Kildare teenagers awarded €700 at Dragon's Den-style event for social innovation

Students from Scoil Dara, Kilcock, have been awarded €700 in funding to advance their idea for a way to bring about positive change in their community, through their participation in the Young Social Innovators’ (YSI) Social Innovation Den in conjunction with Community Foundation Ireland.

The high point of the YSI Den is a series of Dragon's Den-style pitching sessions at which the teenagers recently presented their idea 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.

The students secured €700 for their Be Better project aimed at making their school community more inclusive. The team presented their idea for placing stickers on glass doors and steps around the school to help make it an easier place to navigate. They were awarded funding to buy materials to help accessibility for people who are visually impaired, to help new students navigate the school, and also to create a sensory garden.

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. We are delighted to help advance these inspirational youth-led projects further through the provision of direct support. To date, the YSI Social Innovation Den has provided over €150,000 in grant funding to support youth-led ideas for social change throughout Ireland. We are grateful to Community Foundation Ireland for supporting our Den events this year via the Social Impact Fund, which is dedicated to advancing young people’s ideas for positive change.”

Denise Charlton, chief executive of Community Foundation Ireland said, “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.