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Results of Starbucks Realising Potential Programme announced!
18 August 2010
On August 3rd after an application process and an ideas development workshop, five groups of young people from across Dublin with BIG ideas for improving their communities pitched their proposals to an independent panel of local experts including Steve Raynor, 2009 TV Apprentice and Youth Bank co-ordinator Vernon Ringland.
The panel were really impressed with the variety of ideas that all five groups had come up with for improving their communities, and praised the level of preparation and thought that had gone into each of the pitches.
The first group to pitch were Belong To, who want to hold Ireland’s first national residential for lesbian, bisexual and transgendered young women in order to promote suicide prevention, inclusion and support services for the LBT community. The panel were struck by how the team communicated the challenges they face. They especially liked the visuals used to communicate the group’s message, which had been hand drawn by other members of the Belong To team.
The group were awarded a grant of €1738 plus travel reimbursements of up to €262 which will allow members of the LBT community from all across the country to attend the residential, making it as inclusive as possible.
The Mendecity Centre Pigeon loft project hope to extend their existing loft in order to allow more young people to become involved and to learn how to care for pigeons as well as how to race them. This is a hobby that can be shared and enjoyed by people of all ages within the local area. The group believe that by extending the loft, members of the community will be encouraged to work together to help make the project a success.
The panel thought the group’s pitch was very strong, and praised how ‘openly, freely and passionately’ the young people spoke about the project. They were awarded a grant of €1706 plus an extra provision of €294 should they need any emergency medicine for the birds.
The next group to pitch were Colouring Clondalkin, who will brighten up the Clondalkin Community Centre by painting a mural. In doing so, they hope to make the centre a more welcoming space which is used by various groups across the community. The panel were impressed with the group’s talent and commitment, and awarded them a grant of €1467 for paints and equipment. They also awarded the group with an additional grant of €533, which Colouring Clondalkin will use to organise a celebration event which will bring people from the local area together to enjoy and celebrate the launch of the mural.
Presenting on his own on behalf of the Huntstown Youth Club, the very brave and well-prepared Keith Silvester talked about the need for a Youth Café in the youth club, which would serve as an open and welcoming space for young people in the Huntstown area. Rather than giving funds for the purchase of café furniture, Starbucks will provide furniture for the space. Along with this, Starbucks Store Development UK will consult with the Huntstown youth club in order to help create a space that is friendly and inviting to local young people. Furthermore, the group will receive a grant of €500 which will be used to spread the word about the café throughout the community using posters and flyers etc.
Localise from Clondalkin pitched for a grant to hold a Halloween Disco for Irish Wheel Chair Association. Their pitch was strong and heartfelt. They have already received premises and transport for free for the disco so Steve Raynor (2009 Winning Apprentice) has offered to mentor the group to help them get more support for free. Starbucks will fund a workshop where Localise can meet with young people in wheelchairs in advance of the disco so they can buddy up and learn more about each other, how they like to be spoken to, treated etc. The budget would fund an expert in this area facilitate this.
Three of the projects that pitched on the day: Belong To, The Mendecity Centre Pigeon Loft and Colouring Clondalkin were selected to go through to a public voting, which will take place in Starbucks stores across Dublin. The project that receives the most customer votes will receive an additional grant of €2,000. Voting will begin in-store on Saturday 21st August and will continue until Sunday 5th September. So make sure you pop in to vote!
The first Project to receive a grant of €2000 from Starbucks this year was a project in the Liberties DUBLIN 8 IS GREAT! Later this month they are organising a community event to celebrate their amazing area but first of all they need to clean it up!
There are 3 stages to the campaign
1. FACEBOOK CAMPAIGN
They need 100+ people to sign up to help with the clean up. Log onto http://www.facebook .com and become a fan of Dublin 8 is Great to find out more.
2. 'BIG CLEAN DAY'
Their target is to clean up School Street, Marrowbone Lane, James Street and Oliver Bond.
3. 'POP UP PARTY'
After Their 'Big Clean' they are organising a 'Pop-Up Party' to thank all their supporters.
