2016 Ashoka Ireland Impact Magazine

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ASHOKA IRELAND

The Catalyst for Social Change

CO N T E N T S

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A global home for social entrepreneurship

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L E V E L S O F I M PAC T

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R E S P O N D I N G TO A G L O B A L N E E D

F ELLOWSH I P 10

N E W F E L L OW S P OT L I G H T

Jacqueline Williamson & Kinship Care Northern Ireland

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M E E T T H E F E L L OW S

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F E L L OW S H I P I M PAC T U P DAT E

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F E L L OW S H I P M I L E S TO N E S 2016

Krystian Fikert, MyMind & Mick Kelly, Grow It Yourself (GIY)

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E M P OW E R I N G M I L L I O N S T H R O U G H T E C H N O L OG Y

A Silicon Republic spotlight on Third Age Ireland, CoderDojo & ALISON

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F U N D I N G S OC I A L C H A N G E

NETWOR K 26

THE ASN IN IRELAND: A WIN-WIN

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ASHOKA SUPPORT NETWORK MEMBERS

The leading entrepreneurs for social change

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CO R P O R AT E PA R T N E R F E AT U R E : E M CC

How mentoring and coaching can help social innovators thrive

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M E E T T H E C H A N G E M A K E R S C H OO L S

The Irish Times on the network of schools challenging teaching conventions

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S C H OO L P R O F I L E S

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T H E C H A N G E M A K E R E D U C AT I O N S U M M I T

Unlocking innovations to reimagine education in Europe

CLOSI NG 40

U N L E A S H I N G P OT E N T I A L

3 ways to better nurture Ireland’s blossoming social innovation ecosystem

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A S H O K A I R E L A N D T E A M & A DV I S O R Y B OA R D

ASHOKA IRELAND

INTRODUCTION

WELCOME Dear friends, It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to the 2016 edition of the Ashoka Ireland Impact Magazine. This has been an exciting year, full of milestones and fantastic impact.

This summer, we elected our first Ashoka Fellow from Northern Ireland (p. 10) and launched Social Finance as a new programme to support Fellows in their mission to build sustainable organisations (p. 22).

In October, we were honoured to host the European Changemaker Education Summit in Killarney, bringing together over 150 leaders in education from over 70 Changemaker Schools in the network (p. 38).

We also continue to strengthen our support for Fellows throughout the year (p. 15), and grow our network of Ashoka Support Network Members (p.

26) and partners.

I would like to extend a very heartfelt thank you to everyone who has contributed to nurturing our vibrant community of changemakers here in Ireland.

Have a wonderful holiday season and very best wishes.

Serena Mizzoni DIRECTOR, ASHOKA IRELAND

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INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION

ASHOKA: A GLOBAL HOME FOR S OC I A L E N T R E P R E N E U R S H I P Since its founding in 1981, Ashoka has selected, supported and helped to scale the organisations of over 3,200 social entrepreneurs (Ashoka Fellows) working across 82 countries.

As part of this global network, Ashoka Ireland’s purpose is to help innovative social entrepreneurs make Ireland better for everyone by tackling the country’s biggest social challenges.

470 FELLOWS

272

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FELLOWS

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996 FELLOWS

We do this by:

S E L E C T I N G the people with the best ideas to change society for the better.

SUPPORTING

them with finance, professional services and a network of business leaders who are committed to help them build sustainable and impactful organisations.

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446

FELLOWS

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S C A L I N G their idea locally, nationally and globally by providing knowledge, best practices and networks.

So that what helps Ireland today can help the world tomorrow.

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FELLOWS

€113,200,000

FINANCIAL SUPPORT SINCE 1981 A S H O K A I R E L A N D | 3

82 COUNTRIES 37 OFFICES

INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION

H OW TO C H A N G E T H E W O R L D : T H E 4 L E V E L S O F I M PAC T Ashoka is looking for social entrepreneurs who not only deliver direct services and provide immediate alleviation of needs but also work to change mindsets and systems in order to address root causes of a problem with a long-term perspective.

DIRECT SERVICE Work in populations needing services, food, and/or a direct benefit to their wellbeing. Direct service has a clear and concrete feedback loop - you see hungry people being fed; students gaining skills through mentorship; or the clients getting legal help.

Examples: Soup kitchens, small-scale mentoring programmes for students, legal services for community members.

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SCALED DIRECT SERVICE Models that unlock efficiency and impact through well-managed logistics of an intervention or solution. Scaled Direct Service benefits large numbers of individuals.

Examples: The Red Cross, Docotrs Without Borders, or large scale refugee resettlement programmes.

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SYSTEMS CHANGE A new model that addresses the root cause of a problem. It often involves policy change, widespread adoption of the methodology by leading organisations in a sector, and new behaviours within existing markets or ecosystems.

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Examples: Micro-credit is a fundamentally new innovation for women to lift themselves out of poverty. Wikipedia democratises the way information is shared online.

FRAMEWORK CHANGE Change affecting individual mindsets at a large scale, which will ultimately change behaviours across society as a whole.

Framework Change is not a specific field-level or country-level intervention, but compounds the work of many individual organisations to create a paradigm shift.

Examples: Universal Human Rights, Women’s Rights, Civil Rights, Democracy, or the idea of Social Entrepreneurship.

I M PAC T S TA I R WAY H O W TO D I F F E R E N T I AT E O U TCO M E S / I M PAC T ( R E S U L T S ) F R O M O U T P U T S (WORK PERFORMED)

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O U TCO M E S / I M PAC T (RESULTS)

4. TA R G E T G R O U P S C H A N G E T H E I R S K I L L S 3 . TA R G E T G R O U P S ACC E P T O F F E R 2 . TA R G E T G R O U P S A R E R E AC H E D 1 . AC T I V I T I E S OCC U R A S P L A N N E D

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OUTPUT (WORK PERFORMED)

INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION

CO L L E C T I V E AC T I O N I N A G L O B A L CRISIS: ASHOKA’S WORK WITH REFUGEES IN EUROPE Worldwide, dozens of the 3,200+ Ashoka Fellows have implemented proven, impactful solutions to the challenge of integrating refugees – in areas such as labour market integration, education, intercultural dialogue, housing and health. Often, these Fellows have found solutions that could be readily applied in many other countries instead of reinventing the wheel elsewhere.

Ashoka’s role in the refugee crisis is to address both cases by: (1) helping to scale the proven Fellow solutions and (2) identifying and accelerating newly developed system-changing solutions.

