Plan International Ireland

BACKGROUND

Plan International Ireland has recently increased its outreach into the non-formal education sector. In 2016 we created a Youth Advisory Panel (YAP) made up of 16-21 year olds who, through the process of development education and experiential learning methodologies, have become advisors and ambassadors of Plan International Ireland. Youth Advisory Panels are well established throughout the Plan Federation and help ensure that there are strong links between our Irish group and Panels across Europe and the Global South.

The Panels are reflective our Child Centred Community Development approach where young people are empowered to clearly state their own needs, implement their own projects and influence decision-makers. Through DE they will be encouraged to become influencers and active decision makers in Plan International Ireland.

CURRENT PROJECTS

Our YAP members get involved in a wide variety of events. In 2019 YAP member Sarah Collins travelled to New York to attend the Youth Climate Action Summit at the United Nations headquarters. The event itself gave a platform for young leaders who are driving climate action to showcase their solutions at the United Nations, and also engage with decision-makers on the defining issue of our time.

500 young people from around the world were selected to attend the Summit after demonstrating their commitment to addressing the climate crisis and displaying leadership in advancing solutions. The Summit featured talks and workshops from world leaders, global brands and organisations. Sarah attended a panel featuring Greta Thunberg and António Guerres, the Secretary General of the UN, where they told young people attending that they are leading the way in the urgent race against this climate crisis. They both very clearly stated that the youth of today have the power to bring about change and they need to raise their voice so they will be heard.

A large area of focus for Plan is empowering girls, and girls and women were a large talking point at the event. The UN provided figures, which show that 80% of people most affected by climate change are women. Women are being forced to walk for miles upon miles in dangerous heat to fetch water as their towns and villages are suffering from drought. This in turn puts these women in great danger as they could suffer from dehydration and other illnesses.