people and a contribution from Jacqui Walsh from the Forget me Not team, we were all invited outside to the front lawn

There Minister Shatter and Angela, Philip Kearn's Mum and others planted a tree of remembrance. One of the Davis College students released 40 homing pigeons who flew around the crowd, found their bearings, and headed home. A woman next to me, whose brother Christopher had been murdered but whose body was never found in Spain, said "did you see the pigeons made the shape of a heart?" It was Christopher's birthday that day

The first National Day of Remembrance of Missing Persons

40 Homing Pigeons released for the Inaugural Day of Remembrance

The World Brought Closer

Social innovation is a strong expression of local and global citizenship While teams often begin looking at and taking action locally, we always ask them to reflect on how the issues they are tackling play out at national and global levels. There is usually a connection to be made and more to be discovered as we learn about the commonality of the human experience and the interconnectedness of all of us

In 2009, members of a YSI Team presented a copy of "Twenty Fifteen" to Ban KiMoon, UN Secretary-General at Government Buildings. This was a joint project by students in St Peter's College, Dunboyne and Coláiste Bhríde, Carnew Their book was a response to the global campaign to end poverty Eleanor Lee and Caroline Toole were the proud YSI Guides. The book is a collection of poems, songs, art and prose from authors ranging from students to scientists, from politicians to acclaimed writers including Anne Enright, Seamus Heaney and Joseph O'Connor and was also contributed to and launched by Sebastian Barry

One of the poorest countries in Africa, Lesotho, was struggling with planning its infrastructure having no digital map of its region. Humanitarian mapping is a critical tool in the combat against poverty, climate change and land management 'Global Citizens Mapping the Future', a YSI team from Portmarnock, got to work and, using open-source software and volunteers on the ground, mapped the whole country. The team established a mapping club in their community, trained over 300 students in the use of the software delivering workshops to several local schools to help them They held mapathons in the offices of the Fingal County Council The team went on to win the SAGE World Cup in Odesa, Ukraine, in 2017

Ban Ki-Moon Un Secretary General with St Peter's College Dunboyne Taoiseach Brian Cowen and Minister Micheál Martin

In 2018 I accompanied two project teams and their Guides to Durban, South Africa, who were nominated by YSI to represent Ireland in the SAGE World Cup: 'No Limits' from St Joseph's College, Lucan, Co Dublin and 'Mend a Mind', from Largy College, Co. Monaghan. No limits were determined to combat stereotyping of people with disability. They produced a series of children's books in which the main character had a disability. Mend a Mind embarked on a journey to deliver a strong message: there is no shame in talking about mental health Both represented Ireland so well, with No Limits winning the overall SAGE Gold Cup that year

Dig Deeper

Exploring issues takes time, and it's time well spent Often, we can assume we know the solution, but it's important always to dig deeper.

One team that took time to understand the need of people in direct provision near them was a Youthreach team in 2022, whose project was entitled 'Carry on Caring' While they had many great ideas on how to help those residing in a nearby direct provision centre, they decided to speak to these people firsthand to ask them what they thought they needed. It became clear from their meeting that a big obstacle for them was their isolation and lack of transport The centre was in a remote area which was not serviced by public transport The team set about securing second-hand bicycles to help residents gain easier access to the local village as well as setting up upcycling and bike maintenance workshops to aid repairs.

No Limits Team, SAGE World Cup winners, Durban, 2018 PH

Challenging Values

The way you do social innovation has an impact on its outcome and success Social innovation is collaborative and inclusive This means that innovators work closely with those affected by the issue and other key stakeholders, to bring about change. They consider different perspectives and identify opportunities for change. Such collaboration and consultation will greatly help the process and the design of the innovation This is a major part of the learning around social innovation which purports values of human rights, equality, justice, and sustainable living. It can be difficult because people need to be open to challenging their own beliefs and assumptions. Social justice insists teams review what, if any, damage or harm could be brought about by their solutions.

