Young Social Innovators win 800 euro in funding from the YSI Den

Young Social Innovators from Davis College received €800 in funding when they pitched their social innovation ideas to business entrepreneurs in the Young Social Innov-ators (YSI) DEN. Their project entitled ‘Forget Me Not’ is designed to raise awareness of missing people in Ireland, to raise funds for continued searches and to lobby Government for a National Day of Remembrance. Davis College students pitched their proposal to a panel of entrepreneur ‘Dragons’ including Julie Fenton, Partner, Ernst and Young; Niall Devine, mycharity.ie, Chantal McCabe, philanthropist and director of Young Social Innovators, and Eoin Clifford, a Youth Panel member of Young Social Innovators. Throughout the month of March, Young Social Innovators (YSI) hosted eleven regional ‘Speak Out’ events, where up to 5,000 young people presented their ideas on how to solve issues affecting communities throughout Ireland, such as mental health, community facilities for the youth and the elderly, inter-generational initiatives, inclusion, obesity, drugs misuse and the environ-ment. A selection of just eleven projects were chosen to pitch to the Dragons in the YSI Den. Participating teams asked for the money, mentoring and resources they need to make their proposed project a success. Students from Davis College were delighted to receive €800. In advance of the event, Rachel Collier, CEO of YSI, said: “Young people are leading the way in Ireland’s ongoing process of recovery. Some really bright ideas and pitches have been prepared today by young people from around Ireland. These young people are already social entrepreneurs and are passionate about bringing their ideas to fruition. The YSI Den is there to offer help to develop their projects which respond to a variety of social needs and problems. Young people can and are making a lasting difference in Irish society. Given opportunities and help, young people rise to such challenges.”