Good News Gazette, Issue #13 Fighting words, swap shops, and going green |
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Fighting Words is a charity that provides creative writing opportunities for children, young people and adults. Recently, the organisation worked with three incredible groups of young authors, bringing together over 50 children to create a story about a cat with big dreams who goes on a very big adventure. The story was illustrated and animated by The Nerve Centre and the young storytellers' voices were recorded. The story takes place across the island of Ireland, including landmarks like Dublin Zoo, the Derry City Walls and St. George's Market in Belfast. You can watch the story unfold here. |
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Volunteers from Women's Aid are photographed at the #TooIntoYou pop-up experience on Valentine's Day. |
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Gabriele & Valeriya speak on their experience as Ukrainian Refugees on Gorm Media's online platform. |
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#TooIntoYou Pop-Up Women’s Aid once again launched the Too Into You campaign for young women on Valentine’s Day. They hosted a pop-up #TooIntoYou experience in the centre of Dublin, on Henry Street. The experience was designed to spark conversation about healthy and unhealthy relationships as the campaign aims to teach young people, in particular young women, aged 18-25 about intimate relationship abuse. 1 in 5 young women and 1 in 11 young men have been affected in Ireland. You can learn about the red flags of relationship abuse and find out more about the campaign at their website toointoyou.ie.
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This is 'Them' Gorm Media, an award-winning social enterprise, provides a platform for all kinds of voices in Ireland to share their stores. Gorm's vision is to spark a movement of unity and shared understanding through innovative digital media, intercultural education and events. In their YouTube series, This is 'Them', Gabriele & Valeriya speak on their experience as Ukrainian Refugees. They answer questions, debunk myths, highlight their experience as Ukrainians in Ireland and show that there is always more to "Them"! You can watch this episode and the entire series by visiting their channel here: youtube.com/@GormMedia |
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Oileán is on the youth advisory panel for Plan International, a Climate Youth Delegate for the Department of the Environment, Climate, and Communications, a note taker for Citizens Assembly, and the Community Engagement Manager for Change Clothes Crumlin. Change Clothes Crumlin is a new clothing reuse hub in Dublin hosting swap shops, mending and upcycling workshops, and community gatherings. This is her story... |
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“I have a background in climate advocacy so this project really spoke to me. For the last seven years, I’ve learned the ins and outs of sustainability spaces and seen a lot of things change. For so long, I’ve looked at the problems on such a macro level, but now, with Change Clothes Crumlin, I get to take a look at the solutions at a more local level. I don’t have a huge fashion background, but I do wear clothes, and that’s why I care – that's why everyone should care about sustainable fashion." |
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Oileán stands with Mary Fleming, her colleague and the Founder of Change Clothes Crumlin. |
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“For the project, I do a mishmash of things, whatever is needed, I’m there. Me and Mary, the founder of Change Clothes Crumlin, met years ago at an event for ECO-UNESCO and four years later I saw she was starting this project and thought it was so cool. I texted her, said I wanted to be involved, and she got right back to me. I was thrilled, and now, for months, we’ve been planning and hosting swap events, creating content for our social media channels, and educating people about sustainable fashion. I truly believe climate justice starts with initiatives like this one. Sometimes, in the world of sustainability, you can end up preaching to the choir and talking in circles. But when you’re firmly rooted in the community, you learn so much. At each swap, I get to speak to new people who have a completely different outlook and understanding of the world. They might be learning about upcycling old t-shirts, but I’m learning about social justice and what local communities need to make sustainable changes. It’s brilliant." |
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Swap shoppers look through all of the items at a recent Change Clothes event. |
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"There are complex needs within every community, and I think sometimes because of this, climate change can seem like something far away. But everyone wears clothes, and so everyone can understand that touch point. I’m just so happy that Change Clothes can bring attention to the problem in a way that’s fun and positive, and present solutions. Everyone gets something out of it. I truly believe that the impact of these swaps is going to last for a long time. People go home with a new shirt or pair of trousers, but they also go home thinking about small changes they can make. Or maybe they've learned how to upcycle and mend, and those skills will last a lifetime. If we can get people interested in making small changes in their homes, then it extends to their towns and villages, and soon it's all over the country. Big change starts with us, right here, right now.” You can learn more about Change Clothes Crumlin and their upcoming swap shops by visiting their website here. |
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We Act is a national, collaborative campaign to celebrate the value and impact of the charities and community groups in Ireland. It is supported by the Department of Rural and Community Development. Got a story? Email madeline@wheel.ie |
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