E-Circular 20 May 2015

Dear Friends,

Welcome to the IDEA E-Circular for 20 May 2015.

This fortnight, we're looking forward to the IDEA AGM and Annual Conference taking place on 12 June. We also have news about the UN Youth Delegate Programme for Ireland 2015, the Irish Aid Fellowship Training Programme, and an event on Meeting the Challenge of Climate Justice, hosted by Trócaire, Maynooth University and St Patrick’s College. Dóchas are also offering support with getting your stories into the Irish Times, and we have the latest news on the Global Centre for Education, Africa Day events and an internship in Brussels with Global Call to Action Against Poverty. 

Got news for us? Email eimear@ideaonline.ie
 

IDEA NEWS 

IDEA Annual Conference 2015 – Universality in Action
Date: 12 June 2015
AGM (IDEA Members Only): 10:00
Annual Conference: 11:00 – 16:00
Venue: Wood Quay Venue, Dublin City Council, Wood Quay, Dublin 8
 
2015 is an important year for development education and global justice. As well as being European Year for Development, the Sustainable Development Goals will be launched in September. These new goals will be universal, applying to all countries in all parts of the world. To reflect this, the focus of IDEA’s Annual Conference is Universality in Action. Join us to discuss what universality actually means in practice and the essential role for development education in ensuring the Sustainable Development Goals deliver universality in action. This year our keynote speaker is Joanna Maycock, Secretary General of the European Women's Lobby. Joanna was formerly Head of Europe for Action Aid, and is a former President of CONCORD.

Challenging the Crisis Launch
 
The Challenging the Crisis team at IDEA would like to say a big thank you to everyone who attended our campaign launch. In particular we'd like to thank Mairéad McGuinness MEP, Lynn Boylan MEP, Isabelle Kidney, ILCU, and Duncan Stewart, Environmentalist, for speaking at the event and also our Young Global Advocates for doing such a great job of organising and running the launch.

 

MEMBER & PARTNER NEWS

UN Youth Delegate Programme for Ireland 2015
 
The National Youth Council of Ireland, together with Irish Aid in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, have launched the United Nations Youth Delegate Programme for Ireland in 2015 (UNYDP).

The UNYDP will support two young people (one male and one female) aged between 18-25 years to join Ireland’s delegation to the United Nations in New York in September/October 2015.
 
Closing date for receipt of  applications  is Friday, 5 June 2015.
 
Contact unyouthdelegate@nyci.ie for further information.

Meeting the Challenge of Climate Justice: From Evidence to Action

This public conference aims to address this challenge of climate change by bringing together some of the world’s leading voices on climate science, climate justice and climate activism.

Speakers include Mary Robinson, UN Special Envoy on Climate Change, Bill McKibben, environmental activist, author and co-founder of 350.org, and Professor Jean Pascale van Ypersele, Vice-Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), among others.

This free event will take place 22 June – 23 June 2015, Maynooth University, Co. Kildare, Ireland and is open to all but registration is required. Find out  more.
 
Interested in pitching a story for the Irish Times ‘Inside Out’ series?

As part of the European Year for Development, The Irish Times is publishing a full page spread on its website each month, shining a light on development issues and including powerful human stories from people around the world affected by these issues. The series also highlights the work of development organisations at a global and local level. If you have a development education story you would like to pitch, email Naomi Linehan at comms@dochas.ie, and she will pass your suggestion to the relevant editor for consideration.

Africa Day

Designated by the African Union as an annual celebration of the continent’s unity, Africa Day falls on 25 May each year.  Irish Aid’s flagship ‘Africa Day Dublin’ event will take place on Sunday, 24 May, in Farmleigh Estate  in the Phoenix Park. Africa’s rich culture will be showcased through family-friendly activities, along with music, exhibitions, sport and educational elements. Africa Day events are part of the programme of activities for the European Year for Development 2015. Find out  more. 

From the Local to the Global: Key Issues in Development Studies – 3rd Edition

From the Local to the Global is an ideal introduction to the key development issues that shape our lives. This text brings together some of the foremost activists, academics and development practitioners from across the world to analyse the main challenges to poverty eradication and human rights. This completely revised third edition highlights the extent to which the local and global are interconnected in today’s globalised economy and questions the legitimacy of the neoliberal model of development. In an important year for development, this book provides a comprehensive, accessibly written overview of the issues central to global justice and equality including aid, debt, trade, gender, security, migration and climate change.  Find out  more.

 

OTHER NEWS

Internship with Global Call to Action Against Poverty

Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP) is a global civil society movement calling for an end to poverty & inequality. As the campaign gains momentum, GCAP is opening a 6 months internship/trainee position in their Brussels office to support the European coordination of the movement – to start as soon as possible. 

Apply before 31 May by sending an email to Claire.desmesnards@whiteband.org with the title ‘Internship/trainee position” and your possible start date.