A project carried out by the most sincere and respectful young people one year was around food poverty and older people. They were not going to see any older people without a solid meal during the day. They began cooking, preparing, and delivering to older people in their area When reflecting on their work, they reported that one of the first people they delivered to asked how much they were charging for the lovely meal being presented to her They said, "nothing we just want to give it to you". "Well,", the older woman replied, "I want to pay you". The lesson for them was that they had not considered that an older person may be offended by being offered a free meal and that their dignity needed to be respected

Social Media & Campaigns that sing

One afternoon in the Kilkenny Design coffee shop nearby Bronagh, our Communications Manager, tried to explain followers, following, hashtags and some such "You will understand, it all interconnects just trust me," she said, and I did On hiring our first social media officer, within a few months our followers and following multiplied so much that we began trending in Ireland around the Showcase in 2012 and again at the Showcase in 2013 although the resignation of Man U's Manager Alex Ferguson, made short shift of us that day!

There have been many campaigns on topics from human trafficking to gender equality, to mental health. I love the ingenious ways teams have put these together and the powerful communications to drum home messages. The use of social media by YSI teams in campaigning and advocating around social issues and innovations has transformed their impact in recent years, for example, The 'S Test' by Ardscoil Mhuire, Corbally, Limerick

This team of young people felt that there was huge stigma around sex in Ireland, and due to this most young people do not receive an accurate education about sex, leading them to make irresponsible choices. They worked to help erase this stigma and educate young people about safe sex The created a simple but effective tool for young people to think about before engaging in any sexual activity. They called it the S Test and it comprised of four key questions, "Are you seventeen? Are you sober? Are you safe? Are you sure?"

Feeling Low Let Someone Know was originally a campaign by a YSI Team from Rochfordbridge, Co Westmeath Their slogan seemed so apt to get the attention of teenagers that the HSE used it in a national campaign and as the name of a new website they were creating on mental health (letsomeoneknow.ie). Compliments indeed to the team!

A recent team in Letterkenny continues to run a strong campaign on behalf of young people experiencing the devastating impact of the mica crisis on their wellbeing, relationships, work and school life. They focused on the human stories of young people, particularly their families, who had lost or were at risk of losing their homes No Place Like Home was the YSI gold awardee in 2022 Using every way available to them - media outreach, stance events, global student networks, political lobbying and creative advocacy via music and dance the team advanced their campaign, collaborating with local businesses, student unions in Ireland and beyond, the Mica Action Group and local media and political representatives They hope to bring their campaign to the European Parliament

In 2020, Virgin Media came on board to support YSI's work establishing a Digital Innovators Award to recognise young people's innovative use of digital media for social good. In 2022, this award went to a team called 'Be Aware, Don't Compare' from Colaiste Bhríde, Carnew. The team was concerned about the harmful effects of social media and the comparison culture it perpetuates on the well-being of young people Their campaign called for regulation requiring that photoshopped images be identified as such on social media platforms

No Place Like Home Team, 2022 Gold Awardees

“Teenagers see things happening in real-time and often before the rest of us. A team from Ad Scoil Muire, Corbally in Limerick, focused on the issue of sexting –something we at YSI hadn’t heard about – and how this impactedn the lives and well-being of young people. They highlighted the problems with existing legislation when it was applied to minors and called on the Gardai to introduce a standardised response to complaints of sexting made by teenagers across the country The team met with Garda Commissioner Drew Harris, who was interested to hear about the issue and what he could do about it He committed to looking into what currently was the practice in Garda stations nationally with a view to creating better and consistent guidelines around how young people were to be treated in these circumstances

Keep it PG” YSI team meet Garda Commissioner Drew Harris to inform him about the problem of sexting for teenagers

Fibonacci and Social innovation learning

innovation can be inserted into many different subjects and across subjects In fact, any project with a purpose of societal benefit can use the social innovation learning framework and be assured of a quality outcome.

