Limerick students set to share their ‘B!G Ideas’

SEVERAL Limerick schools are participating in a Transition Year initiative that aims to creatively tackle Ireland’s major issues today.

A TY initiative called the B!G Idea is teaching teens across Ireland how to apply their innovation to issues such as the housing crisis, future pandemics, racism and teen’s mental health and wellbeing.

“We equip students with the creative mindset to tackle the biggest problems they will face and support them to respond to a range of innovative programme briefs,” said founder of the programme, Kim Mackenzie-Doyle.

Four schools in Limerick have entered the competition - Desmond College in Newcastle West, Laurel Hill Coláiste FCJ, Coláiste Chiaráin and Coláiste Mhicíl.

They have a shot at winning a prize against several schools in Clare and Carlow who are also involved in the initiative.

All the T.Y classes in these schools have entered their project proposals which will all be judged next month. There will be a winner in each category mentioned above and there will be one overall winner.

The initiative was met with great success this year and already has a waiting list of 10,000 students for 2022’s version. They’re currently searching for funding to support the initiative next year. The University of Limerick is one of several corporate partners of the programme.