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LEGO® Robots designed and built by 10 teams representing Irish Girl Guides (IGG) across five counties of Ireland competed at the FIRST® LEGO® League MASTERPIECE Regional Tournament Saturday 24 February at Dublin City University’s St. Patrick’s campus. The team Cora and the Explorers advanced to the All-Ireland Final in March with the possibility of a wildcard slot allowing another team through.

Through this innovative programme, girls learn STEAM (science, technology engineering, arts, and mathematics) skills, engage in competition, and strengthen teamwork and camaraderie. The science and technology challenge tasks teams to build a robot to tackle a series of missions and create an innovative solution to a real-world problem. It is one of the many avenues that Irish Girl Guides leads the way and delivers its mission of enabling girls and young women to become responsible global citizens, encouraging them to broaden their horizons and discover a world of science and engineering through LEGO®.

This year’s MASTERPIECE℠ challenge asked FIRST® LEGO® League teams to imagine innovative new ways to create and communicate art across the globe using technology while demonstrating their skills in robotics, computer programming, teamwork, research, problem solving and communication.

Supported by the Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) Discover Programme, the initiative is organised by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) in partnership with Irish delivery partner, CreativeHUT.

FIRST is an acronym for ‘For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology,’ and FIRST® LEGO® League encourages children to think like scientists and engineers, developing practical solutions to real-world issues.

FIRST® LEGO® League inspires young people from the ages of 4-16 to understand and shape the world they live in, in a more sustainable and inclusive way. Importantly, it ignites interest in STEAM learning, challenging the idea that science is dull, too technical, or only for boys!

Katie Keogh, IGG LEGO® Robotics Co-ordinator, is delighted by what the teams have been able to put together. “Every year, I am impressed by the ingenuity, creativity, and engineering skills these girls demonstrate,” she said. “Getting the opportunity to work with the girls is a joy, from training them on the LEGO® kits and technology to seeing their realised visions. These young inventors truly embody the spirit of Irish Girl Guides.”

The IGG LEGO Robotics programme is yet another example of how IGG is leading the way for young girls to have the opportunity to engage in STEAM, encouraging them to pursue STEAM subjects in school and STEAM careers by providing practical, hands-on experience in a fun environment. “Many of our youth members take up college courses and careers in STEM as a result of this programme and our other STEM programmes too,” says IGG CEO Lorraine Mackey McHugh. “Our Badges include these STEAM areas such as Engineering, Cybersecurity, and Robotics alongside our more traditional programme with Badges such as Environmental Awareness, Nature Observer, and Water Safety. Irish Girl Guides is dedicated to building this diverse range of skills in girls and young women.”

Dublin-based CreativeHUT is the regional organiser of FIRST® LEGO® League in Ireland. Founder Ross Maguire says the fun team-challenge inspires the new generation of budding scientists and engineers. “FIRST® LEGO® League is a platform for students to discover the world of STEM and collaborate on real-world problems. These fantastic young people are taking the first steps to become tomorrow’s innovators, creators and problem solvers. The concepts of cooperation and competition combine. It’s the idea that, by working together, we all win. It is not about building robots, it’s about robots building people.”

The annual robotics and creative thinking challenge is organised in the UK and Ireland by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET). Hannah Rees, Senior Education Manager, explains how FIRST® LEGO® League allows young people to really experience engineering in action. “It encourages children to think like scientists and engineers, and to embrace learning. We are incredibly pleased to see that participation by schools and youth group teams in the annual challenge has grown steadily in the past three years and is now a national programme in Ireland.”

FIRST® LEGO® League is more than technical skills, Professor Deirdre Butler of the DCU LEGO® Education Innovation Studio believes. “The opportunity to be centrally involved in this initiative contributes to our goal of helping DCU student teachers and Irish schools develop innovative and creative approaches to designing learning experiences which ignite a passion for learning STEAM concepts and skills from early childhood education right through to third level. By adopting LEGO’s playful learning tools, with a ‘Hearts-on-Hands-on Minds-on’ mindset, in a supportive learning environment, all students can develop key competencies such as creative thinking, problem-solving, team-working and communication.”

Dublin City University is a lead university partner in the annual STEAM event, along with University partners across Ireland, corporate supporters, youth groups, schools, children, parents, and teachers.

Dr Ruth Freeman, Director, Science for Society at SFI, says the inclusive appeal of FIRST LEGO League makes science accessible to everyone.

