Suas Ideas for Change Awards

News

On Wednesday 13 November, six young social entrepreneurs pitched their social or environmental change idea to a panel of judges at the Suas Ideas for Change event in Wood Quay, Dublin. This event was the culmination of the STAND annual Ideas Collective, a programme for Irish third level students and recent graduates. Over the course of three weekends in the Summer, the students are joined by expert trainers in exploring how to address global injustice and inequality. Participants develop the skills needed to bring their project from idea to implementation, culminating in the Ideas for Change event where they pitch their idea to a panel of judges.

At the 2019 event, Sinéad Barry won the People's Choice Award, sponsored by Irish Aid.  Her idea for change is to organise a network of drivers to give lifts to refugees and migrants living in Direct Provision centres.

Winner Sinéad Barry with John Logue, Suas CEO (Credit: Irish Aid)

Joanna O'Malley won first prize, sponsored by Deloitte. Her project, Preserve Ireland aims to approach environmental issues with volunteering and education.

Winner Joanna O'Malley with Áine Doody of Irish Aid (Credit: Irish Aid)

Brian Mallen's project, The Bridge aims to offer an online platform and physical meetings spaces to allow activists to connect with NGOs. Kayley Curtis' Revamped project aims to encourage people to shop more sustainably by buying second-hand clothing in stores that implement the retail techniques used by highstreets stores.

Suas, as Irish Aid's strategic partner, works with third level students in the non-formal sphere of higher education institutions to analyse the root causes and consequences of key global issues and to become active global citizens in the creation of a fairer and more sustainable future for all. Besides the STAND Ideas Collective initiative, Suas also run the STAND Global Issues Course, a seven week course which takes place in six universities across Ireland. This is a part-time evening course that focuses on the interdependent and unequal world in which we live, through a process of interactive learning, debate, action and reflection.

The STAND Student Festival, which takes place across a number of campuses, is run by students, for students, to raise awareness about key global issues. This features a photo exhibition, film screenings, panel discussions and actions. Many young people now increase awareness via the Suas online network. The Suas programme website (www.stand.ie) offers information, social media platforms and the STAND e-newsletter.

Irish Aid also supports the Global Perspectives strand of the Suas volunteer programme in which students can volunteer as a teaching assistant in India or Zambia. This is the global citizenship element of the programme which educates the volunteers about key issues that affect us at a local and global level. 

To join the Ideas Collective 2020, contact mary@stand.ie

Ideas Collective training weekend (Credit: Suas)‌

|