Humans of YSI: Danielle Gayson

Young Social Innovators Turns 25!

As Young Social Innovators celebrates 25 years of youth-led change, #HumansOfYSI continues to spotlight the people behind 190,000 young changemakers.

This week’s feature is a particularly special one for us, as we hear from our very own Danielle Gayson - a former participant whose journey with Young Social Innovators has come full circle. As a student at Cashel Community School, Danielle’s project was inspired by the tragic passing of Ben Robinson and aimed to raise awareness of concussion in sport. Through campaigns, a concussion awareness logo, a poster competition, Concussion Awareness Week and engagement with schools and sports organisations across Tipperary, the team worked to make sport safer for young people.

Today, our beloved Danielle is part of the YSI team herself, working as our Local Leader in Cork City and with our CatalySE programme, where she now gets to empower other young people through the experience that had such an impact on her own life. She is also President of Youth Work Ireland, championing young people and supporting the continued development of youth work in Ireland at local, national and European level.

Seventh Feature: Danielle Gayson

YSI Year: 2015
School: Cashel Community School
Project: Without Your Brain, You have no game

Briefly describe your YSI project. What issue were you trying to address?
Motivated by the tragic passing of Ben Robinson, a young boy in Northern Ireland who recieved multiple blows to the head during an underage sports game, we completed a step up project to raise awareness of concussion in sport. To extend and enhance the existing Without Your Brain, You Have No Game campaign, the project team’s innovative response was to design and produce a concussion awareness logo for sportswear, promote its use at schools' level and with all sports organisations in Tipperary. The team organised a local concussion awareness poster competition supported by sporting celebrities e.g. Paul McGrath and Alan Quinlan; they set up a Facebook page and organised a Concussion Awareness Week.

What is one standout memory from your YSI experience?I will always remember the moment when our name was called as the silver award winner. We put so much work and dedication into the project and to be celebrated by everyone in the room was an amazing experience. 

“YSI Made Me…”
Fill in 1–3 words that describe how YSI shaped you.
Deeply aware of the issues facing my community. 

What are you doing now?
11 years after taking part in YSI, I now work for YSI as the local leader in Cork City and for our CatalySE programme. I now have an opportunity to see other young people take part in the programme that empowered me so much when I was in school. It is incredibly inspiring to see the amazing work these young people do in their projects. I am also the president of Youth Work Ireland, where I have an incredible opportunity to support the continued development of youth work in Ireland and be a voice for young people on a local, national and European policy level. 

Do you see any connection between your YSI experience and where you are today?
Absolutely. YSI taught me the value of teamwork and encouraged me to think creatively and approach challenges from different perspectives. Growing up, I was never particularly interested in sports, so I had never really considered the significant risks that young people can face when participating in them.

The experience helped me develop a range of skills that I continue to use regularly, including teamwork, public speaking, and presentation skills. It also strengthened my compassion and empathy, helping me better understand and connect with others.

Impact participating in YSI had personally:
Participating in YSI had a significant impact on me personally. It helped me develop valuable teamwork, communication, and public speaking skills that I continue to use in both my academic and personal life. Through researching and raising awareness about our chosen issue, I learned how important it is to think critically, work collaboratively, and consider different perspectives.

Skills or values from YSI that stay with you today:
The skills and values I gained through YSI continue to stay with me today. Teamwork is one of the most important skills I developed, as working closely with others taught me how to collaborate effectively, listen to different viewpoints, and achieve shared goals. I also gained confidence in my public speaking and presentation abilities, which have been valuable in both education and everyday life.

YSI strengthened important values such as empathy, compassion, and social awareness. It encouraged me to look beyond my own experiences and consider the challenges faced by others. The programme also taught me the importance of creativity, critical thinking, and taking action on issues that matter, values that continue to influence how I approach problems and engage with my community.

Advice to young people starting their YSI journey now:
My advice to young people starting their YSI journey is to fully embrace the experience and make the most of every opportunity it offers. Choose an issue that genuinely interests and motivates you, as this will make the project more meaningful and enjoyable. Don't be afraid to share your ideas, ask questions, and step outside your comfort zone.

Work closely with your team, listen to different perspectives, and support one another throughout the process. Remember that YSI is not just about completing a project, it is about learning new skills, raising awareness, and making a positive impact. Most importantly, believe that your voice matters and that even small actions can make a real difference in your community.

YSI gave me the confidence to speak up, work effectively with others, and make a positive impact on issues that matter. It taught me that young people have the power to create meaningful change in their communities. This is something I have continued to embody and empower in others since.

This story feels particularly special because Danielle’s journey with YSI has continued to shape the person and changemaker she is today.

What began at Cashel Community School through Without Your Brain, You Have No Game as a project to raise awareness of concussion in sport became an experience that strengthened Danielle’s confidence, compassion, teamwork and awareness of the issues facing her community. It showed her the power of young people coming together, using their voices and taking action on something they believed in.

More than a decade later, Danielle is helping to create that same sense of possibility for a new generation through her work with Young Social Innovators. She now gets to see first-hand the creativity and determination of young people as they take on the issues that matter to them - just as she did all those years ago.

There’s something special about seeing a former YSI participant become someone who now empowers others to discover their own voice and realise that they can make a difference. Danielle’s experience didn’t simply stay with her; it became something she could carry forward and share with the young people she works with today.

Her story is a reminder that the impact of youth-led social innovation can stretch far beyond the original project. It can shape confidence, build lifelong skills and inspire a lasting commitment to supporting others and creating change.

One young person takes action. Another generation is inspired to do the same.

And that is the power of youth-led social innovation.