Humans of YSI: Nicole Greenan

Young Social Innovators Turns 25!

As Young Social Innovators celebrates 25 years of youth-led change, #HumansOfYSI celebrates the young people who have challenged attitudes, stood up for others and helped make their communities more inclusive.

For our next feature, we return to Largy College in Clones, Co. Monaghan, where a group of students set out to promote understanding, inclusion and acceptance of LGBTQ+ people. Their project, LGBT (Let’s Get By Together), tackled discrimination and homophobic bullying while encouraging their school and wider community to embrace equality.

Through workshops, campaigns, theatre performances, fundraising and advocacy, the team found creative ways to get people talking. One of their most memorable initiatives was a symbolic same-sex wedding ceremony, which brought their message of equality to life and went on to attract attention beyond their school community.

For this former YSI participant, the experience was about finding the confidence to speak up, challenge assumptions and take action on something that mattered deeply to them. Today, those lessons continue to shape their professional life, supporting entrepreneurs who are working to make a difference in the Life Sciences and HealthTech sectors.

Ninth Feature: Nicole Greenan

YSI Year: 2014 - 2015
School: Largy College, Clones. Co. Monaghan 
Project: LGBT - Lets Get By Together 

Briefly describe your YSI project. What issue were you trying to address?
Our project aimed to raise awareness and promote understanding, inclusion and acceptance of LGBTQ+ people within our school before expanding into our local and wider community. Through a range of campaigns and impact activities, including educational workshops, voter registration drives, advocacy for blood donation equality and gender recognition, a “Love is Love” campaign, a mock same-sex wedding, a mock marriage referendum, theatre performances addressing homophobic bullying, film screenings and fundraising for local LGBTQ+ organisations, we worked to challenge discrimination, encourage allyship and create a community where everyone felt respected, valued and able to be themselves.

What is one standout memory from your YSI experience?
One standout memory from my YSI experience was our symbolic same-sex wedding ceremony. After months of campaigns, workshops, fundraising and advocacy, we wanted to create something that would bring our message of equality, inclusion and acceptance to life in a powerful and memorable way. We created an event that reflected an Irish wedding in every way, with a celebrant, bridal parties, guests dressed in their best, a celebratory meal and music. The only difference was that our couples were two girls and two boys.

It was a bold and meaningful way to challenge perceptions, but the response showed us that it was a risk worth taking. Looking around the room, surrounded by our peers and members of the local community, it was clear that our message had been heard, embraced and shared. It was a real “pinch me” moment, where I fully realised the impact a group of young people could have when they are passionate, determined and united behind a cause.

The success of the event reached beyond our school community, with our local county council later inviting us to recreate the ceremony in Monaghan town, complete with photographers and media coverage. Knowing that something we created as students had grown into a wider conversation about equality and acceptance remains one of the proudest moments of my life. It is a powerful reminder of what young people can achieve when they believe in something, stand together and use their voices to create positive change.

“YSI Made Me…”
Fill in 1–3 words that describe how YSI shaped you.
Confident, Bold, and Resilient 

What are you doing now?
I am a Client Adviser with Enterprise Ireland, where I currently support a portfolio of inspiring founders and teams across the Life Sciences and HealthTech sector in Ireland. Every day, I am proud to work with entrepreneurs who are driven by a deep commitment to developing innovative solutions that improve healthcare outcomes and make a meaningful difference for patients and communities, both in Ireland and around the world. I really enjoy building relationships with these teams, being a small part of their journey and seeing how the support and partnership we offer helps ambitious teams grow and bring their ideas to life.

Do you see any connection between your YSI experience and where you are today?
Absolutely! Looking back, I can see a strong connection between my YSI experience and the work I do today. YSI showed me the power of people coming together to identify challenges, create solutions and drive positive change, and I now have the opportunity to support entrepreneurs who are doing the same through a different lens.

The experience also helped shape the person and professional I am today. It gave me greater confidence, resilience and the courage to step outside my comfort zone, whether that was speaking up, challenging assumptions or representing a cause I believed in. These skills continue to guide me in my role as a Client Adviser, where I work with founders every day and help ensure their ideas, ambitions and needs are clearly understood and represented.