Thirdly, Ashoka can also harness its expertise to support social entrepreneurs in including refugees as a target group of their activities.

The first major step in the current crisis in Europe was the Innovation Conference on Integration (1720 March 2016) in Berlin. It was part of a threeday summit, called The Hello Festival on Refugee Integration, initiated by corporate partner Zalando, Germany’s biggest online retailer.

Almost 400 decision makers from the business, public and citizen sector discussed the solutions of 13 selected social entrepreneurs from the Ashoka Network working on integration and how to best scale them to Germany. This included Irish Ashoka Fellow and founder of Third Age Ireland, Mary Nally, who has pioneered a nationwide network of conversational English courses for migrants through Third Age’s programme, Failte Isteach.

Before the conference, 45 McKinsey and pro bono consultants had helped to prepare the replication strategy of the Fellows and connect them to key partners in Germany. At the conference itself, more than 60 one-on-one meetings of Fellows and partners were arranged. To catalyse the partnerships and support the scaling to Germany, Zalando, Ashoka and the German donation platform betterplace.org collected almost €240.000 in an “Integration Innovation Fund”.

I M PAC T O F T H E CO N F E R E N C E The main objective of the conference was to scale proven solutions to Germany through partnerships. This aim has been achieved: 11 out of the 13 featured social entrepreneurs, including Mary Nally, are now preparing their replication work with German organisations. 8 of them will be supported through the Innovation Fund and will create individual impact during the year of 2016.

The impact on refugees is clear: Their situation will be improved through the transfer of wellestablished, highly effective models in workforce integration, language training, education or interreligious dialogue all over Germany.

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F EL L OW S H IP

The tree in Ashoka’s iconic logo is based on the American oak. It is a time-honoured tradition to present newly elected Fellows with a Bonsai tree as a gift.

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TH E PR OBLEM Northern Ireland spends around £54 million each year providing services to children in care.

Estimates suggest placing a child in kinship care could save the government between £23,000 and £56,000 per child, compared to keeping the child in a traditional care system. In Northern Ireland, there are over 10,000 children in kinship care arrangements. However, the vast majority of these arrangements informal, so the carers do not receive the same benefits that foster carers do. As a result, many kinship carers—who can range from older siblings to grandparents—live in poverty or deal with significant emotional stress.

TH E STR ATEGY

N E W F E L L OW S P OT L I G H T Ashoka Ireland welcomes Jacqueline Williamson to the Fellowship Network Based in Derry, Northern Ireland, Jacqueline is the founder of Kinship Care Northern Ireland (KCNI), an organisation that is focused on improving the quality of life for hundreds of children in kinship care arrangements. She is the first Fellow based in Northern Ireland to join the global network of Ashoka Fellows.

Kinship care helps children remain in their families and communities, which can have a number of benefits which range from better mental health to improved educational outcomes.

Kinship care is care for a child by relatives or family friends in the case that a parent cannot look after them. It provides an alternative to traditional residential or foster care for children separated from their parents.

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KCNI helps kinship carers navigate these difficulties by providing a number of services through its centres in Antrim, Derry and Magherafelt. These include a free telephone helpline, training, counselling, and support groups. KCNI also helps carers apply for Residence Orders and advises them on their entitlement to benefits. The organisation provides children in kinship care with life skills programmes, peer support programmes and mentorship arrangements.

TH E PER SON As a child, Jacqueline Williamson spent time in both kinship care and children’s homes. She overcame incredible difficulties as a teenager, including becoming homeless at one point, and dedicated herself to social change, acquiring several degrees and working with young offenders and disadvantaged children and families.

When Jacqueline took on the care of her niece, she met other carers in a similar position. This helped her gain an appreciation for the difficulties faced by this group of people.

She formed a support group for kinship carers and began to fight politically for financial and other support, ultimately founding KCNI to pursue these goals.

Along the way, she has become a resident speaker on kinship care in the Northern Ireland Assembly.

She has passionately pursued and challenged policy makers to better support families in kinship care arrangements and has secured cross party support for her initiatives—this all at the same time as KCNI helps these families directly.

TH E I MPACT Currently, there are thousands of children living in both formal and informal kinship care arrangements in the Republic of Ireland. Jacqueline intends on expanding the work of KCNI into the Republic of Ireland, but her work will not stop there. Ineffective care systems impact destitute children all over the world; supporting care by family members can create important positive change for children, families, and governments.

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M E E T T H E F E L L OW S J OH N K EA RNE Y | IRISH CO M M UNITY R A P ID RESPO NSE (IC RR)

KRYS TIAN FIKERT | MYMI ND

M A I R E AD HE A L Y | FUTURE VO IC ES

DR. BRENDAN DU NFORD | BURRE N L IF E

N E I L M CCA B E | THE G REENPL A N

MICK KELLY | GR OW I T YOUR SE L F ( GIY )

JA ME S W HE L TO N | CO DERDOJ O

MIKE FEERICK | ALI SON

A mobile intensive care unit for those most in need Working with the Dept of Emergency Medicine at University College Dublin, ICRR has enlisted 115 volunteer GPs to date, saving over 100 lives annually, with aims to have 500 GPs signed up for voluntary service throughout the country by 2020. In 2017, ICRR plans to raise €1m to fund a fleet of air ambulance helicopters.

Empowering a new class of leaders By focusing on only the most vulnerable young people in society, and working with them consistently over a 3-year period, Future Voices works to empower young people and unlock their potential, so that the cycle of intergenerational poverty is broken - permanently. Since 2013, over 60 students have completed the Future Voices Flagship programme.

Changing behaviour to tackle climate change The GreenPlan is now available as a free online course with ALISON, training over 500 students globally in its first month. Since 2010, 8 out of 14 Dublin Fire Stations have implemented The GreenPlan, accruing over €11 million in savings and reducing the energy demand by 44%. It has been written into the Dublin Fire Brigade Business Plan, The Dublin City Development Plan and the annual Dublin City Council Business Plan, and is being applied to policy at the EU level.

Inspiring a new generation of coders The movement is spread and supported by the CoderDojo Foundation, which helps set up Dojos around the world. There are currently over 1,000 Dojos in 63 countries. In 2016, local volunteers put in over 400,000 hours worldwide to help run the dojos.

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Making mental health care normal As of November, MyMind had provided 12,483 appointments in 2016, with an average of 1,500 per month in their five clinics across Dublin, Cork, and Limerick. This represented 18% growth when compared with the previous year, with a team of over 73 mental health professionals now delivering services in more than 10 languages.

