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Junior Achievement is a global organisation with a mission to “inspire and motivate young people to realise their potential by valuing education and understanding how to succeed in the world of work”. ‘Power of Design’ is the first programme run by Junior Achievement (anywhere) that introduces young people to diverse design careers and design as a force for change. After our successful 2015 pilot, the programme is being mainstreamed. The target for the 2015/2016 school year was to deliver 38 programmes. 32 were delivered up to the summer break with the remaining workshops to take place this autumn. The programme has been a huge success this year with wonderful feedback from students, teachers and volunteers. A few volunteers have taken part a number of times.
Most of the design volunteers were recruited via the PIVOT website and also via links that JAI has started to develop in design agencies in Dublin. For example, JAI connected with Sharon Murray, Director of EBow digital agency and also Board Member of ICAD. Sharon delivered a programme in Inchicore National School and her feedback was very positive;
“Thank you for the opportunity to work on the Power of Design Workshop. It was a fantastically well put together programme. The materials were so engaging, it made it an absolute pleasure to teach it. The briefing and support provided was second to none and I am really looking forward to volunteering further in the next school year.”
Sharon has already been in touch again to express interest in taking part next year and using her position on the ICAD to help promote the Power of Design programme. She was nominated for the IAPI Doyenne Award and published a piece on the IAPI blog in which she mentioned her experience with JAI. The link is here; http://iapi.ie/blog/.
Along with their guest of honour Minister Mary Mitchell O’Connor, T.D., and hosts Dublin City Council, the key supporter & advocate of the Power of Design Programme, Junior Achievement Ireland will be hosting a Power of Design Recognition Ceremony in Dublin City Wood Quay venue on the 26th January 2017, to celebrate this milestone and recognise the achievements of the 2015-16 Power of Design Volunteers and some of the students they impacted.
A big thanks to all the volunteers who’ve worked on this year’s programme so far (in order of appearance) – Anne Marie McArdle, Sara Santarelli, Barbara Polichnowska, Laura Pakenham, Anne Marie McArdle, Daniel Peixoto, Vanessa Fay, Filip Jańczak, Darragh Lynch, Liza Kelly, Cristine McArdle, Brenda Duggan, Siobhán Murphy, Elaine Harley, Laura Merrigan, Emily Flynn, Sara O’Dea, Tamara Melly, Sarah McGinty, Niki Collier, Aisling Kehoe, Barbara Polichnowska, Carla Beaujard, Sharon Murray and Jane Irwin.
And a big thanks also to the trailblazing pilot volunteers who we wrote about here.
You can find out more about the wonderful Shape film and Make Shape Change here.
The Power of Design Programme is listed as an action under the Dublin Action Plan for Jobs.