Social media fans asked to switch off and get involved

Enticing social media-obsessed 20-and 30-somethings away from their screens to help out in their local communities is the aim of an initiative being launched today by Taoiseach Enda Kenny.

Cork entrepreneur Kieran Desmond 26, is one of those taking up the challenge — he’s holding a class for elderly people on how to email, Skype, and surf the internet at The Webworkhouse on 8, Winthrop Street Cork at 8pm next Wednesday.

It’s all part of Active Citizenship Week, which runs from today, September 1-7, and is organised by Junior Chamber International Ireland.

The campaign encourages people to go out and do something positive to make their communities a better place to live.

As part of it, members of the public are being encouraged to take on just one of the JCI’s “50 ways” Active Citizenship challenges which range from donating blood to visiting an elderly neighbour, organising a community clean up or simply donating clothes to a local charity shop.

Good deeds can be big or small; the idea is that each will play a part in making your local community a better place.

While the drive is aimed at everyone, it’s particularly targeted at 25- to 35-year-olds , who, preoccupied by work and social media, may not always be involved in local events.

It can be difficult to encourage this age group to leave their screens and get involved with their local communities, acknowledges Mr Desmond, who is president of JCI Cork and will also be running a ‘shop local’ drive to encourage his members to invest within their communities: “I often organise events for JCI, and I can find it difficult to get people involved — they’re happy to say on Facebook that they’ll come, but don’t always turn up,” says Mr Desmond, whose company Ottera, develops technology for the health care sector.

“They tend to be very much orientated towards social media as a lifestyle more than actually getting out and participating in events. This week is literally about getting them out from behind their screens and involved in their local communities,” he explains, adding that some young adults spend several hours on social media sites every evening after work.

“I feel they are a bit more disconnected than they would have been in the past — you may feel you are connected with lots of friends on social media, but there is an illusion about it — you mightn’t have any real connection with most of them.”

Mary Kate Portley, 21, JCI Cork’s convention director will also be involved in the week — she’s organising a campaign to promote political education for young people, and impress upon them the importance of voting.

Active Citizenship Week will be officially launched today by Taoiseach Enda Kenny in Belmullet, Co Mayo.

JCI members throughout Ireland are encouraging everyone to share their Active Citizenship actions on social media by using the hashtag #snapyourimpact.

lFor more information about Active Citizenship Week and find out about the “50 Ways” log on to www.jciireland.ie/acw