Incentivising farmers to protect the environment There are currently 320 farmers participating in this programme, covering 60,000 acres of land in the Burren region, with plans to expand this locallyled model to other regions, beginning with areas where hen harriers and pearl mussels are found. Burren Life have also joined a new 13-partner strong consortium, the High Nature Valley-Link, whose aim is to collect and disseminate innovative solutions for supporting European farmland.

Fixing the food chain, one grower at a time GIY inspires and supports people to live healthier, happier lives by growing some of their own food at home, school, work or in the community. In 2016 GIY supported over 150,000 people in 6,000 community food projects in Ireland and the UK to grow their own food, and opened a brand new home for the movement, GROW HQ , in Waterford city.

Teaching the world, for free ALISON continues to provide free online certification to over 9 million registered learners worldwide. In 2016, ALISON reached a milestone threshold of one million graduates, as well as significant developments in India and across Africa. The platform now has 40 staff with 14 nationalities represented at its Galway HQ. Plans for 2017 include a brand re-fresh, a new mobile focused website to be launched in early spring, and for the first time, free online publishing.

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A S H O K A F E L L OW S ’ I M PAC T 2 0 16 MA RY N A L L Y | THIRD AG E IREL AND

Recognising Ireland’s greatest resource Third Age has over 1,400 volunteers countrywide, working as tutors, listeners, advocates and befrienders. Thousands of people of all ages benefit each week by volunteering on projects, and participating in programmes, which include lifelong learning, health and social initiatives. In 2016, the Failte Isteach model of providing conversational English classes to new migrants was exported to Germany, Greece and Italy with the help of Ashoka.

D R . S T E V E CO L L INS | VALID NUTRITIO N

Ending malnutrition through enterprise Since 2007, Valid Nutrition has produced over 35 million life-saving sachets in Malawi, treating over 300,00 children suffering from malnutrition This creates an economic multiplier effect while also increasing competition and generating far greater value in terms of social and developmental impact.

Following several years of negotiations, Valid Nutrition made significant progress in its expansion to India in 2016.

CA R OL I N E CASE Y | BINC

In 2016 alone, Ashoka Fellows in Ireland employed 125 people and directly impacted the lives of more than 1,692,588 in Ireland and around the world.

125 PEOPLE EMPLOYED

1,692,588 LIVES IMPACTED GLOBALLY

ASH OKA’S I MPACT 2016 At the end of each fiscal year, we undertake an impact survey, putting a Euro value on the support and resources offered to Ashoka Ireland Fellows in the previous twelve months (Sept 2015-Sept 2016).

A world where no one gets left out Launching in 2017, Binc is the catalyst for a historic global business movement for the universal inclusion of the 1.2 billion people currently living with a disability on our planet. Binc’s team is driven by the mission that inclusive business will create an inclusive society, “because the world is a better place when no one is left out.”

€531,688 VA L U E O F F I N A N C I A L A N D S T R AT E G I C S U P P O R T F O R 1 3 I R E L A N D - B A S E D A S H O K A F E L L O W S B E T W E E N 2 0 1 5 - 2 0 16

€179,443 IN NETWORK

DAV I D E G A N On sabbatical

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TA R A C U N N IN G HAM On sabbatical

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€ 192,245 IN FINANCIAL SUPPORT

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Speaking at the event, MyMind CEO and Founder Krystian Fikert said “I set up MyMind a decade ago to break down the barriers to mental wellbeing such as cost, waiting times and language. Over the last 10 years, the work we’ve done has been driven by a belief that everyone should have easy access to mental health services when they need them, no matter where they’re living in Ireland.”

“In this time, we have worked tirelessly to make lives and communities better and to help our clients live happy and fulfilled lives. We will continue this work over the next decade and beyond. I want to thank all of our supporters and friends, but most importantly, our clients, for entrusting us to help them in their journey to mental wellbeing. I want to urge anyone who feels as if they are struggling with their mental health to get in touch with us today. We’re here to help.”

- Krystian Fikert, MyMind T H I S P O S T WA S W R I T T E N B Y K R Y S T I A N F I K E R T A N D T E S S BRADY

F E L L OW S H I P M I L E S TO N E 2 0 1 6: K R Y S T I A N FIKERT, MYMIND MyMind’s innovative and sustainable social enterprise approach to providing mental health services is unique. Central to its model is using technology to deliver quality mental health services to people who would otherwise be unable to access support. The challenges facing mental health service providers are similar globally: early intervention services are expensive and difficult to navigate. MyMind’s success and growth has come from its ability to remove these barriers that prevent people from accessing support when mental health difficulties first arise. To date, MyMind has held over 64,000 counselling and psychotherapy services. The team now consists of 73 professionals providing services in over ten languages.

2016 has been a very significant year in MyMind’s history, as it marked its ten year anniversary.

Since opening its doors in 2006 as a not-for-profit

community based provider of accessible mental health care, it has opened centres in Dublin, Cork and Limerick city, providing approximately 1,500 appointments a month. To date in 2016, the team has provided 12,483 appointments, which is an 18% growth in comparison with 2015.

2016 also saw significant growth in the centre in Limerick, where MyMind moved from its first office to a centre at 50 O’Connell Street that contains four counselling rooms - doubling their capacity to deliver services to clients. MyMind has also added to its extensive list of partners, launching a partnership with Aura Leisure, an Ashoka partner, on the 10th of September to mark World Suicide Prevention Day. MyMind celebrated their tenth anniversary with an event in Wood Quay on the 15th of June that was attended by the then Lord Mayor Criona Ni Dhalaigh.

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F E L L O W S H I P M I L E S TO N E 2 01 6: M I C K K E L L Y , G R O W I T YO U R S E L F ( G I Y ) It has been a milestone year for GIY: After years of planning, fundraising, and dreaming, the team finally set foot in their beautiful, brandnew Waterford headquarters. Following the grand opening in October, the Food Education Centre is already running courses, feeding hundreds of people a day and welcoming companies for events.

With so much focus on the centre, it can be easy to forget that GIY isn’t all about GROW HQ , but campaigns and activities continue to be as ambitious as ever. 2016 saw their flagship campaigns, ‘Give Peas a Chance’ (in partnership with Cully&Sully) and ‘Sow and Grow’ (in partnership with Innocent), expand into the UK. An awe-inspiring 4,500 schools are now growing food in their classrooms as a result.

