WorldWise Global Schools Conference: Meaningful Action

In late April, the annual WorldWise Global Schools conference took place in Croke Park with the theme of ‘Meaningful Action’. This interactive day invites post-primary teachers and students from all over the country to engage to learn and showcase their Development Education practice. Now into its 4th year it has also established itself as an important date in Ireland’s ‘Development Education’ calendar, a chance for many practitioners and NGOs to come together along with the schools participating to think critically about our DE practice.

This year’s theme focused on three of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs or ‘Global Goals’) – on ‘Sustainable Cities and Communities’, ‘Climate Action’ and ‘Responsible Consumption’. The day was opened by Minister of State Joe McHugh and Stephanie Kirwan of Development Perspectives gave an introduction to the SDG agenda for those present as well as highlighting her own work on the #SDGchallenge.

The next session was a youth panel to explore how young people are taking meaningful action on the three Goals. The panellists were Meaghan Carmody (Young Friends of the Earth), Phil Manifold (ECO-UNESCO), Annique van Niekerk (Nu – Ethical Fashion Community which was supported via Suas’ Ideas Collective), Stephanie Kirwan (Development Perspectives) and Grace McManus (Bray Refugee Solidarity Group/10,000 missing children campaign). This was a hugely inspiring part of the day for everyone present: the students got to hear from their peers about how they became activists; and the rest of us listened to a truly transformative story of young people who learned about an issue, felt compelled to do something and joined others to figure out a way that they could make a difference. What’s more, these young people had come through various Development Education interventions over the last number of years and were testament to the excellent work of so many civil society actors – NGOs, youth workers and teachers.

The rest of the day focussed on workshops on the global goals with the students as well as a separate session for teachers facilitated by WWGS, along with IDEA and Ubuntu. The workshops looked at key issues locally and globally relating to the issues as well as developing ideas for meaningful action together. The day closed with the presentation of ‘Global passports’ to schools taking part in the WWGS programme.

All in all it was an excellent event for those active in post-primary education and the Development Education sector more broadly. The event consisted of the wonderful combination of amazing attention to detail, along with mild chaos which is part and parcel of most Development Education events involving over 300 people! The panel in particular was a powerful demonstration of the potential of good Development Education Practice and the real impact that it has to encourage critical understanding and activism to transform our communities and global structures affecting our lives.

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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.