One of the strongest lessons I took from YSI was the importance of understanding people, listening to different perspectives and meeting people where they are. Working with such a diverse group of individuals reminded me that every person and every relationship is different, and that human connection is at the heart of creating meaningful change. That lesson continues to shape how I build relationships with the companies and founders I support today.

Impact participating in YSI had personally:
Participating in YSI shaped me in ways that continue to influence how I approach opportunities and challenges today. It gave me the opportunity to discover my own confidence, strength and ability to make a difference. I learned that meaningful change can begin with individuals who are willing to step forward, use their voice and turn their beliefs into action.

Before YSI, I was someone who cared deeply about important issues but was often quieter in expressing my views. Through the experience, I found my voice and the confidence to step outside my comfort zone, advocate for something I truly believed in and embrace opportunities that challenged me. It helped me discover my passion for people, connection and creating positive change.

The recognition and support we received from our peers, our school, our local community and the wider YSI network further strengthened that confidence and empowered me to pursue opportunities I may not have previously had the courage to take on. In the years following my YSI experience, I had the opportunity to serve as a representative on the Foróige National Council and was elected as a Youth Observer to the Foróige Board, representing over 56,000 young people. I also participated in a youth leadership initiative with Rotary Ireland, alongside other inspiring young people, with experiences including visits to Stormont, the Dáil and the European Parliament through Euroscola.

Looking back, I can see that YSI was a defining moment in my personal growth. It gave me the confidence to keep pushing myself, embrace new challenges and continue evolving into the person I am still becoming today.

Skills or values from YSI that stay with you today:
The skills and values I developed through YSI continue to influence how I approach challenges, opportunities and relationships today. One of the biggest lessons I took from the experience was the importance of using my voice with confidence and purpose. YSI helped me recognise that having a strong belief in something, combined with the willingness to speak up and take action, can create meaningful outcomes.

It also strengthened my ability to listen, collaborate and appreciate different perspectives. Working alongside people with diverse experiences and viewpoints taught me the importance of building trust, communicating clearly and bringing people together around a shared goal. It also reinforced the value of approaching every relationship with empathy, respect and integrity.

Ultimately, passion is at the heart of everything I do. I was, and remain, deeply passionate about our YSI project and the change we wanted to see. That same passion continues to drive me today. Whether it is embracing new challenges, advocating for the founders and teams I support or striving to make a positive contribution - the confidence, courage and resilience I developed through YSI remain values that guide me every day.

Advice to young people starting their YSI journey now:
My advice to young people starting their YSI journey would be to remember that there is nothing to lose and everything to gain. Follow the issues and ideas that you are genuinely passionate about, because that passion will carry you through challenges and keep you motivated. If you believe in something, give yourself permission to step forward and take action.

I would encourage young people to embrace every opportunity to learn, grow and develop, even when it feels outside of your comfort zone. It is completely normal to feel nervous or unsure at the beginning; I certainly did. Some of the most valuable experiences in my own journey came from taking that first step despite those feelings.

YSI is about more than just the project itself. It is about discovering more about yourself, building confidence and developing skills such as communication, collaboration and resilience. I would encourage every young person to embrace the journey not only for the change you want to create, but also for the person you will become along the way. The skills, values and relationships you build through YSI can stay with you long after the project ends.

YSI transformed the way I viewed myself and the impact I could have. It empowered me with the confidence to step forward, the courage to speak up and the belief that my actions could create meaningful change.

A voice that continues to make a difference
Nicole’s YSI journey began with a group of students who wanted to make their school and community a more accepting place for everyone. Through LGBT (Let’s Get By Together), they found the confidence to challenge prejudice, bring people together and show what young people can achieve when they stand up for something they believe in.

That experience has stayed with them. Today, Nicole works with founders who are developing ideas to improve healthcare and make a difference in people’s lives. The setting may be different, but their belief in people, the importance of listening and the value of bringing others along on a shared journey remain.

Looking back, Nicole describes YSI as a defining moment in their personal growth. It helped them find their voice, take chances and become more comfortable stepping into the unknown. Their journey is still unfolding, and the confidence they found through YSI continues to shape the opportunities they take on and the person they are becoming.