Social

A few years ago a YSI Guide in Lebanon, our country partner, overheard a comment by a student describing her as ugly Instead of taking it too personally, Rafha their maths teacher, seized the opportunity to ask students what they thought beauty was anyway. This led to some great discussions around perceptions and thinking around beauty and body image including an opportunity to learn about Fibonacci's sequence and its contribution to the understanding of "divine proportion" The team began to explore the concept of beauty from different perspectives and became occupied by the body images presented on social media which impacted on the mental well-being of many of their peers They decided to challenge the beauty portrayed on social media and the pressures it has on young people They planned a "Wake up, No makeup" day aiming to break the world record of having the most people on an online call with no make-up on. Their social innovation was cross-cutting. They applied learning from different subject areas to inform themselves and develop innovative solutions

YSI Team in Lebanon working online during the Pandemic

Bringing Nature closer to us

I love the environmental projects over the years Since we began in 2001, these types of projects have changed as awareness has grown about the many issues facing our living planet Projects began to progress from looking at solutions such as waste recycling to much more sophisticated ideas around climate activism, biodiversity, energy, plastic pollution, fast fashion and more.

We have seen YSI Teams helping to protect the waters, animals and biodiversity and bringing pure joy to others by creating beautiful natural spaces. Recently 'Project Colour', a team from Cabinteely Community School, Dublin, created a beautiful, tranquil sensory garden, a sanctuary, away from the sometimes overwhelming school environment for those with ASD Using their own networks, they reached out to local TDs, MEPs and businesses to help and, using their own determination and passion, raised funds, cleared away space and worked with a local landscaping company to source materials. As well as that, they raised awareness through their autism awareness campaign to help other students understand ASD and increase empathy within their community.

Seeing is believing – prototyping innovations

An important part of social innovation is testing and prototyping an idea to see if it works and has the desired impact. When the project is about a product, this can be easier to test than, say, a campaign. However, both are possible. Product development and prototyping were an important part of the work by the project team 'Greener Globe' The team focused on water wastage in homes and farms, a huge worldwide problem. Their research discovered that people were spending way above the recommended time showering and so they developed an innovative prototype showerhead containing an LED light and timer function When a user began their shower, the light would be green, turning to amber and then red the longer the water was running

The idea was supported through the YSI Den and Tullamore Local Enterprise Office, and driven by two of the team members who were passionate about continuing the work, the idea became a functioning enterprise The Greener Globe team represented Ireland in the 2013 Sage World Cup, winning the Gold award for their water conservation initiative.

Project Colour, Cabinteely Community School

Another team from Thurles, Farm Sense, developed a project that can save lives. They developed and placed a sensor on tractors for field trials. The sensor helped to detect if a cabin door had been left open which was a major contributor to accidental injury and death Another project team from the same school also addressed farm safety in another programme year and, this time, addressed the issue of childrens' safety on farms. They prototyped GPS wristbands worn by children that would set off an alarm in the tractor in the event that a child was in close proximity to the machine

Courageous and Insightful young people

Don't underestimate the transformative experience social innovation can have on those involved and how, if we use our own experiences, the new insights we gain can lead to new thinking. It can take courage to do this, making oneself vulnerable and sharing experiences which are painful. However, I have seen many young people do just that, and it has helped to change our own thinking and feelings about their situation They have used their experiences to help themselves and others.

In 2008, a team from Youthreach in Clara, Co. Offaly took on the topic of domestic abuse through a project called 'Behind Closed Doors' An impressive young woman spoke about being brought up in a family where domestic abuse was commonplace. Becoming pregnant at 15, and leaving school, she attended her local Youthreach. At 17 she became involved in YSI. Her name is Kirsty, and she has since spoken about her life and experiences The project had a profound impact on her as she gained confidence speaking out about and advocating 'on an issue' of which she had a direct and painful experience Her career has now led her to work with Tusla, the child and family agency.

