IDEA Members Summer Knowledge Share Session Catch-Up

Catch-up on a Summer of Learning!

The summer is flying by and it’s August already! We are over halfway through our 9 Knowledge Share sessions this year with sessions taking place live, online every Wednesday @ 12pm. Tune into a live session or watch back later  here.


We’ve had some great sessions hosted by our members on topics including hate speech and anti-migrant rhetoric, ending orphanage volunteering and hearing the unheard voices of migrant women in emergency accommodation in Ireland. 


Just Care: Just Volunteering was a session about a new youth resource from Tearfund, to highlight the damage of orphanage volunteering. The session is valuable for youth workers or teachers who want to explore the issues around orphanage volunteering with young people.


The Integrate GCE resource toolkit  is a valuable resource for anyone interested in addressing hate speech and anti-migrant rhetoric. Fiona Duignan, Meath Partnership shared the toolkit which has been designed for educators, youth workers, youth, migrants, community and voluntary workers. It is a valuable resource for anyone interested in addressing hate speech and anti-migrant rhetoric.

 

A Partnership with Africa, was an interesting session for post primary educators or GCE professionals to learn about other initiatives in the sector among their peers.


Amplifying Unheard Voices was an important session for GCE practitioners to understand more about the experiences of migrant women living in emergency accommodation centres in Ireland. It was led by Euphomia Edward, AkiDwa.

 

Community Connections  is an opportunity to learn about a new pilot project in the sector  to integrate GCE into Habitat for Humaity’s social enterprise, Habitat ReStore.


Lizzy Noone, outlined why Pleasure Activism, is an important tool for GCE practitioners  when activism seems increasingly demanding and draining. The Cork project, from Creativity and Change in MTU, was partly inspired by the book 'Pleasure Activism: The Politics of Feeling Good' by Adrienne Maree Brown, exploring various barriers that people face in accessing pleasure, particularly those from marginalised communities.


Co-Creating Regenerative Learning in Community Spaces: Led by Suzie Cahn and Hannah Mole of Carraig Dulra, this session explored how permaculture education served as a collaborative, empowering, and regenerative force within communities. They shared stories from over a decade of co-developing an inclusive Permaculture Design Course (PDC) rooted in community action and ecological ethics.


Shifting Edges: The session was led by the team behind DEFY, a 3-year collaboration between STAND, Comhlámh, finep and Zavod-Voluntariat. Participants learnt about how to build educator reflexivity and a readiness to host others in their learning.


Our last sessions is:

  • Exploring the use of Theatre of the Oppressed in inner city Dublin with LYCS including details around evaluating these programmes and the training LYCS offers in this area. 

 

Join us every Wednesday @12 or catch up anytime!   

 


August 11, 2025
Budget 2026: Investing in Global Citizenship Education is Investing in Global Solidarity “Ireland has received international recognition for its development education strategies… Without additional investment, we cannot seize the opportunity to turn development-aware children into development-aware adults.” - OECD DAC Peer Review of Ireland Read IDEA’s full Pre-Budget 2026 submission here . For over half a century, Ireland has invested in Global Citizenship Education (GCE), enabling people across the island to explore complex issues such as climate justice, human rights, and equality - and to take informed action for a more just and sustainable world. Between 2021 and 2024, €33.6 million was invested in programmes reaching over 1.2 million people, helping to embed GCE across schools, communities, and other learning spaces. This investment has made Ireland a European and global leader in the field. But in today’s turbulent context - with rising disinformation, polarisation, climate emergencies, and deepening inequalities - the need for GCE has never been greater. As Minister of State for International Development and the Diaspora, Neale Richmond, told the IDEA Annual Conference in May 2025: “Now is the time to focus on the hard issues… These are among the greatest challenges of our time.” Why Now? Budget 2026 comes at a critical moment. Ireland is: Running out of time to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. Preparing a new national GCE strategy for the next five years. Operating in a global context where democratic values, human rights, and multilateral cooperation are under unprecedented strain. The OECD has commended Ireland’s strong GCE strategies but has also warned that without additional investment, we risk falling short on SDG Target 4.7 - ensuring all learners acquire the knowledge and skills to promote sustainable development. Our Key Budget 2026 Asks:  Increase investment in GCE Move towards the widely recognised target of 3% of Official Development Assistance (ODA), using a cross-departmental approach and accounting for inflation. Current spending is 1.2% of ODA - far below the €26 million annually needed to reach the 3% target. Boost GCE/ESD funding under “ESD to 2030” Provide adequate and dedicated funding for projects led by organisations, schools, and higher education institutions to ensure the successful delivery of the Second National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development. Create dedicated GCE/ESD funding lines Integrate and resource GCE/ESD within the SDG National Implementation Plan, Climate Action Plan, and National Action Plan Against Racism, recognising that climate justice and anti-racism are core components of global citizenship. Increase Ireland’s ODA Commit to a €300 million increase in Budget 2026 to make tangible progress towards the UN target of spending 0.7% of GNI on ODA by 2030. Adopt Coalition 2030 recommendations Implement budget measures that ensure resources reach those furthest behind first, and align budget lines with specific SDG targets. Beyond Funding – Policy Coherence and Decent Work In addition to resourcing, GCE requires stronger coordination across government departments and better integration into policies, institutions, and networks. GCE practitioners must also have secure, decent working conditions in line with SDG 8, ensuring that expertise is retained within the sector. The Opportunity for Ireland Ireland is respected globally for its principled, values-based approach to international development. By investing in GCE now, we can: Strengthen civic trust, participation, and resilience in our society. Equip citizens to navigate complex global challenges. Ensure Ireland remains a strong, independent voice for justice, solidarity, and human rights on the world stage. Budget 2026 is our opportunity to protect the progress made, scale up impact, and deliver on our commitments. IDEA and our members are ready to work with Irish Aid and across government to ensure Ireland continues to lead with integrity, foresight, and global solidarity. _______________________________________________________ Read IDEA’s full Pre-Budget 2026 submission here to explore our recommendations in detail and see how, together, we can strengthen Global Citizenship Education in Ireland and beyond.
July 24, 2025
IDEA invites tender submissions from interested auditing service suppliers to provide auditing and associated professional services to the organisation from the year ending 31 December 2025. IDEA is seeking to engage an experienced auditing service firm that will provide the full range of auditing services required to fulfil its statutory obligations, to comply with relevant accounting and reporting standards and best practice. All submissions to be made to sal@ideaonline.ie You can find the full details here. The deadline for the application is Monday, 11 August, 5pm .
IDEA
July 15, 2025
Fees for members of IDEA is €50.00 and non-members of IDEA is €100.00. Fee for unwaged (refugees, asylum seekers, students, others) is €3.00