FELLOWSHIP

In the course of twelve months, GIY grew from a small team of only four full-time staff and one full time grower, to a large team of 30 staff between GIY and GROW HQ. Seeing so many opportunities created by a nonprofit social enterprise has made everyone in the community proud - not only of the team and the work, but also of the changing culture of health, sustainability and food empathy that drives the increasing demand for what GIY does.

“We are a movement of our own, but we’re also part of a larger one.

The movement towards quality over quantity, putting the health of people, populations and the planet before the width of a profit margin.

F E L L OW S H I P

There is a paradigm shift occurring, driven only by passion to change the world for the better, and 2016 is the year the shift began to achieve critical mass for us.”

- Mick Kelly, GIY “There are plenty of new challenges ahead and we’ll expand and grow over the years, but 2016 will always be the year we came home.

T H I S P O S T WA S W R I T T E N B Y M I C K K E L L Y & C L A I R E CULLEN.

E M P OW E R I N G M I L L I O N S T H R O U G H T E C H N O L OG Y A spotlight on how Third Age Ireland, CoderDojo and ALISON are bringing digital skills to the young, the old, and the marginalised Niamh Scanlon and David Puttnam may be separated by over 60 years in age, but they share an important mission. Both advocate for the benefits of digital technologies in improving society, helping disconnected or underrepresented groups of people to gain better access to technology.

Scanlon, 13, was named EU Digital Girl of the Year in 2015, while Puttnam, who turned 75 this February, has served as Ireland’s Digital Champion since 2012. “Reaching out to the elderly, the disconnected among them, is a big part of the job,” Puttnam said of his work as he addressed the Silicon Republic Digital Ireland Forum in 2014. This was never more evident than on a sunny day in May, when he attended a computer skills workshop in the headquarters of Third Age, a national voluntary organisation seeking to elevate the value of elderly retirees in their communities, while filming an episode for his RTÉ documentary series on digital trends in Ireland.

Nally wanted to share the feeling of empowerment that she gained when she learned how to use a computer and access the internet.

“Everything is digitalised today – from banking to shopping and more. Why should [the elderly] be left behind? At Third Age, we want to take the fear out of computing,” she explained during Puttnam’s visit. “I know some older people have embraced technology, and others are afraid. I want to encourage everyone to say, ‘Maybe I will.’”

Founder and Ashoka Fellow Mary Nally introduced computer literacy classes to Third Age over 15 years ago, in order to transform the lives of the isolated elderly living in her rural hometown of Summerhill, Co. Meath. Now in her sixties herself, Impact magazine 2016 | 18

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Unlike other well-known MOOCs such as Udacity and Coursera, ALISON’s content is not drawn from elite academic institutions but instead focuses on practical workplace skills and vocational certifications, which are popular among populations with little access to formal education.

As a result, the majority of ALISON’s 9million+ registered learners are in developing countries.

A demographic that is often neglected by society is the prison population, as well as those re-entering society after serving out their prison sentences.

According to Feerick, formerly incarcerated people have some of the greatest educational need in society. Studies suggest that 92% of those being released from United Kingdom prisons feel unprepared for the world outside. The situation is even more acute in the United States, which houses 22% of the world’s total prison population.

Puttnam was keen to emphasise the importance of promoting digital skills in all ages. At 75, he says, “I’m working as hard as I’ve ever worked in my life, and if all goes well, I’ll have another ten years to look forward to. For young people growing up today, they could be working until they are 100! We are living in a world where change is a constant.”

My eCar, to map all the public charging points for battery-charged cars in Ireland. Scanlon’s appointment as Digital Girl of the Year means that she has been recognised for “demonstrating, promoting or actually increasing” digital skills and participation among girls and women, as well as her use of digital know-how for the benefit of society. She says:

YOU N G C HA N G E M A K E R S

“There should be as many girls as boys working in and with technology and I would like to see more girls my age start coding and getting into tech.”

CoderDojo, the open-source social enterprise founded by Ashoka Fellow James Whelton in Cork, in 2011, remains the largest and fastest growing network of free coding clubs for kids, with 1,000 verified dojos in 63 countries. Teaching children computer skills at an early age can help prepare them for an increasingly competitive job market, but it also empowers them to give back to their communities in a positive way, with many CoderDojo students designing programmes and apps that have a wide-reaching impact.

It was at a CoderDojo in Dublin that Niamh Scanlon learned to code. Starting when she was just nine years old, she quickly channeled her skills into tangible projects. Motivated by her parents’ difficulty in finding charger stations for their electronic car, she built a mobile app, reCharge

To address the massive educational need, last year ALISON began offering the Advanced Diploma in Workforce Re-Entry, a course aimed at helping former prison inmates prepare for life in a professional environment. The company teamed up with the US Department of Education and correctional services to provide basic training, and is expanding in other states.

TH E POWER OF LE ARN IN G A remarkable 90% of ALISON graduates reported that completing a course had encouraged them to keep learning. “That’s something everybody wants: for people to be more confidence in their life, to be more assured of what they know and who they are, and to be interested in learning further. The trick to learning success is to get people learning at all,” said Feerick.

Feerick’s words echo those of his peer social innovators and tech ambassadors. In an everchanging and increasingly digitised world, we all have a role to play in helping those on the fringes join the conversation. Whether one calls it confidence or empowerment, the positive impact of changemaking technology is clear: teach one young coder, retiree or former prisoner how to access new skills, and the possibilities for social good can be endless.

T H I S I S A N E XC E R P T F R O M A N A R T I C L E B Y F I O N A KOC H , W H I C H O R I G I N A L L Y A P P E A R E D I N S I L I CO N R E P U B L I C

PRISO N REFO RM Ashoka Fellow Mike Feerick has been pioneering the use of technology in education since 2007, when he founded ALISON, a platform that is credited as the world’s first-ever massive open online course (MOOC).

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F U N D I N G S OC I A L C H A N G E REQUIRES A NEW BUSINESS MODEL Of the many challenges facing social enterprises, finance is possibly the biggest. This is not surprising - they don’t, after all, usually run on normal business lines. Instead of actually generating cash from their own activities, they seek philanthropic and charitable donations to support their missions. This model has little appeal to lenders or traditional investors, who want at least a reasonable prospect of getting their money back with some return on it on top. “ We have found that the biggest barrier to scaling up social enterprises is money,” says Ashoka Ireland Director Serena Mizzoni. “99 percent of the time, the enterprises started as charities or not-for-profit organisations dependent on grants or philanthropy. Social entrepreneurs end up spending nearly all their time trying to keep their heads above water and trying to raise funds.”