Emily was a student who was diagnosed with the progressive neurological condition Friedreich's Ataxia when she was 12 years old Emily spearheaded a YSI project in her school called 'In Your Wheels', which is about physical disability. All the class had to spend time using a wheelchair to see what it was like. "I want to make a difference to people's attitudes towards physical disability," she said. And she did

Other students speak from their experiences to produce and share useful information. Students from St. Mary's School for Deaf students, through a project entitled 'Deaf with A Voice' produced a course on the basics of Irish Sign Language in 2004 Later, another team from that school championed a campaign calling for improved mental health services for young deaf people The problem that they highlighted was the difficulty in accessing an interpreter and more importantly, the same interpreter with whom they could build a relationship and who could help support them on visits to doctors or therapists.

LED Showerhead and Jack from the Greener Globe Team

It's Not Our Ideas. It's the Students'

It is in the nature of social change and innovation to challenge the status quo, and this invariably challenges our thinking, beliefs, behaviours, and values. Very many times over the years I have seen teachers fearful but still willing to facilitate young people around issues that may cause controversy. These issues might be outside the competency and knowledge of the teacher or even against the ethos of the school or perhaps be an issue which is locally divisive Some issues, in effect, could be damaging to the reputation of a school or organisation or challenge State policy.

Many conversations take place in YSI teams that are perhaps controversial or risky in the context of the time, the school, the organisation, or the community Suicide was one such example, and yet as it was impacting more and more young people, teams began to want to talk about it openly and address it.

Gender inequality, sex education, consent and rape are all contentious topics that have been addressed by young people through YSI The 'Born into Porn' team from Clondalkin in Dublin first raised the issue of the impact of porn on teenagers and were worried that it was replacing sex education for their age group giving teenagers a distorted view of what a healthy sexual relationship looked like The Rape Culture team from Eureka in Kells, Co Meath, wanted people to be aware of how a rape culture exists and how it needs to be challenged

Some projects some projects can divide opinions such as such as a campaign led by 'The Fluoride Fighters' team in Co Kerry who were calling for fluoride to be removed from the public water supply Another example was a group of young people who wanted to recycle wheelchairs and crutches and to re-use them in an effort to be more sustainable. The team spoke on local radio with pure delight about the waste generated by the public health system in relation to dumping medical equipment and what they were going to do about it It was feared that the school's reputation would be damaged, and the project was stopped, much to the dismay of the teacher and students.

It is understandable that schools need to consider their reputations. YSI too can be challenged if it disagrees with some of the interpretations and solutions around social issues However, as we say, it is the teams’ ideas and views that are put forward, not ours.

Issues concerning the LGBTQI community began to emerge from YSI teams in 2008 Two teams from Cork took to the stage at the Speak Out event with similar project titles: 'It's Ok to be Gay' from Skibbereen and 'Gay is ok!' from Middleton Both teams were concerned with homophobia and the stereotyping of gay people. Such topics were not spoken about very often in public in Ireland at the time. A wider conversation around equality and marriage was to ensure marriage rights some seven years later, in 2015, with the voice of young people amplified and animated adding to the local and national debate

Another team addressing LGBTQI+ rights who contributed to the Together For Yes marriage referendum campaign was Let's Get by Together, from Largy College, Clones, Co Monaghan. Their county, the team believed was not one where marriage equality was going to be popular Teachers told me later not everyone was happy to support the team however, the dedicated YSI Guide, Sascha Cumiskey, with the backing of her principal and others, allowed the team to proceed uninterrupted. The students wanted to change attitudes so that their own school and community would be safer and more inclusive for their LGBTQI friends

Part of their innovation was to host a mock high profile LGBTQI wedding in the hotel in the centre of the town inviting everyone along; they also organised a Love is Love photo campaign; a super flash mob and a Rainbow Day fundraiser as well as a 'Get Registered to Vote' campaign with the 6th years in the school Marriage Equality results from Clones were predominately YES We can't attribute this to the team of course but I like to think they were made the difference!

Young people helped make that change in society. Many travelled home from abroad to vote in that referendum. We see young people getting more politicised over the years and understanding the how democracy works

Lets Get By Together YSI Team promoting marriage equality in Clones

Change can Take Years

Social innovation is something that takes time to happen. This is one of the key learnings that young people observe They can get frustrated about the time it takes to receive a response to their requests, never mind turning their idea into action However, they usually do have some impact and if their idea and innovation is to continue, YSI has provided ways to support teams after year one through its Elevate network and the YSI Den.

