Tipp's impressive changemakers

Students from Cashel Community School achieved national recognition in the Young Social Innovators of the Year Awards which took place at the Aviva Stadium, Dublin this week. The group received the Healthy Connections award for their project entitled ‘The Elephant in the Room/School’. The Cashel students are working to raise awareness of local and national mental health supports. Working with the ‘Elephant in the Room’ movement, they use a Community Elephant as a symbol of hope and to remind people that it is okay to talk about mental health issues.

Thirty-seven teams from post primary schools throughout Ireland were selected to take part in a rigorous pitching process in April and the 17 overall and individual category winners including the team from Cashel Community School were announced on stage by the Awards co-presenters, broadcaster Zara King and former Hometown boyband member Dayl Cronin.

Commenting on the range and high standard of this year’s entries for the Young Social Innovators of the Year Awards, CEO of YSI, Roger Warnock, said: “The incredible quality of ideas submitted this year led to a higher number of teams being selected for the final pitches. Each one of them demonstrated the creative thinking, passion and teamwork needed to find impactful solutions to social issues affecting their communities. The support from teachers, parents, families and YSI guides is essential to the successful coordination of these social innovation projects and we’re so grateful to them for their ongoing commitment.

“It's wonderful to see so many teams at the awards and to recognise their energy and passion. Our partners and judges are as excited and encouraged by the winning projects as the team at YSI and I have no doubt that the future is in safe hands with these incredible young people from Tipperary.”

FURTHER DETAILS

For more information about Young Social Innovators, see www.youngsocialinnovators.ie.