Young Social Innovators

BACKGROUND

Young Social Innovators (YSI) promotes education for social innovation. We want to give everybody an opportunity to use their creativity to respond to social issues and contribute to building a fairer, more caring and equal society. Everything we have ever created has been designed with this purpose. To achieve this, we empower and support young people to realise their potential as social innovators, giving them the skills and confidence to tackle the social issues facing them, their communities and wider society. Social innovation learning builds wellbeing amongst young people and communities and helps build a more inclusive, empathetic, fair society.

We believe that social innovation is a powerful thing and we believe that our model for social innovation is unique. It puts young people in the driving seat. It asks them to examine the world through a new lens and to reimagine the type of society they would like to live in – one that is more caring, equal and fair. But more than that, it challenges them to put their ideas into practice and to bring their vision to reality.

We have seen the impact that it has had on young people, educators, schools and communities. We have seen transformations take place and real and lasting change created. We have seen the development of confident and creative young people now equipped with the tools required for life in the 21st century.

CURRENT PROJECTS

As part of the Young Social Innovators Senior Action Programme, all teams locate their work in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals. Many of the projects involve a strong commitment to development issues and the best of these are recognised through the Global Citizens Award.

The winners of this award in 2020 were ‘Call the Fashion Police’ from St Ursuline College, Sligo. This group of transition year students are passionate about addressing fashion sustainability and believe that, while many people are aware now of the harmful effects of plastics etc on the environment - not everyone realises there is a monster hiding in our closets - Our Clothes!!

They point to the fact that the clothing industry is the second biggest polluter in the world and they are keen to bring this to the attention of their school and wider community and to promote more sustainable ways of managing our fashion requirements. Through their project they wanted to change mindsets, buyer behaviour and to make people aware that their fashion choices have an impact on the environment and humankind.