“We are delighted to be supporting FIRST® LEGO® League in helping young people to build essential skills in STEM, such as creativity and problem solving, and giving them a chance to apply these skills to real-world problems. This programme supports the SFI Discover programme’s central aims to increase public engagement and broaden participation and access to STEM across Ireland.”

In Ireland, FIRST® LEGO® League is supported by funding from Science Foundation Ireland’s Discover Programme. It aims to inspire and create awareness of the impact of STEAM on society, and its connection and contribution to everyday life.

Teams competed in regional tournaments during January and February 2024 for a place at the All-Ireland Final in March 2024, from which a team will emerge to represent Ireland in the World FIRST® LEGO® League Finals.

More than 11,000 children have participated in FIRST® LEGO® League in Ireland in the past three years of the global programme. CreativeHUT partners with Dublin City University and its School of STEM Education, Innovation and Global Studies to increase STEM awareness in young people.

This year, groups of girls representing Irish Girl Guides with ages ranging from 10-16 competed. About 500 Girl Guides from all parts of the country participated in FIRST® LEGO® events throughout the year.

Cora and the Explorers from Mosney Guides Julianstown, Co Meath, won not only the prize for best performance at the robotics tables but the overall prize and advance to the All-Ireland Final in March.

The other winners were Innovation Project winners GEESE from Macalla Guides Trim, Co Meath; Robot Design winners LEGOlympians from North Longford Senior Branch, Co Longford; and Core Values winners Golden Guides from St. Vincent’s Brownies Tralee, Co Kerry.

The 10 teams at Saturday’s Regional Tournament were:

• The Pick Me Ups from Cill Dubh Guides Tralee, Co Kerry
• GEESE from Macalla Guides Trim, Co Meath
• The Giddy Guides from St. Vincent’s Brownies Tralee, Co Kerry
• The Golden Guides from St. Vincent’s Brownies Tralee, Co Kerry
• All seeing LEGO Girl eye from Ardagh Guides Ballycloghan, Co Longford
• The LEGO Outcasts from Ardagh Guides Ballycloghan, Co Longford
• Cora and the Explorers from Mosney Guides Julianstown, Co Meath
• Pinky Pie from Carrigtwohill Guides, Co Cork
• Team Drama Llama from Edenderry Guides, Co Offaly
• LEGOlympians from North Longford Senior Branch, Co Longford

Three programme levels — Discover, Explore and Challenge — are carefully tailored to different age groups, so young people develop a broad range of practical and soft skills over time.

Visit fll.learnit.ie to discover more about the range of programmes and how to get involved.

Irish Girl Guides empowers girls and young women to become champions of the environment

-‘It is of the utmost importance to enable girls and women to think about their place in the world.’-

Members of Irish Girl Guides (IGG), numbering in the thousands, are exploring their personal connections to the environment, reflecting on the inner peace that comes from time spent outdoors, and thinking of their place in the world and of a sustainable future. Through these activities, they are empowered to become leaders for peaceful change in their communities as well as society at large.

Together with the 10 million members of Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting organisations across the globe and as members of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS), they are preparing for World Thinking Day this Wednesday, 22 February.

Celebrated by Guides and Scouts since 1926, World Thinking Day provides an opportunity for girls and women everywhere to act on global issues and to celebrate the bonds of friendship they share as members of the Guiding Movement, and to become a positive force for good around the world.

The theme of World Thinking Day 2023 is ‘Our World, Our Peaceful Future: The Environment and Peace.’ Girls are asked to think of world peace not only from the perspective of global conflict, but also with respect to coexisting peacefully with the planet, their local environment, and their use of natural resources. “In this time of uncertainty and changes to our environment, and with highly visible and destructive natural disasters becoming more frequent, it is of the utmost importance to enable girls and women to think about their place in the world,” said Amanda O’Sullivan, Chief Commissioner of IGG.

“We must empower our members to make informed choices and shape the world they want to live in. Together we give girls and women the skills needed and the empathy required to understand not only the wider world but also their local environments. We use this day to dream of a more sustainable and equal future for all.”

Changing the world requires both individual and collective action. As part of World Thinking Day, girls participate in a set of activities and challenges, which includes following the story of Miku, a character based on an Estonian folktale, as she encounters different peoples and parts of nature in different regions around the world. These activities are designed to encourage girls not only to change themselves but also to create positive influences in their families, their schools, and their communities.

