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Looking to complement your school’s Wellbeing programme?
Download our Wellbeing pack which includes Junior Cycle Wellbeing curriculum and subject links and a pre-prepared Appendix i
Ignite Action Programme: Junior Cycle
Register Now for 23/24
A scalable, fun, action-focussed innovation programme aligned to curricula and learning outcomes at Junior Cycle through which students collaborate in teams to creatively address an identified social issue impacting their school or local community.
Students aged 12-15 years (second-level schools)
First, second and third year students.
Duration
20 hours* and scalable (10 hour fast track available on request)
Alignment
Junior Wellbeing, CSPE, SPHE, RE, Career Guidance
Cost
€5 / £5 per student
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About the Programme
Students at Junior Cycle are facilitated to explore issues impacting their local community and to discover their own capacity to effect change by taking creative and collaborative action on an issue they care about. Homelessness, cultural diversity, community facilities for young people, plastic pollution, pedestrian safety and animal welfare are just some of the community-based issues tackled by participants of this programme.
Why Do It
Through fun and engaging activities, students at Junior Cycle explore their community from different perspectives and identify issues impacting people and the environment around them. Working together, they come up with an innovative idea to address an issue that they care about and are guided through the planning and implementation of a small action project to bring their idea to life. On completion of a short online report, all participants are provided certification as young social innovators. During #YSIWeek, students host a school-based event to celebrate their impact locally and share their project story.
#YSIWeek
#YSIweek is the national celebration of youth-led social innovation. All YSI teams at both Junior and Senior Cycle are encouraged to showcase their projects locally during this dedicated week (usually held in early April) and to celebrate how their innovative ideas and actions are changing the world for good. Teams are encouraged to involve their wider community in the celebration of their work.
How It's Delivered
The programme is facilitated by educators (YSI Guides) who guide and support teams reach their full potential. Supported by teacher training and world class resources, the programme builds resilience and wellbeing and promotes youth participation, youth voice, and community volunteering.
Integration with Curricula
Aligned with the curriculum and statements of learning, this programme is suitable for different year groups in Junior Cycle and across a range of subjects. The programme also supports Global Citizenship Learning and covers themes across the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Highlighted by the NCCA as an important Wellbeing resource, YSI's Junior programme is ideal for allocation to a teacher of CSPE, RE, SPHE, career guidance or another suitably aligned subject, or as a standalone module. The programme empowers first, second or third year students with 21st-century skills that activate the indicators of wellbeing, encouraging young teens to flourish.
This tailor-made, fully flexible programme at Junior Cycle can add 20+ hours to your school’s Wellbeing Programme.
| Weekly Class Time | Minimum Sessions |
|---|---|
| 120 mins | 10 |
| 80 mins | 15 |
| 60 mins | 20 |
| 40 mins | 30 |
*10hour Fast Track option is also available. Speak to one of our Education Team to help you tailor the programme for your specific needs.
How It Works
- Teacher registers to take part in the programme
- Teacher invited to attend regional/online training
- Teacher accesses suite of online programme resources
- Students form a team, select an issue they care about and create a social innovation project around it, bringing their ideas to life
- Teams submit an online project portfolio and receive certification
- Teams showcase their project locally as part of #YSIWeek sharing their local activities using the #YSIWeek hashtag
Programme Benefits
- Time-saving, ready-made lesson plans
- Easy-to-use online resources
- Educator training and dedicated support
- Certification on completion of the programme
- Timetable planning and curriculum links for Junior Cycle Wellbeing
- Alignment with Junior Cycle Key Skills
- Facilitates active engagement of young people in the local community
Participation in this programme can help your school reach the level of activity required to apply for WWGS’s Global Passport Award in many categories. We recommend the YSI Guide works with the teacher in charge of the Global Passport to identify areas of potential collaboration.