Alzheimer’s disease, equality, crime, homelessness and mental health were among issues tackled by “young social innovators” at a “Speak Out” event in Dublin today.
The Young Social Innovators (YSI) programme, now in its 16th year, was founded by Sr Stanislaus Kennedy to encourage teenagers, usually in transition year, to think about social issues and ways of changing them for the better.
Over the course of this year’s Speak Out events up to 6,500 young people will present their ideas on issues they feel strongly about in two-minute presentations and performances.
The teams involved in the latest Speak Out in Dublin spoke on a wide range of issues including mental health, homelessness, discrimination, obesity, loneliness, skin cancer and deforestation.
The teenagers from 211 schools are this year working on 450 projects on a diverse range of issues including integration, equality, crime, health, safety, homelessness, intergenerational initiatives and more.
Rachel Collier, chief executive of YSI, said the programme helped teenagers realise they had voices that should be heard and that could be part of a wider movement of change.
“Speaking out is not just about talking. It’s about changing other people’s attitudes. When you talk about mass migration from Syria or our attitudes to homeless people, what you’re doing is helping to change attitudes and the way we behave,” said Ms Collier.
Visual impairments
Taking part was a group of students from Scoil Rosmini in Drumcondra, Dublin, where a number of students have visual impairments,
Oisín McCaul Proudfoot, who has a visual impairment, said the group’s project, entitled “I Am Not Invisible”, looked at issues their peers face on a daily basis.
“We’re trying to raise awareness to have more large print in shops for people who are visually impaired. I can never see prices in shops because they are usually too small and if boxes are in the middle of the aisle I can trip, so we want shops to be more conscious of the issues we face,” said Oisín.
Also taking part were transition year students from Manor House School in Raheny, Dublin, with their project aimed at empowering young women - “How We Dress Does Not Mean Yes”.
After their presentation, Caoimhe Fitzsimons and Megan Brady spoke of being cat-called at and sometimes feel unsafe as young woman when walking alone in public places.
“We get cat-called or have to walk home with our keys in our hands even if we’re just walking home from school or from the shop. It’s not right that girls must always live in fear or are told to change their behaviour,” said Caoimhe.
‘
We’re not objects’
“We’re not objects and shouldn’t be judged by what we wear or have to live in fear because we’re young women,” said Megan.
The class organised a walk after dark with the local community in Raheny for their project.
“The idea behind our march is that we had it after dark and we got the community to walk with us. Girls are told they can’t walk alone at night and we want to say that isn’t something that’s acceptable,” said Caoimhe.
Sixty teams will be shortlisted to compete for the national title of Young Social Innovators of the Year on May 10th in Citywest Hotel and Convention Centre.