We work in partnership with a wide range of organisations locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally. One such partner that we work with locally within the county (but with a global outlook), is ChangeMakers Donegal. What do they do and how do they work with us? In this blog, Project Coordinator, Myra McAuliffe tells us more about it.
About ChangeMakers Donegal
ChangeMakers Donegal is an education programme, a partnership between Inishowen Development Partnership (lead partner), Donegal ETB, Trócaire, Self Help Africa and Concern WorldWide. We aim to inspire and empower adults in Donegal, increasing their awareness and understanding of our rapidly changing, interconnected, and unequal world.
Our journey began fifteen years ago when Patsy Toland, a member of Self Help Africa, and Denise McCool from Inishowen Development Partnership (IDP) collaborated to develop programmes in schools through WorldWise Global Schools. Recognising the need to extend this work to the broader community, they created a new education programme for adults. This initiative has since grown, attracting new partners, expanding its reach and demonstrating its potential for further development.
To ensure the programme’s sustainability and encourage local action, they connected the adults-focused programme to existing initiatives in social inclusion, community development, and adult education, which IDP specialises in. Community development aims to empower people, address inequality, and promote social justice, making it a natural fit with the principles of global justice.
A natural partner, Donegal ETB, came on board in 2012. Donegal ETB’s former Director of Further Education and Training, Cróna Gallagher, also had prior experience working in the Global South (developing world regions). Since 2016, the Donegal ETB role on our Steering Committee has been ably filled by Catherine Friel, Community Education Facilitator. Roisin O’Hara, Trócaire has been involved from the early days and continues to bring her expertise to inform our work. Later, Concern Worldwide also supported the partnership by funding the development of our Film Club.
Donegal ETB and IDP – An ongoing collaboration
IDP and Donegal ETB have a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and collaborate on various programmes. Donegal ETB formally partners with ChangeMakers Donegal through its Community Education Support Service (Further Education and Training Service).
Catherine Friel, Community Education Facilitator, has been an active member of the ChangeMakers Donegal Steering Committee, and Aidan McCloskey, Adult Education Officer, served as MC at our last annual seminar at which Bernadette McAliskey was the keynote speaker.
How ChangeMakers Donegal is funded
Our project is mainly funded by Irish Aid, which aims to raise awareness and understanding of global development issues among the Irish public through Global Citizenship Education work like ours. We think it is great that Irish Aid funds this work in Donegal.
We receive complementary funding from Donegal ETB and financing from Concern Worldwide, which supports our regular documentary Film Club.
What do we do
Our programme inspires global solidarity by educating people in informal community settings to realise their rights, responsibilities, and potential as global citizens capable of taking meaningful action for a just and sustainable world.
Our workshops and community conversations are facilitated by a panel of experts in Donegal and Derry who specialise in various topics. The ChangeMakers Donegal programme offers activities that help local communities understand and address global justice issues such as climate change, conflict, and poverty.
We offer courses, workshops, and community conversations to promote critical thinking and empathy. In collaboration with the Inishowen Development Partnership, Donegal Education and Training Board, Trócaire, Concern Worldwide, and Self-Help Africa, we help adults understand and address development issues. For instance, at an IDP event on International Women’s Day, we showcased a photo exhibition by Self Help Africa titled “Women at the Forefront of Climate Change” in line with the day’s focus on Women in Farming. Additionally, at our recent annual seminar, we had a virtual presentation by Salome Mumba, Trócaire’s Water Justice Officer, discussing the current challenges of climate change in Malawi.
Through initiatives like our Seeds of Change programme, we fund and mentor community groups for projects aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals.
Our Sustainability Passport provides a digital guide for sustainable action in various areas, including water and energy conservation, reuse and recycling, responsible consumption, biodiversity and gardening, and equality and inclusion. We have recently launched a Level 4 QQI Course in Environmental Sustainability in partnership with Donegal ETB. The course is held at Barrack Hill Town Park and Community Gardens Carndonagh and is led by my colleague, Kate O’Callaghan of ChangeMakers Donegal and Aengus Kennedy of Nature Northwest. The feedback received from the 14 participants taking part has been very positive.
Our Bookless Book Club (which doesn’t involve reading actual books!) uses art, film, poetry, and music to explore and discuss global issues. In addition, our Film Club (in partnership with the Disappear Here Film Festival) also screens documentaries covering local and international issues, followed by panel discussions to encourage informed debate.
We aim to bring people together to discuss global issues, as indicated by repeating the word “club”. We hope everyone will find something of interest in our programme, regardless of their level of interest in local and global issues.
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* Collette McEntee of the Feminist Communities for Climate Justice project, a joint project between Community Work Ireland and the National Women’s Council and participants in their certificate programme (at the University of Maynooth) visited the Level 4 in the Environmental Sustainability Course at Barrack Hill Town Park and Community Gardens, Carndonagh recently. The course is delivered by ChangeMakers Donegal, IDP and Donegal ETB.
** (Front row, L-R) Bernadette McAliskey, Aidan Mc Closkey, Adult Education Officer, Donegal ETB, Shauna Mc Clenaghan, Joint CEO, Inishowen Development Partnership (IDP). (Back row, L-R) Denise McCool, Team Lead, Environment and Community Development, IDP; Catherine Friel, Community Education Facilitator, Donegal ETB; Hugh Bergin, Self Help Africa; Myra McAuliffe, Project Coordinator, ChangeMakers Donegal; Kate O’Callaghan, Project Worker, ChangeMakers Donegal, Roisin O’Neill, Outreach Manager, Trócaire.
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You’ll find more information about ChangeMakers Donegal on their website here: https://changemakers.ie/