SpunOut.ie Launches ‘Super Hero Grants’ Youth Civic Grants Scheme
Resource type: News
SpunOut.ie |
Ireland needs some super-heroes to save the day and the pioneering web driven youth organisation SpunOut.ie is today starting a quest to find them.
SpunOut.ie, which provides information, support and opportunities to over 500,000 young people each year, is launching a unique new micro-grant scheme designed to support the country’s young people in becoming active to bring about social justice in Ireland.
The ‘SpunOut.ie Super Hero Grants’ scheme, supported by The Atlantic Philanthropies, is designed to encourage young people to develop innovative and imaginative projects that tackle Ireland’s many economic, social, health, political and environmental problems.
All young people aged between 15 and 25 who want to develop a new or existing project are invited to apply online for a Super Hero grant on the SpunOut.ie website (http://www.spunout.ie/getin/). Successful applicants will be awarded a bursary of €300 to help turn their ideas into action and will be linked in to a network of progressive young change makers. They will also be a resource pack of useful information to support their project, as well as a pair of tickets to the POSSIBILITIES 2011 National Social Forum ( www.possibilities.ie) , which includes Nobel Peace Laureate The Dalai Lama and former President Mary Robinson as keynote speakers.
A selection panel made up of young people and community workers will be looking for the most imaginative and achievable ideas and will give preference to proposals that seek to make a real contribution to including young people in initiatives for social justice in Ireland.
The organisers expect that these projects will include those that focus on environmental protection, social justice activism and getting younger voices heard in the media, but all ideas, small and large, will be considered.
Grant recipients who successfully complete their project will then be considered for a ‘SpunOut.ie Super Hero of the Year Award 2011’, which comes with an additional bursary of €500 for the eventual winner.
Speaking as the quest for the super heroes begun, SpunOut.ie Founder Ruairí McKiernan commented:
“Ireland needs new ideas and new leadership like never before. If we want to see a transformation occur then we need to make urgent investments in our young people who are tragically being consigned to unemployment and emigration. It’s time to stop the crocodile tears for young people and offer them real opportunities and real support. Our micro grants scheme is a modest offering in this effort and will help identify, acknowledge and sustain the people who are going to be instrumental in building a new Ireland.”
The Super Hero Grants scheme opens for applications on February 7TH until 5pm on February 28th. Applications will be accepted from both individuals and groups of young people. For further details and some ideas to set you thinking, click here.
About SpunOut.ie
SpunOut.ie is an independent youth powered national charity working to help people create personal and social change. SpunOut.ie combines an interactive online community providing health and lifestyle information, signposting to help services, an alternative youth media space, dynamic discussion forums, and a platform for youth engagement, participation and advocacy. SpunOut.ie reaches over 500,000 users online each year, millions more through the media and has won numerous awards including a Golden Spider Award and a Net Visionary Award. SpunOut.ie also runs the Academy of Activism, which provides free practical training for young people interested in creating change.
We are partially funded by a mix of philanthropic, foundation, state and community funding and rely on the support and involvement of people from across Ireland to make what we do possible. Please support us in whatever way you can.
SpunOut.ie is an Atlantic grantee.
More info:
http://www.SpunOut.ie