In 2022 YSI presented its High Impact Award to representatives of a team from 2006 who were based in Drogheda, Co Louth That year a group of transition year students wanted to create a space for young people in the area to socialise and hang out. Their idea sowed the seed for what is now Boomerang Youth Café, part of an award-winning youth centre in the town. The team was concerned that their peers had begun to experiment with drink and drugs and that depression was an increasing problem They decided to bring the community together at an open meeting to establish if people were interested in creating a space for young people and to garner support from local Government. After much campaigning and planning, the café opened its doors in 2013!

Influencing the policy agenda

We have witnessed teams using democratic processes to create change, from influencing the creation or improvement of local facilities (eg safer roads and waterways, playgrounds, gardens) to influencing national initiatives (Missing Persons Day) to promote new or changes in legislation. This latter is challenging. Young people have lobbied for changes in legislation about human trafficking. More recently, in 2022, a team from Carnew, Be Aware, Don't Compare, took their issue and suggestions to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education, Further and Higher Education, Research, Information and Science and lobbied for legislation on enforcing social media platforms to inform users of edited or altered images being used. They spoke knowledgeably about the impact of comparison culture on young people and were acutely aware of the impact of edited images on young people's mental health They identified that there was a need for edited images on social media to be identified as altered and that young person should be educated on the issue. Their project has taken them all the way to the Oireachtas to discuss the need for legislation on edited images and the impact of comparison culture on young people in Ireland

Boomerang Youth Café, Drogheda

The YSI Team from Loreto Secondary School in Letterkenny joined YSI for an Instagram Live during their 'Mica Student Stance' event organised in their school's Concert Hall

Young people from the 'No Place Like Home' YSI Team spoke about how they were raising awareness about the issue of mica redress and showed support towards mica-affected students and staff. The team showed us around the event, where they displayed art, photos, and information about their project

Be Aware, Don’t Compare YSI Team presents to Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education, June 2022

Remembering

I want to remember Niamh Cadogan aged 17, chair of the 'Amazing Grace: improving the lives of children with Autism' YSI project in Mercy Heights, Skibbereen, in 2012 Niamh was inspired by her young brother, Stephan, who has autism, to work on a YSI project which resulted in every child attending the autism units of two local schools getting iPods preloads with the Grace App[ii], which helps them to communicate. During the year, she developed leukaemia. Despite her illness, she was determined to come to the YSI Showcase that year. And she did! It was inspiring for me to see her that year at the Showcase "I believe only for YSI I would not have had the courage, hunger and determination to get up and walk again. I needed the encouragement that comes with YSI to do something positive. My passion was the project that meant so much to me. I put every spare moment I had into it," she told us.

Her campaigning was also recognised in November that year when she won a West Cork Garda Youth Award. Sadly, Niamh died in March 2013. She was described in the Irish Examiner on 19th March 2013, as "a fearless teenage autism advocate who lost her battle with leukaemia".

The then CEO of Irish Autism Action, Kevin Whelan, said about her, "There are children with autism around the country who are now communicating with their parents thanks to Niamh".

Embedding Culture of Youth-Led Social Innovation in Communities

Programmes come and go in education YSI was never just going to be about providing a school-based programme on social innovation Not at all We began with the question of how to empower young people in Ireland, to give them a voice, to turn their ideas for a better, fairer, more just, and sustainable work, into action.

We developed a framework for young people to engage in social innovation in meaningful ways; we set up new platforms and events to amplify their voice and ideas and created ways of supporting youth-led social innovation at local and national levels. We set out to make such engagement pervasive in Irish society not just once off but available to all young people at different stages of their lives To do that, we needed long-term commitment across different sectors in society –not just amongst educators, students, and schools but businesses, public and community sectors. This is happening now in local areas where YSI is building local support networks for youth-led social innovation. Communities are getting behind, listening to, and supporting their young population to be changemakers and are benefiting greatly from their social innovations

In November 2022, I had the pleasure of attending the launch of 'Taste of Humanity, a cookbook produced by the RACE - Right Attitude Creates Equality YSI team, Largy College in Clones, Co Monaghan This cookbook includes recipes and stories from people now living in Monaghan who come from all around the world. The book was created with a mission: "to bring people together through food - the heart and soul of different cultures across the globe".

