COMMUNITY and voluntary groups in Inishowen are being invited to apply for a small grant for a project that aims to address local issues but that has a global theme.
ChangeMakers Donegal is offering groups the chance to be awarded a Seeds of Change grant of €650 to carry out the new innovative project which addresses the big issues, such gender inequality and climate change, but brings it back with a local spin.
ChangeMakers is an Inishowen Development Partnership Initiative which is also partnered with Donegal ETB, Self Help Africa, Trócaire and Concern and funded by Irish Aid. Its overall goal is to link the experience of people in Donegal to that of people around the world by tackling global issues such as sustainability, climate change, human rights, Fairtrade, Food Waste and more, but on a local level within Donegal.
The ‘Seeds of Change’ initiative was designed to enable our local community and voluntary groups to raise awareness of these global challenges but critically their chosen project must have a local idea.
One of the ten 2022 Seeds of Change groups, The Exchange Inishowen partnered with Fiona Stapleton of Peasy Maps and ran a digital mapping course.
“The mapping course taught local community groups to make their own maps to investigate local issues and to make change in their community,” added Fiona.
Myra McAuliffe Project Co-ordinator with ChangeMakers Donegal said applicants should make applications under the three distinct categories: Social Justice, Economic Justice, and Environmental Justice.
“We encourage projects from across Donegal that address multiple categories acknowledging the reality of many of the local and global justice issues we are trying to address in our community,” explained Myra.
As well as being awarded money, the successful applicants will be offered mentoring support from an experienced ChangeMakers’ facilitator for the duration of the project.
Myra explains that this is a highly recommended approach to deepen the community’s engagement with global issues.
“Having the opportunity for local groups and individuals to work with an experienced facilitator from our ChangeMakers panel will be of great benefit to Seeds of Change collaborators. We are interested to hear from new and established community groups and individuals who want to make a change in their community as there are multiple ways to become a Change Maker. Next week’s online workshop on the theme of Global Justice will explain what ChangeMakers Donegal and the Seeds of Change project is about,’ said Myra.
“This mentoring programme is moulded to suit the individual or group, can be beneficial and will help us to support your longer-term journey as it’s about local people achieving lasting change in their community’.
The Dunfanaghy Family Resource Centre was awarded a Seeds of Change grant in the 2021/2022 programme, to run a project called Ethical April a variation of events including ethical fashion show and producing ethical eggs at Easter time. ChangeMakers helped with those projects by providing the funding and pairing the Centre with experienced facilitators to deliver those community initiatives to get people to think about the bigger picture.
The Seeds of Change project is a partnership with the Community Education Support Programme of Donegal ETB’s Further Education and Training (FET) Service.
To assist groups with the current application process for 2023, there will be an information workshop entitled Think Global, Act Local: The ChangeMakers Guide to Global Justice on Thursday, November 17 at 7pm – 8.30pm online to assist applicants. There will also be another follow up event on Friday 25 November 2022 at 12 noon to specifically help with the application form process.
Information on how to register for the workshop and application forms are now available through www.changemakers.ie with a final deadline for applications being 30 November 2022 at midnight. For further information on Seeds of Change or the application process email changemakers@inishowen.ie.