The problem is often exacerbated by the way the social entrepreneurs see themselves and their work. “Most Ashoka Fellows are mission-driven individuals, “ says Sir Steven Wilkinson of the Ashoka Ireland Social Finance Committee. “They have organised their enterprises to deliver on that mission. It is often the case that the social entrepreneurs themselves would see running their enterprise on business lines as antithetical to their beliefs – almost a heresy.” But a new breed of social entrepreneur has emerged in recent years, according to committee member Maura Moore .

“These modern social entrepreneurs want to make a social impact by putting people and communities ahead of private or personal gain while operating in a commercially viable and sustainable way,” says Moore, who is head of professional services and non-profits with AIB. This has opened the way to new thinking on financing social enterprises.

Social finance is a different approach to funding and lending to social enterprises. It means making investments in organisations which provide a social dividend as well as a financial return. It is neither a for-profit venture or a charity – it sits in between the two. Ashoka has been pioneering this internationally for the past five years.

The concept is one where the investor or lender is willing to accept a lower rate of return on the basis that the social impact of the enterprise involved offsets the reduced gain. Investors will accept rates of return as low as 5 per cent, contrasting sharply with private equity funders in traditional businesses, who usually look to at least double their money over five years.

If the social dividend is great enough, Wilkinson says investors might even willing to accept a slight loss on their capital. “The social finance ecosystem is still in its infancy in Ireland which Ashoka and others are addressing,” Moore says. However, there is a “growing awareness of it among donors, philanthropists, and funds as more role models of social enterprise gain momentum and business schools produce more social entrepreneurs. ” Investors, business leaders and government, Moore adds, “generally accept that having a desirable social impact will likely mean making a lower rate of return. They acknowledge, in effect, that there is a cost to having a social impact, particularly if it involves experimentation and disrupting the status quo.”

Work is needed to establish the concept of social finance in Ireland, she says. “Significant education and awareness is needed before social finance – often involving hybrid instruments with debt and equity features – goes mainstream. Financiers may require commercial viability, operational sustainability and some clear social benefit.

Investors, foundations and investment managers will also wish to make prudent investments that have societal impact and a financial return without fear of facing a tax penalty.”

Funding can be a mix of debt, equity and other finance and the returns both social and financial, and enterprises can adopt a mixed model as well.

Wilkinson points to another dividend that he and the other Ashoka volunteers receive.

“The real return for people like me is just engaging with people who are glowing with passion, purpose, empathy and enthusiasm for how they are going to change their little patch of the world. You come away carrying a little bit of that glow with you.”

T H I S I S A N E XC E R P T F R O M A N A R T I C L E B Y B A R R Y M CC A L L , W H I C H O R I G I N A L L Y A P P E A R E D I N T H E O N L I N E AND PRINT EDITIONS OF THE IRISH TIMES

M AU R A M OO R E A N D S I R S T E V E N W I L K I N S O N A R E M E M B E R S O F T H E S OC I A L F I N A N C E CO M M I T T E E .

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“Ashoka envisions a world where a healthy ecosystem exists to support social entrepreneurs. Without this ecosystem, Ashoka changemakers cannot nurture and grow their game changing ideas to solve the world’s toughest social problems.”

ASHOKA SUPPORT NETWORK IN IRELAND: A WIN-WIN In my experience working in philanthropy, I find many professionals, myself included, would love to have more opportunities to efficiently and effectively give their talent and time to inspiring causes and be part of social change. It’s a desire to feel connected to their communities in ways maybe not possible in their daily life.

The Ashoka Support Network provides a unique chance to do just that – to engage directly with social entrepreneurs in a mutually beneficial exchange. Social entrepreneurs are flush with excellent ideas on how to change and improve the world. However, they do not always have access to the talent, networks and resources required to make their vision a reality. This is where the ASN is invaluable. We act as nourishers to the changemaker ecosystem, providing expertise and knowledge to address the challenges and pitfalls facing social entrepreneurs.

Being part of the ASN is a natural extension of my professional experience providing strategy, management and fundraising guidance to startups and social purpose organizations moving to the next level of impact. As a founder of collective philanthropy foundations, The Giving Circle of Amsterdam and The Giving Circle of Ireland, Ashoka was also a wonderful entry point into Ireland when I moved here in 2014. Very quickly, I was exposed to many of the impressive and inspiring Irish Fellows and ASN Members. As a foreigner, one could say I found many of “my

people” in Ireland through Ashoka. I am regularly humbled by them. The diversity of ASN projects is fun and engaging, ranging from giving direct feedback on Fellows’ most pressing issues, to helping develop pitches prior to an international roadshow.

As Co-Chair of the Social Finance Committee, I work with a group of ASN Members and Ashoka staff to develop the much needed processes to help Ashoka Fellows in Ireland access a variety of funding instruments to scale their work nationally or internationally. I am passionate about social entrepreneurs who disrupt and shift the status quo so social problems are averted, delayed, tackled and if we’re lucky enough – solved. I am also passionate about social entrepreneurs having access to the same resources, knowledge and networks available to “regular” entrepreneurs.

“I think it can make a huge differenec to society. Ashoka combines the passion, energy and enthusiasm of the social entrepreneurs with better business practice, and provides resources for them to succeed” - Patrick Coveney, ASN Member

ASHOKA SUPPORT NETWORK MEMBERS IN IRELAND • BRIAN CAULFIELD, Partner, Draper Esprit • BRIAN RANALOW, Former CEO, H&K International • LADY BRITTA WILKINSON, Co-Partner, Buchanan AG • CATHERINE DUFFY, Partner, A&L Goodbody • CONOR STANLEY, Founder, Tribal VC • DENIS TINSLEY, Former Director, McKinsey • EAMONN CONLON, Partner, A&L Goodbody • EAMONN QUINN, Partner, The Quinn Family Foundation • FAYE DROUILLARD, Founder, The Giving Circle Amsterdam & Ireland • GAR HOLOHAN, Executive Chairman, Aura Holohan • GARETH MORGAN, Director, Global Ad Operations, Google • JIM BARRY, CEO, Blackrock

• JOHN WHELAN, Partner, A&L Goodbody • LORRAINE QUINN, Partner, The Quinn Family Foundation • MICHAEL CAULFIELD, VP, Workday • NOEL RUANE, Venture Partner, Polaris Partners • PATRICK COVENEY, CEO, Greencore • PAUL SULLIVAN, Former Executive Director, National Treasury Management Association • ROGER JUPP, Former Chairman, Millward Brown • TIM GRIFFITHS, Managing Director, OMD Ireland • TOM MCGOWAN, Former Director, Unilever • NEIL O'LEARY, Chairman & CEO, Ion Equity • KEVIN NEARY, Founder & Former MD, GameStop Group • SIR STEVEN WILKINSON, Founder & CEO, Buchanan AG

Being a member of the Ashoka Support Network is an enriching experience which gives me access to participate and contribute to the Irish ecosystem for social change in which I truly feel I have a role to play.

