Officially launched this week, the Young Social Innovators’ (YSI) online Youth Space platform empowers young people nationwide — including in Co Cork — to start their social innovation journey on their own terms and in their own time.
Supporting and enabling positive youth-led initiatives outside formal educational environments, the site’s six main sections serve as a dynamic hub, allowing the next generation to leverage an array of focused resources and access insider tips from a range of experts.
Commenting on the launch of Youth Space, YSI CEO Roger Warnock said:
“Today, we’re thrilled to introduce Youth Space, an exciting new platform that empowers young people with the tools, resources, and inspiration they need to drive positive change in their communities, including in Co Cork. With Youth Space, we’ve created a one-stop shop for young social innovators, offering a wealth of articles, polls, and toolkits, plus an online, self-paced course.
It’s not just a website; it’s a dedicated space to support a movement and a valuable resource for young changemakers. I want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to IBM and the Community Foundation of Ireland for their invaluable support in making this idea a reality.”
One sixth-year student who spent some time exploring the Youth Space site, commented:
“Youth Space is seriously helpful; there are some fantastic articles, handy tips, real-world examples, and a sweet short course that I’m definitely sticking on my CV! It’s a great way to show I’m all about making a positive difference. If you’ve got any questions about social innovation and how to get involved, this is the place to start!”
The design and development of the online site were made possible by contributions of €100,000 from IBM and €95,000 from Community Foundation Ireland, enabling additional educational assets including online courses and micro grants, plus support for YSI’s social impact fund.
Deirdre Kennedy, IBM corporate social responsibility manager for social impact programmes, said:
“IBM encourages a collaborative and diverse approach to problem-solving, aiming to harness the collective creativity of teams to drive innovation. This is why we’re delighted to support the Youth Space platform, which will allow young curious minds to propose fresh ideas in a safe and secure environment and develop solutions that can make a difference to real-world challenges.”
Denise Charlton, chief executive, Community Foundation Ireland, added:
“Young people with vision, passion and energy now have a new online support which equips them with the tools to help shape the future of local communities, our country and our planet. The level of information and advice available is incredible, drawing from the vast experience of projects by Young Social Innovators. As a partner with our own mission of ‘Equality for All in Thriving Communities’, we wish the tens of thousands of young changemakers who will use Youth Space every success.”
See www.YouthSpace.ie for more information.
About Youth Space from Young Social Innovators
Find out more about Youth Space by viewing the following short videos:
- Introducing Youth Space – Igniting Change, Empowering Futures
- Introducing Youth Space — A one stop shop for Young Social Innovators
About Young Social Innovators
Young Social Innovators is a non-profit organisation that believes in the power of youth. Its vision is to empower, equip and inspire young people to change the world for good. Through its programmes, training and events, Young Social Innovators enables young people to grapple with difficult social issues, advocating reform and advancing change. Each year, circa 15,000 young people are supported to explore social issues that concern them and come up with a variety of responses to these. In this way, Young Social Innovators builds social capital and helps young people create a fairer and more caring Ireland.
For more information about Young Social Innovators visit www.youngsocialinnovators.ie and youthspace.ie
Follow them on Facebook @Young Social Innovators, on X/Twitter @YSInow and on Instagram @ysinow
The design and development of youthspace.ie is by the YSI communications team, in collaboration with www.kooba.ie