Change Makers

BACKGROUND

Funded on an annual basis by Irish Aid, Change Makers Donegal started in July 2012, and is now in it’s eighth year. There are three Project Partners, Inishowen Development Partnership (lead partner), Donegal Education & Training Board and Self Help Africa. The project was awarded an AONTAS STAR Award in 2019.

Over the years the Project Coordinator, actively supported by the Steering Group and a panel of Development Education Facilitators has worked to raise awareness of local and global development issues with adults across County Donegal. This is achieved through a range of activities, including workshops, accredited learning, ETB tutor education, community arts projects, horticulture and environmental projects, community debates and targeted projects such as working with older people in the county.

CURRENT PROJECTS

The range of workshops offered is extensive and includes Climate Justice, Fashion and Consumerism, Gender Equality, Women’s Reproductive Rights, Human Trafficking, Maternal Health, Human Rights, Environmental Workshops (bees, seeds and water), Zero Waste, Fairtrade, Migration and Refugees.

The project has three accredited learning opportunities: QQI Level 4 in Local and Global Development Awareness, QQI level 5 in Intercultural Studies and QQI Level 6 in Global Development, and is in the process of developing a further module in Social Justice Principles at Level 5.

The project also works with local communities to help them become Fairtrade Towns. To date Carndonagh and Moville have both achieved Fairtrade Town status. As well as working within Donegal, ChangeMakers also links nationally with other organisations with complementary Development Education agendas to share experience and resources.