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FAY E WA L S H D R O U I L L A R D IS AN ASHOKA SUPPORT NETWORK MEMBERS AND S I T S O N A S H O K A ’ S S OC I A L F I N A N C E CO M M I T T E E

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“Social entrepreneurs face additional challenge because they are quite altruistic and are often less likely to focus on themselves and their own self-care.”

CO R P O R AT E PA R T N E R F E AT U R E : E M CC How mentoring and coaching can help social innovators thrive The European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC) is a professional body, run by volunteers, whose stated mission is to develop, promote and set the expectation of best practice in mentoring and coaching for the benefit of society. EMCC has more than 5,000 members in over 67 countries with 24 affiliated countries across Europe (and beyond).

Here at EMCC Ireland we have a very vibrant and engaged membership. As a not-for-profit membership organisation our aim is to support and assist our members with their ongoing professional development in as many ways as possible. Apart from providing regular development events, supporting accreditation and sharing best practice research, we actively promote social responsibility within our membership. Many of our members provide pro-bono coaching as a way of using their skills and experience for the greater good of society.

At EMCC we are always looking at ways to increase the impact of our social responsibility efforts and it was with this in mind that we entered the current partnership with Ashoka Ireland.

Most EMCC members work with business leaders and many have considerable organisational and management experience. We therefore felt that there was a perfect match between the coaching skills and experience that our members could provide and the needs of Ashoka Fellows.

Social entrepreneurs are similar in many ways to business entrepreneurs. However, they can potentially face many professional and personal challenges, such as: • Seeing themselves as great at the start-up phase, but less equipped to manage a larger organisation.

• Managing the growing pains (personally and organisationally) from rapidly expanding operations.

• Managing change, organisational restructuring and transition to new responsibilities.

• Striking a work/life balance.

• Improving management skills, particularly ‘selfmanagement”.

• Knowing how best to develop their potential and those of their teams.

• Building their leadership capability.

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Social entrepreneurs face additional challenge because they are quite altruistic and are often less likely to focus on themselves and their own selfcare. Executive coaching provides a safe space for the social entrepreneur to step out of the day-today “busyness” in order to stand back and reflect on their original vision and goals. Working with an experienced coach provides a reflective space that is collaborative and goal-directed, helping to provide clarity and focus.

Currently we have a panel of 13 volunteer EMCC coaches on our Ashoka coaching panel and we are supporting Ashoka Fellows in Dublin, Waterford, Kilkenny and Cork. The feedback from both the coaches and the Ashoka Fellows has been extremely positive. We are always looking for winwin situations and this partnership has provided real benefits for both Ashoka and EMCC. We hope that this collaboration will continue to develop and grow for many years to come.

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B I L L Y B Y R N E I S A CO U N C I L M E M B E R AT E M CC I R E L A N D , A N A S H O K A CO R P O R AT E PA R T N E R O R G A N I S AT I O N .

EDUCAT IO N

Students at St. Oliver’s National School in Killarney gaze at the on-site fish tank (Photo by Valerie O’Sullivan)

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“We believe every young person should be given the opportunity to develop a skillset that will empower them to unleash the full potential in themselves and be active in changing their world for the better.”

environmental and economic challenges means young people today will need to be ever more adaptable, innovative and empathetic,” says Fiona Collins, who manages the Changemaker Schools programme in Ireland. “ We believe every young person should be given the opportunity to develop a skillset that will empower them to unleash the full potential in themselves and be active in changing their world for the better.” Darcy’s hopeful theme is in sharp contrast with much of the negative narrative around Irish education such as overcrowding, spending cuts, strike threats and stymied reform.

MEET THE CHANGEMAKER S C H OO L S The Irish Times on the network of schools challenging teaching conventions There is a large fish-tank in the library of St Oliver’s national school in Killarney, Co Kerry. There are 47 fish in all. Each one represents a different nationality at the school. “ Wouldn’t it be boring if we were all the same?” says Rory Darcy, the school’s tall, talkative and inspirational principal.

The school’s diversity isn’t just down to the fact that many of its pupils’ parents are foreign nationals who came to work in the town’s tourism industry. St Oliver’s cherishes difference as a badge of honour: it welcomes children with special needs (it has one of the highest concentrations of resource hours for any school), Travellers who have fallen out of education and young asylum seekers stuck in the direct provision system.

With more than 750 pupils, it is one of the largest and most diverse primary schools in the country.

And, for all these potential obstacles, it is delivering impressive results.

“Schools are places of incredible hope,” says Darcy, who has been the school principal for 14 years. “If you rely on your view of the world from the media, it would be a very negative place…”

St Oliver’s is a hub of innovation and challenging many of the conventions of the teaching world.

It has transformed the school building into a resource for the entire community by staying open outside school hours seven days a week; it is based on a bartering system they use with groups to provide classes for students. “Gymnastics, coding, therapy – no one gives me money for the use of the school, but we use their skills and experience,” says Darcy. There is also a working farm to help engage students with poor attendance and give them a chance to hone their practical skills. “ We’re the only national school with a herd number, to the best of my knowledge – and we managed to halve the attendance problem,” he says. It is enhancing learning supports with a team of speech and occupational therapists based onsite. “It’s part of the idea of a school as a campus, geographically based,” Darcy says.

“People get to know each other. A lot of problems can be solved by making connections with people.”

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St Oliver’s is now sharing these ideas and connecting with other innovative schools from around the world as part of Ashoka’s Changemaker School programme.

In October, the network hosted a major summit at Muckross House in Killarney, attended by leading innovators and educators from across Europe, with an aim to ignite conversations and create ideas for the future of education. Among the schools that took part was a high-achieving Berlin secondary school where there are no grades until students turn 15, no timetables and no lecturestyle instructions. Instead, pupils decide which subjects they want to study for each lesson and when they want to take an exam.

