Coalition 2030 plenary

Coalition 2030 plenary

Community Activist Craig and ATD Ireland co- ordinator Dann presented the ‘Creative Pathways to Participation’ project at the Coalition 2030 plenary on Tuesday May 21st at the National College of Ireland.

Coalition 2030 are an alliance of over 70 civil society and trade union organisations in Ireland collaborating for domestic and global achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, through multisectoral engagement and collective action.  Coalition 2030 generously funded our project. 

Dann and Craig introduced the significance of the project and shared a portion of the film.
“We actively believe that all sustainable anti-poverty policy/ strategies must include the expertise experience and knowledge of those with lived experience of poverty”.
 

Craig spoke about what the project means to him.  Craig has taken part in many ATD Ireland projects. In 2023 he went to a youth study session in the Council of Europe in Strasbourg alongside ATD Ireland and Bradog youth service as part of the ATD Youth Europe European Youth Campaign.  He speaks about this event in the Creative Pathways to Participation book and film.

“For me whats important about the project is everyone brings something completely different by people writing poetry and rapping  short stories and me about how I met ATD Ireland and why I’m in univesity in Maynooth. It’s one of the most powerful projects I’ve been involved in. The location of Trinity and sandy mount strand was a lovely aspect for the film and made the film in my option”.
 
“I took out of it everyone is unique in their own way through speaking through  poetry rapping an through spoken word for me it was speaking to people in power in Strasbourg. I took a different outlook of life and seing different side to people“.
 
“My hopes for this project is trying to get others a voice to speak don’t be afraid everyone’s voice will be heard. My other hope from the project is don’t let anyone put you down if you have a disability don’t let it define you – look at me I changed people’s opinion and I’m studying a level 8 in social science (youth and community)”.

“When I was in school they didn’t think I was able to go to full time education in a third level institution because I have a disability”

“I wanted to go to a third level institution but I didn’t know how to and I went back to my youth service Bradog youth service and one of the staff members there helped me get into third level education“.

“I felt isolated in the junior cert because I had no support around. I went to my youth service and they helped me:  they went to my school, had meetings and gave me a leaving cert.”

“They helped me connect me with ATD Ireland and ATD Ireland gave me more confidence in actually going out and speaking at events and it’s actually encouraging me with the work I’m doing now in college to get more young people with disabilities to come forward and speak out and not be isolated or afraid“.

We also heard about important projects carried out by other Coalition 2030 members including TASC; ‘Green Spaces for Good Health’, and CBM Ireland; ‘Promoting greater participation of person’s with disabilities and their representative organisations in the implementation of the SDG’s’

Click here to read and watch Craig’s full contribution to Creative Pathways to Participation.

See below for the full film.

Thank you very much to Coalition 2030 for funding our project and for inviting us to present at the plenary.  Thank you very much to Craig for his ongoing contributions to ATD Ireland and for sharing his important insights.