“At Irish Girl Guides, our primary mission is to enable girls and young women to develop their fullest potential as responsible citizens of the world,” Ms O’Sullivan continued. “We hope that change begins from within. And as our girls become full members of society, they will have gained the tools and the empathy needed to change the globe.”

World Thinking Day coincides with A-WEAR-Ness Day, a day for all of our members including Ladybirds, Brownies, Senior Branch and leaders to show their pride in guiding as well as wearing their uniforms in schools, workplaces, and out in public. Through this, we enable our members to help spread the word of the movement and the story of guiding to all.

IGG actively promotes diversity and inclusion and welcomes girls and young women from all walks of life ages 5-18. We also seek volunteer leaders ages 18+ in a variety of roles. To find out more, visit www.irishgirlguides.ie or telephone 01-6683898.

Irish Girl Guides’ members are looking forward to celebrating 110 years of youth work empowering girls and women on Saturday 31 July!

We hope members of the public, as well as former Girl Guides and volunteers, will join our online birthday celebration, which will be streamed live on our YouTube channel at 7.30pm.

The celebration will take place during IGG’s 14^th international camp, which will take place over the August bank holiday weekend. Octagon is the organisation’s first ever online international camp with over 1,000 Girl Guides registered from 10 different countries.

The 110^th birthday celebration will include the premiere of a film made by Createschool in partnership with Newbridge Senior Branch Unit (Senior Branch is the Irish Girl Guides’ branch for 14-30 year olds) and the IGG Archives.

The film includes footage from the early days of Guiding in Ireland and other relevant material from the National Archives of Ireland and looks at how the organisation has evolved over the years and continually adapted to remain relevant to each emerging generation.

Octagon Camp Chief Helen Concannon, who is involved in organising the birthday celebration, says, “We are hugely grateful to the National Youth Council of Ireland’s Artist in Residence Grant Scheme, the Arts Council of Ireland and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) for making this film possible.

“The National Youth Council of Ireland’s STEAM in Youth Work is also supporting a baking session where all 1,000+ girls will use their skills to bake and decorate birthday cakes for Irish Girl Guides, with thanks to Science Foundation Ireland and DCEDIY.

“It is going to be a fun celebration during which we will reflect on the achievements of IGG and its members over the past 110 years!”

Excitement is building as 1,060 Girl Guides from 10 different countries are counting down the days to Irish Girl Guides’ (IGG’s) first ever online international camp.

Octagon, which is IGG’s 14^th international camp, will take place over the August bank holiday weekend.

By taking part in a variety of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths (STEAM) challenges and activities related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), participants will develop global citizenship skills.

There will be plenty of outdoor challenges too, including campfire cooking.

The original plan was to hold Octagon at Clongowes Woods in Co Kildare. The arrival of Covid, however, led to the decision to hold it in a variety of places in a variety of ways.

The theme of the camp, appropriately enough, is ‘Adaptability – how we engage with the world and with each other’.

Octagon will be streamed from the host location of Dublin City University (DCU) with participants ‘camping’ at home or locally, connected together via a stimulating programme of varied activities. It will involve volunteers and participants working together to develop global citizens.

Octagon Camp Chief Helen Concannon says the activities are all well thought-out and developed, and the busy programme for the event will enable campers to learn new skills, explore new things and make new friends with other girls all over Ireland and all over the world. Some of the sessions will take place online while some activities will be completed offline.

“Members of the volunteer crew team have been busy preparing,” says Ms Concanon. “Each of the 1,060 participants has by now received an individual camp kit delivered to their home in time for the big event. This includes a camp uniform, a resource booklet and items they’ll need for the many activities they’ll be doing during camp.”

The crew members have also completed online trainings so that they can deliver the activity sessions and engage with the participants online.

Ms Concannon says, “We are hugely thankful to our supportive partners for this event and to the suppliers who have provided discounted rates in a very difficult year for fundraising. Our thanks to DCU for providing a streaming hub and to Trócaire and GOAL for running activities. The ESB Energy for Generations Fund enabled us to provide a STEM in a Box kit from LearnIT for each participant. This will allow the girls to develop their science and engineering skills by building a land yacht and trying it out with different varying factors. Younger members will have LEGO-based challenges to complete as well.

“We are excited that the Irish Girl Guides’ spirit enables us to find ways to stay connected – from our homes, from our campsites and from across the world. The Department of Foreign Affairs through Irish Aid has provided funding for every participant to have an SDG Board Game and an SDG Action Kit for them to use following their training on advocacy and global citizenship skills.