If there is a unifying theme to many of these innovative schools, say the organisers, it is that they are working to foster 21st-century skills – empathy, creativity, teamwork and leadership – in students. “The pace of technological change and globalisation along with significant social,

Darcy insists that real change can come with simply changing the mindset of a school. “A little boy – Riain – came up to me a while back and said: ‘Mr Darcy, it strikes me that schools are far too important to be left to adults to run.’” Darcy laughs. “And he’s right. We’re not talking about kids running the school on their own and give out free ice-cream and cancelling homework. “It’s about seeing school from their point of view. They are way ahead of us. We can assume things – but you have to see it from their level… Somehow, schools manage to kill that creativity by the age of 13 or 14.”

He goes back to the fish tank. While there are 47 different nationalities, the children don’t notice.

He says one of the teachers came into a class after a recent tragedy and asked the children to pray in their own way for the survivors. “Most children prayed at their desks. Two of the students went over towards the window, knelt down and prayed.

No one batted an eyelid. Isn’t that fantastic? “At a time of such division and mistrust, that two kids can do that and no one notices. It should be a very powerful message to the rest of us.”

T H I S I S A N E XC E R P T F R O M A N A R T I C L E B Y C A R L O’BRIEN, WHICH ORIGINALLY APPEARED IN THE ONLINE AND PRINT EDITIONS OF THE IRISH TIMES.

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DO N A B AT E - P O R T R A N E E D U C AT E TOG E T H E R N AT I O N A S C H OO L Donabate-Portrane Co. Dublin Donabate-Portrane Educate Together national school in Co Dublin It works under a simple vision: “No child an outsider.” Everyone takes responsibility – older pupils team up with their younger peers. Any conflicts or bullying are resolve with the assistance of sixth class “peer mediators”.

G A L WAY E D U C AT E TOG E T H E R N AT I O N A L S C H OO L Galway City, Co. Galway Galway Educate Together National School (GETNS) aims to meet a growing need in Irish society for schools that recognize the developing diversity of Irish life and the modern need for democratic management in schools. The primary school emphasises inclusive and holistic education through programmes including an Autism Unit, a Mental Well-Being initiative and the Ashoka Fellow organisation Playworks. GETNS is an influential school that is comfortable being showcased and ready to co-create and share methodologies.

L I T T L E A N G E L S S C H OO L Letterkenny, Co. Donegal The school has about 100 students with moderate to profound learning disabilities. Many students have sensory issues, get easily stressed and can have behavioural issues. To tackle this, the school began yoga and mindfulness programmes and added sensory rooms to each classroom.

O U R L A D Y I M M AC U L AT E J U N I O R N AT I O N A L S C H OO L Darndale, Dublin 17 Situated on the outskirts of Dublin in an area of high social and economic disadvantage, Our Lady Immaculate Junior National School has built strong bonds with the local community in order to provide a quality education and has raised literacy and numeracy levels, as well as attendance rates, over the last several years. With initiatives like “The Play Project,” a meditation programme and many opportunities for creativity, Our Lady Immaculate emphasises the wellbeing of its students, and through innovative partnerships with several colleges of education, it is developing new ways to help disadvantaged students learn as effectively as possible.

S C H OO L S S P OT L I G H T : M E E T I R E L A N D ’ S C H A N G E M A K E R S C H OO L S CO R P U S C H R I S T I P R I M A R Y S C H OO L Moyross, Co. Limerick Corpus Christi Primary School is transforming a chronically disadvantaged community with empathy-based learning. Located in the council estate of Moyross, on the outskirts of Limerick City, the school offers modern resources, a low pupilteacher ratio, and unique educational programmes including leadership initiatives and a partnership with the Irish Horse Welfare Trust, wherein students learn to work with animals. Over the last decade, Corpus Chrsti’s successful teaching has been reflected in enormous improvement in literacy and absenteeism rates.

E G L I S H N AT I O N A L S C H OO L Ahascragh, Co. Galway Eglish National School’s small staff provides a broad and active education tailored to the needs of its students. Committed to enabling each student to achieve their fullest potential at their own rate, Eglish offers many opportunities for children to be proactive in their learning, ranging from outdoor education and a public speaking programme to events that encourage entrepreneurial skills and foreign exchange through Erasmus: a gamut of activities that embody core values of creativity and inclusivity to encourage students to develop their sense of self and place in a diverse world.

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O U R L A D Y ’ S & S T. M OC H UA ’ S P R I M A R Y S C H OO L Derrynoose, Co. Armagh Located in the small village of Derrynoose, Co. Armagh, Our Lady’s & St. Mochua’s is a microcosm of the huge potential in towns and villages throughout Ireland. Through peer-to-peer learning, entrepreneurship, engineering projects with local businesses and e-learning initiatives with other schools south of the border, Our Lady’s & St. Mochua’s instills leadership skills in their pupils that will be essential for rural areas to thrive in the future.

S CO I L I O S AG A I N Buncrana, Co. Donegal Scoil Íosagáin creates connections between mainstream and special needs students to encourage empathy and build a strong sense of community within the school. The school emphasizes both emotional literacy and academic achievement, and it provides many opportunities for children to take leadership in the community, from making important decisions as part of the student council to acting as Classroom Assistants.

This is all captured in the saying, “ We’re in it together: Ag Sugradh le Cheile, ag Obair le Cheile agus ag Fas le Cheile” (play together, work together and grow together).

S T. CO L U M B A ’ S G I R L S N AT I O N A L S C H OO L Douglas, Co. Cork There are 500 girls in St Columba’s which has a long history of catering to the deaf community, as well as the wider population. Communication extends beyond the verbal and into the physical.

The school is located on almost 10 acres of land in suburban Douglas, Co Cork, with onsite vegetable gardens, chicken pens and a small forest providing a rich environment for outdoor learning.

S T. U L TA N ’ S P R I M A R Y S C H OO L Cherry Orchard, Dublin 8 St. Ultan’s Primary School is innovatively combining care with education to provide for both the intellectual and emotional needs of its students. Located in an area of high social and economic disadvantage, the school understands that care and education must be integrated to tackle the unique difficulties that many children face. It achieves this through its unique Intervention Care Education (ICE) programme and by emphasizing hands-on and active learning with its students in ways that foster their well-being, creativity and leadership skills. Playing in the orchestra, practicing meditation together, working in the garden, participating in the student council— these are just a few of the many ways children at St. Ultan’s. get to engage with the community and their own self-development.

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FRANCIS STREET CBS The Liberties, Dublin 8 Francis Street CBS embraces the challenging realities of inner-city Dublin with an innovative focus on social and emotional intelligence, and an approach to discipline that is therapeutic rather than authoritative. From programmes as diverse as yoga and restorative justice, the boys in Francis Street learn to regulate their emotions and express themselves with confidence, all the while improving their literacy and numeracy skills.

