Eureka students secure funding to advance ideas for social good

Students from Eureka Secondary School in Kells secured €700 in funding recently to advance their social innovation project aimed at supporting those in their community living in poverty.

The teenagers, who are taking part in Young Social Innovators (YSI), pitched their idea to a panel for access to a Social Impact Fund dedicated to advancing teenagers’ ideas for social good.

This team of passionate teenagers has been working with their local Supervalu to create care packages for those living in poverty. The innovative scheme would involve customers at the supermarket purchasing extra items with their own groceries and then leaving them at the store for them to be packaged up by the team and distributed to those in need.

The team, Making Poverty our Priority, plans to roll out the scheme on a larger scale if it is a success locally. Not only will it allow members of their community to get involved and donate goods, but it will help to tackle the important issue of poverty.

Almost €10,000 was granted to 18 YSI teams through the Social Impact Fund that is supported by The Community Foundation for Ireland.

The students in receipt of funding are developing innovative ideas around a wide range of issues including biodiversity, plastic reduction, ocean pollution, inclusion, social media and online safety, racism, and more. Some 7,000 students throughout Ireland are currently involved in similar projects with Young Social Innovators in 2022.

Rachel Collier, CEO and Co-founder, Young Social Innovators said: “The applications submitted by young people to the Social Impact Fund were of a very high calibre and we are delighted to provide direct support to eighteen inspiring youth-led projects to help them advance their innovations which will make a real difference in their communities.

"Witnessing the professionalism in which these students presented their ideas was truly remarkable and we wish them the very best of luck. We are grateful to The Community Foundation for Ireland for supporting the Social Impact Fund this year, a fund which is dedicated to advancing youth-led ideas for social good.”

Denise Charlton, Chief Executive of The Community Foundation for Ireland said: “We believe in ‘Empowering Generations’. It is a key part of the equality mission we share with our donors and the 5,000 voluntary, community and charitable groups we work with across Ireland.

"We are proud to work with Young Social Innovators as it promotes the vision, creativity and talent of our young people to address some of the biggest challenges facing our communities today. We wish all those involved every success and look forward to seeing the freshness and energy they will bring to finding solutions to a range of issues.”