“We really do believe that each person can make a difference in the world, and we want to capture what this past year has taught us about connectivity to each other. It promises to be a fun-filled weekend!”

Irish Girl Guides (IGG) will be holding a Camp At Home with a difference on 25 June 2021. And we hope you will join us!

To tie in with Depaul’s Sleep Out To End Homelessness, the theme of this IGG Camp At Home will be Home and Homelessness.

To give children and young people of all ages ideas of fun and educational activities to do during the Camp At Home, we have put together this IGG Camp At Home – Learning About Homelessness activity pack.

As well as including fun activities on the theme, the pack includes facts about homelessness and encourages participants to consider what makes a house a home.

A lot of homeless people do not have access to proper cooking facilities, so one of the activities is to make a dinner using only a kettle or microwave, just like many people experiencing homelessness have to.

How about using your engineering skills to build a house out of recycled materials? Or an outdoor shelter from sticks and other natural materials? Anyone who is feeling brave might like to ask someone to pour a bucket of water over their shelter while they’re in it to test how waterproof it is!

The pack also contains information about famous people who have experienced homelessness and steps you can take to help people who are currently homeless.

We look forward to seeing everyone’s IGG Camp At Home photos and ask that you share them on social media with the hashtags #IGGCampAtHome and #HomelessnessAwareness.

We also encourage you to check out Depaul’s Sleep Out To End Homelessness and, if you’re in a position to, to make a donation to support their work with people who are experiencing homelessness. And if you register with them, you will receive an activity pack from them with lots more ideas!

National Good Turn Week takes place this year from 10-16 May.

Irish Girl Guides (IGG) members from age five to 90+ will be sharing their good turns on social media using the hashtag #GoodTurns.

They would love members of the public to join them doing acts of kindness every day and sharing them on social media with the hashtag #GoodTurns.

In this way, it is hoped that a wave of goodwill and kindness will spread throughout the country, thereby boosting everyone’s spirits and making a positive impact on individuals, families, communities and on society as a whole.

Younger children can help their parents with chores around the home (without being asked), such as tidying their bedroom and helping prepare dinner, while older children and teenagers may offer to go shopping for neighbours or to walk their dogs. Some may choose to do a good turn for the environment, like turning off the tap while brushing their teeth and switching off devices when not in use.

With the easing of restrictions, IGG members are glad they will be able to do good turns in their local area, such as litter picks, beach clean-ups and bulb-planting. Some will bake goodies for frontline workers, write letters or make cards for residents in local nursing homes or ‘thank you’ cards or gifts for their teachers.

“When girls join IGG, they promise to do a good turn every day,” says IGG Chief Executive Officer Claire Barkey.  “Even the youngest Ladybirds (the IGG branch for five to seven year olds) and Brownies (girls aged seven to 10) learn about different ways they can help others at home, at school and in their local community.

“Guides (aged 10-14) and Senior Branch members (aged 14-30) get involved in community action projects and learn to use their voices and their skills to improve the world around them and advocate for the changes they would like to see in the world.”

Ms Barkey says it doesn’t matter what the good turn is – the important thing is that it’s doing something kind for someone else without being asked to do it. “Learning to be kind to others is an important trait that unfortunately can be forgotten about, especially as we move more and more to an online world. Helping one person might not change the whole world, but it could change the whole world for one person.

“National Good Turn Week helps promote the idea of kindness, helping others and support at a time when we absolutely need to be aware of others.”

Our youth mental health programme has received a welcome boost from the ESB Energy for Generations Fund.

The €10,000 grant is going directly towards promoting positive mental health for our youth members, including covering the cost of 3,000 Healthy Mind badges for girls and young women aged five to 30.

The grant is also covering the cost of a special mental health edition of the IGG magazine Trefoil News and the upskilling of our volunteer Leaders in delivering our Healthy Mind programme.

To earn a Healthy Mind badge, girls take part in age-appropriate activities that help them develop positive mental health. Ladybirds (aged five to seven) and Brownies (aged seven to 10) are encouraged to identify positive qualities in themselves, discuss feelings and express them appropriately. They learn various relaxation techniques, including mindfulness and yoga.

Guides (aged 10-14) and Senior Branch members (aged 14-30) learn strategies for dealing with different emotions and how to identify signs of stress in themselves and ways to deal with these stresses. They also learn positive communication skills, including how to give affirmations to others and how to accept them in return.

IGG Chief Commissioner Amanda O’Sullivan said, “We were delighted to be awarded €10,000 through the ESB Energy For Generations Fund. This money will be put to good use in promoting the mental health of our youth members.

