Young Voices, Big Ideas: The YSI Speak Out Tour 2026

There was something powerful happening in cities and towns across Ireland throughout March. Hundreds of young people stepped onto stages, microphones in hand, and said: "This matters, and here's what we're going to do about it."

The YSI Speak Out Tour 2026 has wrapped up - and it was nothing short of extraordinary.

A Tour Born from Passion

Launched on 3 March at Cork City Hall, the Speak Out Tour is one of the most anticipated events in the YSI calendar. Part of the YSI Activate programme, the tour travelled to five locations throughout March - Cork, Dublin, Sligo, Drogheda, and Kilkenny - bringing with it an atmosphere of ambition, creativity, and hope.

At each stop, between 30 and 50 teams of young people took to the stage to deliver two-minute presentations on the social issues they cared about most. Two minutes to make their voices heard. Two minutes to pitch their ideas for a better world. And they made every second count.

‘To the young people presenting today - I want to say this clearly: your voice matters. Your ideas matter. Your courage matters. You are shaping ideas that make schools, communities and our city stronger, more inclusive and more compassionate.

The Issues They Tackled

What struck you most about the Speak Out Tour was not just the confidence of the young people on stage. It was the depth and range of what they talked about.

This year's projects reflected the full complexity of the world these young people are growing up in. On the environment, teams spoke out about sustainability, biodiversity loss, pollution, overfishing, and the impact of fast fashion. Health and well-being featured strongly too, with young people raising awareness around mental health, eating disorders, body image, toxic relationships, breast cancer, and endometriosis - conditions too often left unspoken.

The social issues championed were equally striking. Domestic violence, drink spiking, poverty, discrimination, and inclusion were all on the agenda, alongside advocacy for better accessibility and shining a light on elderly loneliness. Teams also grappled with the digital world they inhabit, exploring AI, online gaming, and screen time, while others championed practical initiatives like first aid education and AED mapping.

Closer to home, students celebrated what makes Ireland unique: pushing for Irish language revival, calling out the lack of facilities in towns across the country, and championing gender balance in sport. These were young people deeply connected to their communities and determined to make them better.

More Than a Presentation

For many participants, the Speak Out Tour was a first. Their first time speaking in public, their first time advocating for something they believed in, their first experience of being truly heard. The YSI Speak Out Panel, comprising representatives from the education, youth, government, NGO, business, and community sectors, provided constructive feedback and genuine encouragement at every event.

What young people took away went beyond communication skills. They left with something harder to measure but perhaps more important: the belief that their voice matters and that they have the capacity to create real change.

The energy in the room today is a powerful reminder that young people are not simply the leaders of tomorrow. They are already shaping change in their communities today. Through their ideas, innovation and determination, they are tackling some of the most important social challenges facing our society. From equality and accessibility to participation and housing, these young people are showing what active citizenship looks like in practice.

The Takeaway

YSI CEO Roger Warnock put it simply at the Cork launch: "The Speak Out Tour showcases the extraordinary insight and commitment of young people across Ireland. They are not waiting for change. They are leading it."

The 2026 tour was a powerful reminder of what becomes possible when young people are given the space to speak and be heard. The ideas shared across Cork, Dublin, Sligo, Drogheda, and Kilkenny were bold, thoughtful, and full of promise, a testament to a generation that is already shaping a more just, inclusive, and sustainable Ireland.