Inspiring Change: Empowering Women’s Futures in Africa

The Trinity International Development Initiative (TIDI) are collaborating with the African Embassies accredited to the Republic of Ireland on this conference to mark Africa Day 2015. The event will take place in the Samuel Beckett Theatre, Trinity College Dublin, 25 May from 2-5pm.

To reserve your place RSVP to: tidi@tcd.ie 
 

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

Irish Aid Fellowship Training Programme 

Irish Aid's Fellowship Training Programme (FTP) aims to increase the specialist knowledge of staff working in ministries and in civil society organisations in key partner countries.  It does this by providing scholarships to mid-career professionals to study postgraduate or masters courses in Ireland or in a college within their own region. Find out  more.

 

GREAT READS THIS WEEK
 

EU must pull its weight to help create a better global financial system
In the run-up to the Financing for Development meeting in July, pressure is growing on the EU to back developing countries’ agendas on aid, debt and tax.
The Guardian, 20 April

A portal to the future of the arts in education
Exposure to, and participation in, the arts help to cultivate creativity, artistic appreciation, imaginative exploration, experimental initiative and empathic awareness, all of which are valuable for young people’s development.
Irish Times, 19 May

Code Logo
September 26, 2026
Date: Tuesday 01 December, 10.00am – 3.30pm Location: Richmond Barracks, Inchicore, Dublin 8, D08 YY05 IDEA is looking forward to welcoming all members of the Code of Good Practice for Development Education to our next Code network meeting on Tuesday 1 December, in Richmond Barracks in Inchicore, Dublin. There are places for two representatives, staff, volunteers, etc., from each Code member. One of the commitments in joining the Code is to contribute to the Community of Practice for this Code, including sharing successes and learning with other Code members and attending at least one of two Code network meetings annually. If you have questions, please contact code@ideaonline.ie.  Register below!
September 23, 2026
IDEA, in partnership with Concern Worldwide, is undertaking research on Global North-South partnerships in Global Citizenship Education/ Development Education, with a focus on collaborations between organisations on the island of Ireland and organisations and communities in the Global South. The research aims to identify good practices and develop practical guidance that can support organisations in strengthening equitable partnerships as central to quality GCE/DE. The research looks at the ways organisations, educators and learners collaborate and work together on educational activities that enable them to understand the root causes of injustice and inequality at local and global levels, and prepare them to engage and build a more just and sustainable future; and at how these collaborations are guided by principles such as mutual learning, solidarity, and an understanding of how local and global issues, people, and systems are interconnected. We would greatly value your contribution to this research whether your organisation has developed such partnerships or not, as the barriers or concerns will also be considered. Your contribution will help inform IDEA´s ongoing work to support the sector and IDEA members, while also informing Concern Worldwide's Global Citizenship Education programme. Findings will be shared (in an aggregate manner or with prior permission) in a hybrid workshop in Dublin's Carmelite Centre on 25 November 2026. You can contribute by: Completing a short survey , following this link: Survey in English . Answers will remain anonymous, unless you decide to provide specific details of your practices for good practice sharing. Sharing this invitation with those that you think could contribute-either organisations on the island of Ireland or partners in the Global South. The survey is also available in French and Spanish. Survey in French/ Enquête en français - Survey in Spanish/Encuesta en español . Agreeing to an online interview ; approx. 30-45 minutes in September/October. Sharing information about your practice via email to Celina Del Felice* (Researcher, celinadelfelice@gmail.com and Lizzy Noone (Capacity Development Manager at IDEA, lizzy@ideaonline.ie ). Taking part in an online session to discuss the findings and provide feedback on a practical guide on the topic. If you have questions and are interested in taking part, please do not hesitate to contact Celina Del Felice (Researcher, celinadelfelice@gmail.com ) and/or Lizzy Noone (Capacity Development Manager at IDEA, lizzy@ideaonline.ie ).
September 23, 2026
IDEA is seeking a consultant to analyse data captured during the pilot of the Theory of Impact for the GCE tool. The purpose of this assignment is both to understand what the pilot data can tell us about the contribution and reach of GCE activity, and to identify what IDEA can learn from the pilot data to strengthen the quality, consistency and usefulness of future data collection. Timeframe Deadline to apply: Tuesday, 06 October, 1.00pm Initial briefing with IDEA staff: Friday, 09 October First draft of report due: Wednesday, 21 October, 1.00pm Feedback from IDEA: Thursday, 29 October Final report due: Monday, 02 November Presentation of findings (provisional dates): Members involved in the pilot and impact measurement process: Friday, 06 November Public event for IDEA members and interested stakeholders: Thursday, 19 November How to Apply Please submit: A concise CV (maximum 2-3 pages) A proposal outlining: Relevant experience Referees for similar work A brief description of your proposed methodology The proposed number of days required Details of staff involved (where relevant) Your fee Please send your completed application to lizzy@ideaonline.ie and elaine@ideaonline.ie by Tuesday, 06 October, 1.00pm. The full terms of reference is here