“Covid-19 has impacted children and young people at least as much, if not more, than older generations. They need our support now more than ever and our Healthy Mind programme gives them the tools they need to cope in times of adversity and to enable them to reach their full potential, no matter the circumstances.”

Emma D, a Guide in Carrigaline, Cork, said, “The Healthy Mind programme helps us discover amazing things about ourselves and to know that unusual feeling are completely normal and how to deal with those feelings in a healthy way, like talking to someone.”

Emma L, a Ladybird in Carrigaline, said, “To earn the Healthy Mind badge, we learned that no matter what feelings you have, you can talk to somebody about it. And you can do breathing techniques, yoga and exercise to help too.”

Fergal Fitzgerald, Electric Aid Group CSR Co-ordinator, said, “Through our Energy for Generations Fund, our aim is to support organisations such as Irish Girl Guides and the important work they do in promoting positive mental health. We commend them on the roll out of the Healthy Mind programme, and we are proud to support this initiative.”

Watch this video in which some of our youth members talk about what they learned doing the Healthy Mind badge.

Following the success of last year’s Camps At Home, we have decided to have an Easter Camp At Home and we hope families across Ireland will join us!

You can join us over the Easter Weekend or, if you can’t wait that long (!) or another date over the Easter break suits you better, then feel free to choose another time that suits.

Like with our previous Camps At Home, whether you sleep outdoors in a tent or set up a blanket fort under your kitchen table or pile up some cushions in your living room, is entirely up to you.

There’s no need to be short of ideas for activities, crafts, recipes and games to make this an IGG Camp At Home with an Easter twist as we’ve compiled some really fun Easter-themed ideas in our IGG Camp At Home Easter Edition activity pack.

You might like to make Easter Sock Bunnies or an Easter Basket, or head outside and play Nature Eye Spy. There are recipes too for Easter Nests and Hot Cross Buns as well as alternative ways to make a s’more!

Be sure to share photos on social media using the hashtag #IGGCampAtHome or send your photos and stories to communications@irishgirlguides.ie.

HAVE FUN!!!

Help us raise funds for Octagon, our international camp taking place online over the August Bank Holiday weekend, by joining in our Octagon Online Bingo!

The first three sessions went so well, we have decided to run two more – on Tuesdays 9 and 16 March at 7pm.

To take part, first buy your Octagon Online Bingo tickets!

There will be six games of Bingo each night and the cost is €6 for one night’s tickets. Everyone in your house can play so you can buy as many tickets for each night as you wish!

The Bingo sessions finish by 8pm so they are a great fun family activity to do together at home!

The tickets are on sale until noon on the day of each event. You will receive your tickets by email on the afternoon of the event. The email will include the link to the Zoom meeting where the Bingo numbers will be called live on the night.

How to play Online Bingo:

Our host will call out the numbers and you mark them off on your ticket. If you circle all the numbers in a line, you will be asked to unmute yourself and call Check. Then we will play for two lines, and a full house on the same panel. Following the draw, winners will be asked to send in their details and their unique reference number so that payment can be made via online bank transfer.

Prizes:  
Games 1 – 5

1 Line: €15

2 Lines: €25
Full House: €50

Game 6

1 Line: €20

2 Lines: €40

Full House: €80

Once you have a Check, you will win even if you are not online to claim. 

You can print out the tickets from the email you receive.  If you do not have a printer:

Suggestion 1: Copy the bingo card using pen and paper. Write out the bingo numbers as they appear on your individual bingo card. Then mark off circling the numbers.

Suggestion 2: Using a smartphone or tablet, take a screenshot of your bingo ticket and save it to your photos. You can then mark the numbers on your device.

Thank you for your support … We hope you enjoy playing! 

This year’s World Thinking Day (WTD) theme is peacebuilding.

When it comes to making the world a better place, peacebuilding is as relevant today as it has ever been. World peace is something we can all support by learning, reflecting, and taking action that inspires positive change.  

 On 22 February we hope IGG members will be among the 10 million Girl Guides and Girl Scouts around the world doing their part to call for – and create – peace in the world. By taking action together, we can make a huge difference in the world.

How can you take part?

Download the World Thinking Day 2021 Activity Pack and complete the activities. These can be done during online meetings or by yourself at home. You only have to complete one activity in each step to earn the special WTD badge, but don’t let that stop you—try as many as you like! (And don’t forget to purchase your World Thinking Day 2021 badge from our webshop!)  

