One of the major highlights in Spunout's calendar over the past two years has been our hugely successful SpunOut Academy.
In 2010, 2011 and 2012 we offered 15 lucky young people a FREE training course in how to change things and get stuff done.
To give you the lowdown…
What is it?
The SpunOut Academy is for anyone aged 18-25 years old who wants to make a kick-ass difference in their community. We at SpunOut already know how brilliant young people are, and the amazing work they are already doing to create positive change. But, we also know that we all need a bit of help and support… And that’s where we come in.
We provide you with some serious mind-blowing training to help you on your way. Think ninja style training, only better!
The course is tailor-made to equip participants with the skills, confidence and motivation to set about working for positive social change in their communities.
Over an intensive 2.5 days in Dublin, we give participants a chance to pick the brains of some of the best campaign and change-makers around. Some past guest speakers have included Orla Tinsley, Author and Cystic Fibrosis Campaigner, Colm O’Gorman, Amnesty International Ireland, and politicians Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan TD, and Marian Harkin MEP. Workshops from poet Colm Keegan, and street artist Will St. Leger.
What you learn
- How to use the media or even better how to make your own.
- When and how to lobby politicians.
- When will it work to use street theatre and what use is a petition anyway.
- How to organise a campaign to give it the best chance of success.
- How to get politicians working for you (we pay them you know!!) or when to forget about them and just make things happen yourself!
- How to run events and publicise them.
- How to work in groups and speak in public.
- What’s going on in this country right now activism wise.
This might sound like a lot of hard-work but it all takes place in a fun, friendly atmosphere which is NOTHING like school. The training is first-class, but don’t just take OUR word for it.
Take it from past participants: “Amazing, great experience. Great variety of workshops empowering participants over the weekend to make change and pass on skills and knowledge learned”
“I am hell bent on being involved in change”
“I really felt like our views were important and that each of us has the potential to make a change in Ireland”
