THIRTY-ONE teams of student innovators from all over Ireland, including a number from the Northside, will compete for a national title this week.
Young Social Innovators (YSI) enables young people to grapple with difficult social issues and empowers them to come up with and implement new and innovative ideas for change.
Five Dublin teams are among those shortlisted for the upcoming Young Social Innovators of the Year Awards 2019. The national final will be held in Croke Park on May 15.
The high impact innovations, developed by young people to address an identified social need, were shortlisted from over 370 initial entries.
Youth mental health, climate change, plastic pollution, sexual consent, dementia awareness, community regeneration, loneliness and isolation, and technology addiction are just some of the issues that have been tackled by this year’s finalists.
The Dublin finalists are:
• Lusk Community College: ‘Gach Duine’ – Raising awareness of refugees in direct provision.
• St Fintan’s High School, Sutton: ‘Smart Farming’ – Environmental protection through soil monitoring.
• Holy Faith Family School for the Deaf, Cabra: ‘Mental Health and Communication – It’s Good to Sign’ – Lobbying for improved access to mental health services for young deaf people.
• Coláiste Bríde, Clondalkin: ‘Sign2Shine’ – Promoting inclusion of the deaf community.
• Mercy Secondary School, Inchicore: ‘Give Mercy to Inchicore’ – Community regeneration in Inchicore.
For more information, see www.youngsocialinnovators.ie