Take part in our Guiding Light video!

 Since we will not be able to join together in the usual way for WTD this year, the Communications Committee are inviting all IGG members to join them in creating a ‘This Little Light of Mine’ video.

Watch this video of Jessica Woods, Communications Chair, to see how you can create a video of yourself passing the Guiding Light (you will need to ask someone else to record you). We can’t wait to see your videos, which will be edited into one big video that we will share on our social media on WTD.

We hope IGG members of all ages – girls and Leaders – will participate in this initiative!

Send your video via WhatsApp to 085 8570565 before 14 February. Thank you!

What Is World Thinking Day?  
Celebrated since 1926, WTD is a day of international friendship. Girls speak out about issues that affect them with support from 10 million other Girl Guides and Girl Scouts in 150 countries.  

 It all started when girls met at Girl Scouts of the USA’s very own Camp Edith Macy (now Edith Macy Center) for the fourth World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) World Conference. The delegates agreed that there should be a special day every year when Girl Scouts and Girl Guides think of one another and celebrate global sisterhood. They decided to call it Thinking Day and chose February 22 to honor the birthdays of Girl Guide founders Lord and Lady Baden-Powell. 

In 1999, at the 30th World Conference in Dublin, delegates wanted to make sure the day reflected the Girl Scout Movement’s international nature, so they changed the name to World Thinking Day.   

 Every year since, World Thinking Day has called on Girl Scouts and Girl Guides to unite and take part in activities that change the world for the better. 

DEADLINE EXTENDED TO Friday 16 April!

Even though we can’t be together, it doesn’t mean we can’t keep our love of all things International alive!

While our beloved Timpeall an Domhain competition has been postponed until 2022, in its absence our International Committee has devised the Globetrotters Challenge!

This challenge has been designed for Guides. Guides can complete the activities individually or in small groups (2-5 max). Depending on public health guidelines, this could be done virtually or in-person.

Entries can be submitted by filling out the Globetrotters Challenge submission form and attaching pictures and text. This can then be forwarded to competitions@irishgirlguides.ie with “Globetrotters Challenge” in the subject line by Friday 16 April 2021.

The Globetrotters Challenge works by choosing one country from the following list and completing the activities based on your selected country.

The countries to choose from are:

1. Germany
2. Uganda
3. Hong Kong
4. Oman
5. Canada

The tasks are:

1. To make and model a costume inspired by your chosen country
2. Make a craft from your chosen country
3. Make a recipe from your chosen country
4. Create a poster with some general facts about the country and some information on Guiding in that country.

Best of luck everyone! And, yes, there WILL be prizes!!

Well done to the members of Galway, Moycullen and St Bridget’s Senior Branch Units and Lucan Guides who took part in an ECO-UNESCO initiative, which saw them undertaking climate action projects in their local communities.

This resulted in them delivering presentations on their action projects during the ECO-UNESCO Climate Justice Showcase at the end of Youth Climate Justice Week.

Here Diane Iroulor of Galway City Senior Branch writes about her experience:

The challenge aimed to increase young people’s understanding of what climate justice is and to take an action on it. Climate justice is when you look at climate change not just as an environmental issue, but also as a social and political issue. It acknowledges the fact that the people who are suffering the most from the effects of climate change have done the least to contribute to it.

My unit and I researched fast fashion, its effects on the environment and the harms caused to garment workers. Fast fashion is when people are not reusing their own clothes and buying new ones they are probably going to wear once. We wanted our project to encourage slow fashion, which is when people take care of their clothes, wear them for a long time and buy second hand or sustainably sourced.

To encourage this, we had a social media campaign on our Instagram, @galwaycityseniorbranch. We posted infographics on why fast fashion is a climate justice issue, videos on how to avoid fast fashion and a couple of memes for fun! These posts were shared by lots of people and we got some media attention. One of our members even got on our local radio station, Flirt FM, to talk about the project!

I really enjoyed creating my own posts for our Instagram and creating the presentation video at the end. We all worked together, to do our part from the introduction, middle and ending. It was great to work together as a team and I enjoyed learning how to create and edit videos and voiceovers.

At the presentations, seeing everybody’s projects was really informative and inspiring. It made me think that we all need to do our part to help the environment. Whether it’s using a bamboo toothbrush or cutlery, or even having a litter pick with your unit, it is helping the community and the environment.

I am inspired to take all I learned with me into the future to create a better world.