S T. O L I V E R ’ S N AT I O N A L S C H OO L Killarney, Co. Kerry St. Oliver’s Primary School is one of Ireland’s largest and most diverse primary schools. A hub of the community, local therapists work from prefabs on site and teachers from nearby secondary schools come in to prepare children for the next stage of their education. Open until late every day of the week, the school is used by community groups of all kinds to demonstrate their philosophy of lifelong learning and to re-enforce the central role of a national school in society.

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T H E C H A N G E M A K E R E D U C AT I O N S U M M I T Unlocking innovations to reimagine education in Europe As social challenges in the world grow more urgent and complex - from overpopulation and climate change to civil unrest and, most recently, the rise of insensitive and extreme language and behaviour in politics - the need has never been greater to dramatically re-think how young people grow up. Now more than ever before, we need children to feel empowered and equipped to be part of the solution. True transformative change will only come from the efforts of many - those who have the confidence, skills and initiative to bring about positive change.

The summit programme included keynote speeches by Dr. Daire Keogh (Deputy President of DCU), Miho Taguma (Senior Policy Analyst OECD), Prof. Tom Collins (Chair of the Governing Bodies of DIT and IT Blanchardstown) and Margret Rasfeld (Ashoka Fellow and founder of School on the Move).

This is the philosophy that underpins Ashoka’s global Changemaker Schools programme.

We would like to extend a warm thank you to all who attended, and a big thank you to Rory D’Arcy and the school community of St. Oliver’s N.S. in Killarney for making everyone feel welcome.

From 19th to 22nd of October, Ashoka Ireland welcomed over 150 changemakers and leaders in education to Killarney, Co. Kerry, for the 2016 Changemaker Education Summit. It was a unique opportunity for European members of the Ashoka Changemaker Schools network to come together with innovators from all over the world, to share ideas for the co-creation and reinvention of education in today’s world.

Attendees toured St. Oliver’s National School and observed a Roots of Empathy class, based on the ground-breaking method for empathy education developed by Ashoka Fellow Mary Gordon.

TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE PROGRAMME, VISIT THE NEWLY LAUNCHED CHANGEMAKER SCHOOLS WEBSITE: WWW.CHANGEMAKERSCHOOLS.ORG

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U N L E A S H I N G P OT E N T I A L 3 ways to better nurture Ireland’s blossoming social innovation ecosystem We have witnessed enormous change in the past ten years in Ireland – from advancements in technology and communication, to a recovering economy and the most diverse society that Ireland has ever seen. It is important to recognise social innovators as a grounding force for progress in rapidly changing times.

Social innovators are women and men who have developed new and unique solutions to social problems, and are taking steps to create change on a systemic level. They are creative and entrepreneurial thinkers, who are embedded in the communities they support, making them best placed to understand society’s problems and how to fix them.

However, more can be done to support this vibrant community of changemakers. We have identified three key things that are needed for Ireland’s social innovation ecosystem to thrive:

1. A FORUM FOR CO - C R E AT I O N W I T H T H E P U B L I C S E C TO R All three of our organisations have worked with different government bodies. We value the support provided by ministries such as the Department of Housing, Planning, Community & Local Government. However we feel that more can be done to communicate between the social and public sectors, to foster deeper understanding and more robust support systems for social innovators around Ireland. We propose the development of a space in which government officials can engage in a regular dialogue with social innovators, and organizations like ours, who work closely with them.

Between our three organisations, we have sourced and nurtured a solid network of social innovators, each with strong organisations and communities around them: 2 . S P E C I F I C L E G A L Collectively, we have supported R E COG N I T I O N O F S OC I A L ENTERPRISE over 200 social innovators, who The social innovation sector in Ireland is growing, are directly impacting hundreds of and while many innovators have built their organisations on successful charity models, there thousands of people annually across is an opportunity to unleash greater energy and innovation at community level through creating the island of Ireland.

recognizes their unique role between charities and businesses. This is a simple, cost-free step that is already common in Europe, UK and USA, and would allow the creation and financing of social businesses, not currently possible in Ireland.

3. N E W F U N D I N G C H A N N E L S Barriers to finance are a constant challenge for nonprofits and social enterprises. There’s nothing new in that. While many social innovators rely on philanthropic donations to fund their work, these funding streams often lack sustainable and efficient channels. We call on banks and government funds to take action to provide the full range of financing options for non profits and social enterprises to raise finance through loans, and equity options through social investment, in order to diversify their funding sources, so that they become more sustainable in the long term.

The social innovation sector in Ireland is blossoming. All three of our organisations are committed to directly supporting social entrepreneurs. If the public and private sectors join us in supporting them, it will further unleash the incredible potential that these people have to drive change in Ireland.

We invite you to join us in this mission.

DA R R E N R YA N , C E O , S OC I A L E N T R E P R E N E U R S I R E L A N D. D E I R D R E M O R T E L L , C E O , S OC I A L I N N O VAT I O N F U N D I R E L A N D. S E R E N A M I Z Z O N I , D I R E C TO R , A S H O K A I R E L A N D.

a specific legal form for social enterprises, that

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CO N C L U S I O N

CO N C L U S I O N

ASHOKA IRELAND TEAM

W I T H T H A N K S TO O U R PA R T N E R S

S E R E N A M IZZO NI

CO NO R WARD

FIO N A KOCH

ERIN FO RNO FF

PAU L S TA P L E TO N

FIO NA CO LLINS

Director

Communications Manager

Community Manager

Finance Consultant

Global Search Lead

Changemaker Schools Manager

M O IR A M A L O NE Programme Associate

A DV I S O R Y B OA R D B R ID E R O S N E Y

CA RO LINE CASEY

M AU R A M OO R E

NEIL O ’ LEA RY

Head of Professional Services & Nonprofits , AIB

Founder & CEO, Ion Equity

PAT R I C K COV ENEY

SHARO N KEILTHY

Chair of the Board Secretary , Mary Robinson Foundation - Climate Justice

CEO Greencore

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Ashoka Ireland Fellow

Practice Manager, McKinsey & Company

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“Social entrepreneurs are not content just to give a f ish or teach how to f ish. They will not rest until they have revolutionised the f ishing industry.” ― BILL DRAYTON Founder of Ashoka

w w w. a s h o k a . i e Tr i b a l VC 23 South William Street Dublin 2 (01) 532 62 33 f koch@ashoka.org Magazine design by Amy Hore