Local students’ innovation projects secure funding after awards success

STUDENTS from West Cork have received funding for their innovation projects after they were chosen from applications from across the county.

The teams of Clonakilty and Bantry participated in the Social Innovation Den programme delivered by Young Social Innovators (YSI) in conjunction with IBM.

They successfully pitched for support for their projects before a YSI Den panel of representatives from IBM, Community Foundation Youth Panel, Education Authority NI, EirGrid, and Cork City Council, to enable them to access Social Impact Fund support to advance their initiative.

Ailbhe O’ Callaghan, Samantha Sunga and Lisa O’Sullivan from Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí, who received funding for their project promoting ways of achieving gender-neutral pricing in Ireland.

The YSI teams that take part in the Social Innovation Den programme can request three types of support for their projects — money, means and mentoring.

A team from Sacred Heart Secondary School in Clonakilty pitched their project titled Love Should Never Hurt, which aims to spread awareness about the signs of domestic violence and abusive behaviour. The team, comprising of students Sadhbh Ahern, Isla McCarthy, Eva Coleman, Bonnie Hegarty-O’Brien, Grace Hourihane, Aoibhinn O’Flynn and Aoibhinn Kelleher, will receive €500 and mentoring to support their campaign, research and resource creation.

A team from Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí was awarded €500 in funding for its Rethink Pink project. Students Ailbhe O’Callaghan, Samantha Sunga and Lisa O’Sullivan from the Bantry school are aiming to raise awareness about the additional cost that can be attached to clothing, services such as hairdressing and massage, personal care products, children’s clothes and toys that are aimed at females.

A  project from Terence MacSwiney Community College in Knocknaheeny in Cork city received €1,000  to help create Irish-language coding resources schools. The chief executive of Young Social Innovators Roger Warnock said all of the students are ‘exemplary young social innovators’. ‘We are delighted to help them get their projects up and running to bring about positive change in their communities,’ he said. ‘Our Den panellists rewarded these young people for their ability to develop sustainable, high-impact projects, as well as for their passion for social innovation.’

To date, the YSI Den has provided over €150,000 in grant funding to support youth-led ideas for social change throughout Ireland. See www.youngsocialinnovators.ie.