The RACE project started in 2020 to tackle racism and promote intercultural diversity and continued to develop for two years, through the YSI Elevate programme and with the support of the YSI Local Leader. Along with this great cookbook, so professionally produced with the help of CJ Fallon’s, they designed and delivered a multi-cultural event for primary schools. With the support and help of Monaghan County Council and the Department of Justice, a grant has been secured to roll out their book as part of a comprehensive anti-racism programme which will be delivered by the students of Largy to all the post and primary schools in the county and then, perhaps all counties! This project demonstrates the commitment of the young people over a three-year period to engage with the issues of racism and cultural diversity and make changes both within their school and the local community

RACE demonstrates the commitment of the young people over a three year period to engage with the issues of racism and cultural diversity and make change both within their school and the local community.

I was honoured to be there at the launch of the cookbook to witness the powerful legacy of this YSI Team and the coming together of different sectors within the community to recognise and celebrate youth led innovation.

In Summary

When we look back over the years, we see patterns of social issues selected by young people

Mental health issues have been a dominant theme in some thirteen of the 21 years and have had the largest number of social innovation projects The theme of suicide has been strong in some of those years, and homelessness has been a consistent theme in seven of the years. Relationships and sexual health projects have been a theme every year, with the sexual consent issue a consistent subject since 2016/17 In 2008 there were the first projects on homophobia; however, since 2013, LGBT rights have emerged as a constant theme of social innovation Since 2013/14, young people have been better at considering the issue of body image and social media.

The chosen project themes reflect the issues of concern that young people have yearly Sometimes the issue chosen has a personal connection to one or some of the students, which motivates them to pursue the issue. Others are more local issues; sometimes, the national media plays a role and inspires them.

It is also apparent that since 2013-2014 young people have been better able and more confident in their ability to consider issues that are very relevant to their own personal experiences and identity in areas such as sexual consent, LGBT rights and social media influences. Some of the other issues, such as homelessness, and asylum seekers/direct provision, are of concern to them and are framed as a social justice issues that society and the Government need to address Some of these projects have reached out and made efforts to effect local change and improvement for the people adversely affected.

All the projects demonstrate the young people's desire for change and to make the world a better place YSI has offered that opportunity There are so many projects that I have strong memories of over the past twenty years. The projects that I comment on here are a sample of different types of innovations which will illustrate the range of issues that have concerned young people and some of their impact

Finally, well done to all the young social innovators. I look forward to witnessing the next generations to come and how they will engage and create innovations that change the world.

End notes:

[1]Speak Out: A YSI Speak Out is a presentation by young social innovators who advocate on a social issue to inform and influence others These presentations usually have a simple short format which expresses the concern of the team, the reason for their concern and their social innovation.

[2] YSI Speak Out Tour: are a series of Speak Out events around Ireland, usually in March every year, where the YSI Team present their Speak Out

[3] YSI Guides: educators are facilitating our programmes with young people YSI Guides' to reflect their role in providing guidance and encouragement in a safe and inclusive learning environment while letting the students take the lead. The educator guides students through the social innovation pathway with the help of our world-class resources and with dedicated support from our Education Team

[4] SAGE World Cup: SAGE stands for Students Advancing Global Entrepreneurship. Each year SAGE organise a World Cup and invites member countries to pitch projects to panels of judges.

[5] YSI has a Regional Partner in Lebanon since 2019, SCOPE, which promotes and manages the YSI International Awards Programme there.

[6] Elevate Network: YSI Elevate is an accelerator initiative and support network that helps young people who want to continue to advance their social innovation projects and continue creating social impact