Young innovators to showcase ideas

Thousands of young people will today showcase their plans to tackle key social issues affecting their environment.

More than 2,500 students from all over the country will attend the Young Social Innovators Showcase in the RDS.

Some 200 of the 400 projects from this year’s YSI programme will be displayed at the event, to be opened by President Mary McAleese.

Around 6,000 young people took part in the scheme, which was created to develop social awareness and activism amongst young people.

The short-listed projects offer proposals for solutions on a wide variety of social issues including suicide, domestic violence, youth facilities, social inclusion and poverty.

The showcase also features youth drama, entertainment and social action information zones, as well as 70 dramatic presentations from the recent YSI Speak Out series.

The event is open to the public today and tomorrow morning, with the winner of Young Social Innovator of the Year announced tomorrow night.

Sr Stanislaus Kennedy, Chairperson and Co-founder of YSI, said visitors can expect a fresh perspective on social issues as well as valuable insights into how young people are addressing the issues that affect them.