Education Towards Social Change

IDEA's Director Frank Geary spoke at a seminar on ‘Education Toward Social Change’ at Queens University Belfast organised by the Centre for Global Education and the Development Studies Association Ireland, Wednesday, 14 June. The discussion focussed on how we can build and develop inter-sectoral co-operation for the achievement of SDG 4.7.

An audience from Belfast civil society, academia and education engaged in a lively and inspiring discussion with a panel from Development Studies Association Ireland, IDEA, ECO-UNESCO, National Youth Council of Ireland and Participation and Practice of Rights, a Belfast based organisation that takes an innovative community based approach to human rights and education.

Frank presented on the Development Education sector’s delivery of SDG 4.7, IDEA’s work on partnerships within and beyond Development Education, and our shared advocacy with Coalition 2030 and Bridge 47.

The discussion covered a broad range of topics from climate change denial to meeting young people where they are at, to using human rights treaties to tackle housing issues in Belfast. It ended with Ruadhan MacCormaic’s assertion at IDEA's Annual Conference, 08 June, that this is “a golden age for activism”. 

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Dates: Thursday 10 July,10.00am-6.00pm and Friday 11 July, 10.00am-3.00pm Location: An Tairseach, Wicklow IDEA is thrilled to open applications for our second iteration of the IDEA's Lab. In this first of its kind residential Lab, we will create space where members can bring their ideas for projects and try out new planning and design methods. Participants will have the opportunity to work on an idea from scratch to (almost) finish with the support of expert trainers and learn through group exchange in a welcoming and inspiring setting. Participants will come out of the training with: An early project design proofed, tested and built through group feedback, iteration, trialling and support. New approaches in designing innovative projects they can apply to their workplace Headspace and time to work on the design of an innovative project A chance to actively learn through group exchange and strengthen the sense of an innovative community of practice in Ireland How? Please email anya@ideaonline.ie to request an application form. Requesting an application form does not commit you to applying. The deadline for returning application form (including organisational sign off letter) is Friday 23 May, midnight . You will find further details in the application form. Participants must register as a team of 2min.- 4 max. Participants without a team member will be asked to pair up with other individual participants or find a partner outside their organisation. Cost : This training is funded by Irish Aid at the Department of Foreign Affairs and offered at a reduced rate. This training is only available to IDEA members. Non-IDEA members can participant as part of an IDEA member team. Fees for members of IDEA is €50  Irish Aid is the Government’s overseas development programme which supports partners working in some of the world’s poorest countries. Irish Aid also supports global citizenship education in Ireland to encourage learning and public engagement with global issues the ideas, opinions and comments expressed in this training are entirely the responsibility of its author(s) and do not necessarily represent or reflect DFA policy. Timeline: Applications open: 07 May Applications close: 23 May, midnight Preparatory session with trainer (30min, online): Mid June Lab arrival: Where possible we advise arrival on Wednesday 09 July in the evening. Accommodation and food will be provided from 09 July, 5.00pm - 11 July, 3.00pm Lab: 10 July,10.00am-6.00pm. 11 July, 10.00am-3.00pm Please don’t hesitate to get in touch at anya@ideaonline.ie if any of the above pose a barrier to your participation, or if you have any other questions.