Post Primary
Irish Aid provides quality Development Education at Post Primary level through a range of programmes and supports. These programmes are suitable for use with Junior Cycle and Transition Year students and may also be of benefit to teachers and students of the new Senior Cycle subject, Politics and Society. Development Education is particularly relevant to statements 5, 7, 8, 9 and 10 of the Twenty-four Statements of Learning which are at the core of the new Junior Cycle.
The Student:
- has an awareness of personal values and an understanding of the process of moral decision-making (5)
- values what it means to be an active citizen, with rights and responsibilities in local and wider contexts (7)
- values local, national and international heritage, understands the importance of the relationship between past and current events and the forces that drive change (8)
- understands the origins and impacts of social, economic, and environmental aspects of the world around her/him (9)
- has the awareness, knowledge, skills, values and motivation to live sustainably (10)
Wellbeing is one of the principles that underpins Junior Cycle education. Six indicators; Active, Responsible, Connected, Resilient, Respected and Aware, have been identified as central to students' wellbeing. Engagement with a quality Development Education programme can help nurture these qualities in the learner and to help them on a lifelong journey towards wellbeing.
School workshops
School workshops are provided free of charge in the Irish Aid Centre, 3 Clonmel Street, off Harcourt Street, Dublin 2. In these interactive workshops our experienced facilitators explore global issues such as food and hunger, sustainable development, the SDGs and the role of aid.
Students from St Joseph's Secondary School, Foxford attend a workshop. (Credit: Irish Aid Centre)
The workshops last for 90 minutes and are suitable for Junior Cycle, Transition Year and Senior Cycle. Teachers are provided with pre-visit and follow on resources.
Online Workshops
The Irish Aid Centre may be temporarily closed but you can still enjoy our workshops. Delivered by our Irish Aid Centre Facilitators, our live, interactive workshops will teach students about the work of Irish Aid in general and about our programme in Zambia in particular. Our workshops are suitable for Transition Year, CSPE, Junior Cycle Geography, Leaving Certificate Economics, Politics & Society and Leaving Certificate Geography (Optional Unit 6: Global interdependence). Contact the irishaidcentre@dfa.ie for further information or to make a booking.
Pre-recorded versions of Irish Aid Centre workshops, are also available to download.
This 4 minute animation provides a brief snapshot of Irish Aid's work in 130 countries all over the world. Irish Aid is helping to create a better world by focusing on four key priority areas: reducing humanitarian need, gender equality, climate action and strengthening governance.
Ireland and Zambia – Making a Difference Together
Learn about how Ireland is working with partners in Zambia to make a difference in people’s lives. What do you know about Zambia? Watch this short video (8 mins) where Michael tells you about his homeland.
Now that you have had an introduction to Zambia, watch this video (8.49 mins) in which you will learn about how Ireland is working with partners in Zambia to make a difference in people’s lives. Watch the video, talk together about the programme and do the worksheets together. Use the follow-up exercises (links below) to reinforce the information learned. This lesson is suitable for Transition Year and for Junior Cycle CSPE and geography.
Download or view transition year, CSPE and Junior Cycle Geography lesson plans here:
- Ireland Zambia Transition Year Lesson Plan
- Ireland Zambia CSPE Lesson Plan
- Ireland Zambia Junior Geography Lesson Plan
Download or view work sheets here: Worksheet 1, Worksheet 2, Worksheet 3
World Wise Global Schools
The WorldWise Global Schools programme is Irish Aid's Development Education programme for post-primary schools. Teachers and students are supported in integrating a global justice dimension in their teaching and learning through curricular and extracurricular activities. The programme provides a comprehensive range of supports and interventions for schools which includes grant funding, training, events, resources and personalised support from the dedicated WorldWise team.
Students at the WorldWise Conference, Galway 2018 (Credit: Mark Stedman).
Visit the World Wise Global Schools website to find out more.
Science for Development Award
Irish Aid, in partnership with Self Help Africa, sponsors the 'Science for Development' Award at the BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition. The award was established to encourage teachers and students to develop ideas, using appropriate scientific technology that may address challenges and prove useful at local community level in the Global South. The winners of the award receive a perpetual trophy and a €6,000 bursary for one student and one teacher to travel on a fact-finding/field testing visit to a country in Africa, in association with Self Help Africa. Winners of Irish Aid’s BT Young Scientist award field test their project in rural Malawi.
Diarmuid Curtin (left), teacher Donal Enright (centre) and Jack O'Connor (right) from Desmond College in Newcastle West test their custom-made seed planter with farmers Memory Pemba and Alick Bamusse in Kwitanda village, Balaka, Malawi in 2018. (Credit: Self Help Africa)
Read about previous winners of the Science for Development Award here.
Global Citizens Award: Young Social Innovators
Irish Aid sponsors the Global Citizens Award at the Young Social Innovators (YSI) Awards. The YSI Awards promote active citizenship through a strong focus on social issues. In order to encourage the Global Citizenship dimension of the awards, Irish Aid has funded this award, formerly called the ‘Make Our World One World Award’ since 2005, to acknowledge projects which have a global context and in which young people seek justice and equality as global citizens.
Winners of the 2018 Make Our World One World award, Portmarnock Community School, with YSI Guides Colette Cronin and Niall Fitzgerald and Rita Walsh, Director, WorldWise Global Schools
Read about the 2020 Global Citizens Award winners, Ursuline College, Finisklin, Co. Sligo here.
Check out the YSI website.