b'WORKING TOGETHER Young Andsoallacrosstheisland,groupsofyoungpeoplearecomingCOMMUNITY CHANGE socialinnovation togethertoeducatethemselvesandtackleissuesasdiverseas WestartedoutwiththeideathatGIVE BACKofwould be a good tool to engage young people to connect bullying,eatingdisorders,homelessness,drugabuse,andLGBTexplains Rachel Collier, CEO of totheircommunities. wecameupwithasocialinnovation advocacy. At regional YSI Speak Outs they have a chance to presentSocialInnovators(YSI).So framework,whichisnowusedthroughoutIreland.Over57%oftheir work and share ideas with their peers as well as to the largersecond level schools in the Republic of Ireland are using it and the community and often government representatives who are in atten-program has now reached 75,000 young people across Ireland.dance.Now, a grant from The Ireland Funds has helped bring the pro- Innovativeactionshaveledtosomegroupsactuallyaffectinggram to Northern Ireland. The Ireland Funds have been critical in local legislation, and creating new policies and programs that last longbringing the YSI experience to Northern Ireland, explains Sharon after their involvement with YSI ends. In doing so, young people areMurray, Training, Education and Impact Manager at YSI. Rather than finding their voice and finding that even at a young age, they can affecttrying to get young people from Northern Ireland to come to Dublin to real change in their communities. Youth cafes have been establishedhave the Young Social Innovators experience, they can experience it incommunitiesthatpreviouslyhadnofacilities,organdonation here on the ground, surrounded by people from their own commu- hasincreasedthankstoawarenesscampaignsbyYSIgroups,andnity. homeless people in Belfast now have more resources on account Rachel Collier feels its the perfect time to bring the program to young people speaking out together as young social innovators.Northern Ireland and further explains why. The politics of NorthernIreland have a turbulent history. Young people want to connect notjust to politics but to other issues as well. Were finding they want totalk about housing laws, and they want to talk about employment.YSIgives them a way of doing that together. Its time to come to NorthernIreland because young people here, as everywhere, need a way to worktogether for a better and fairer world. Northern Ireland at the momentis shaping its future. Young people need a voice in that future.CONFIDENCE connect2014 | 27Elements Of YSIs Social Innovation Action Programme OPEN YOUR EYES CARE: Working in teams to choose a social issue teams they feelpassionately about and gain and in-depth understanding of that issue.Young people collaborate with each other, COOPERATE: Throughout their project, young peopleinvolve others within their educational setting and create relevant linkswithin their community and beyond.Through their understanding of the issue and theCHANGE:links created, teams take action to make a real and lasting change.COMMUNICATE:communicate their message to raise awareness and inuence others.'