How can you change your community for the better?

Innovating Communities is a free training and mentoring project designed to empower local people and groups to work together and overcome Challenges facing their areas in Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo, Cavan, Monaghan and Louth. Training Courses are available here for anyone to register their interest in.

Courses have been developed based on public submissions to the Challenge Bank and will teach you, along with fellow community members, the proven principles of Design Thinking to target these Challenges.

You can sign up now to get updates on the project as it develops. Once registered you can submit Challenges, register for Courses as they go live and meet like-minded learners. It's time to innovate for your community!

about the project

Training

Browse and sign up to the range of Design Thinking courses we offer.

Developing and Enhancing Monaghan’s Recreation ...

Developing and Enhancing Louth’s Recreation Ways

River and Lakeshore Amenity Development in Co C...

Biodiversity Promotion and Awareness in Co Leitrim

Developing a Multipurpose Community, Arts and C...

Cavan Sustainability Solutions Network

Tackling Environmental Change at Local Level

Designing Killeshandra's Future

Designing Kiltyclogher’s Future

Attracting Tourists to Sliabh Beagh

Social Enterprise: An Answer to the Digital Div...

Be a Welcoming Community

Creating a Services/Outreach Centre for Ray, Ra...

Reducing Costs and Generating Income for Social...

Developing Sligo as a Tourist Destination

A recreation corridor from Donegal's heartland ...

Reimagining Community Spaces as Digital Hubs - ...

Attracting People to Live and Work in County Mo...

Youth Services in Bundoran

Community Climate Action

Adventure Tourism Sligo

all courses

The Challengers Journey

After signing up you can become a Challenger and join Courses based on shared Challenges submitted in your county or across the whole region. Challengers will take part in Courses which focus on their Challenges or areas of interest, to learn to create and enact solutions.

160 Challenges

Challenges facing the area that might be tackled by Design Thinking

Lack of Access to Water Sports

Local Services, Health and Wellbeing, Children and Families, Youth Development

Lack of Access to Water Sports

Living in Cooley area, Co. Louth, I have noticed that even though we are living very close to the sea there is a lack of access to affordable/free water sport equipment. As a result most local families don't engage with water sports as it is very expensive. The idea would be to set up community group and apply for funding for container and water sports equipment that could be used by local community.

A Community Based Landscape Vision for the Prot...

Natural Resources, Climate Action, Biodiversity, Education / Training, Health and Wellbeing, Circular Economy, Children and Families, Tourism, Place & Space, Youth Development

A Community Based Landscape Vision for the Prot...

This large upland area in south Donegal contains some of the best natural, cultural and heritage landscapes in the country. The course would aim to bring people together to learn about this unique landscape, what the threats and opportunities are, and to then establish a vision for this unique area, much of it still in a semi-wilderness state in the year 2021. The challenge would be to involve local landowners including farmers and forestry companies; local comunities and people living on or bordering the plateau such as the villages of Pettigo, Laghey and Ballintra, and all local groups/national agencies who collectively have an interest in taking environmental/economic issues effecting the area seriously - while exploring the opportunities such a plan could create in enhancing and restoring these uplands over the coming decades.

A community space for activities

Social Enterprise, Development Group, Local Services, Education / Training, Health and Wellbeing, Town Centres, Children and Families, Tourism, Infrastructure, Place & Space, Youth Development, Technology

A community space for activities

Challenge raised at the Idea Generation Workshop for Ballybay- A community space for activities

Greenway from Ballybay to Castleblayney

Social Enterprise, Development Group, Brexit, COVID, Biodiversity, Town Centres, Children and Families, Tourism, Infrastructure, Place & Space

Greenway from Ballybay to Castleblayney

Challenge raised at Idea Generation Workshop for Ballybay - Greenway from Ballybay to Castleblayney - perhaps a Recreational Corridor?

Repurposing old buildings in the town

Social Enterprise, Business, Development Group, COVID, Connectivity / Broadband, Local Services, Education / Training, Health and Wellbeing, Town Centres, Food & Drink, Tourism, Infrastructure, Place & Space, Youth Development

Repurposing old buildings in the town

Challenge raised at Idea Generation Workshop for Ballybay - Repurposing old buildings in the town

Lack of youth activities in Ballybay

Social Enterprise, Development Group, COVID, Connectivity / Broadband, Local Services, Education / Training, Health and Wellbeing, Town Centres, Children and Families, Tourism, Infrastructure, Place & Space, Youth Development, Technology

Lack of youth activities in Ballybay

Challenge raised at the Idea Generation Workshop for Ballybay- Lack of youth activities in Ballybay

Communication and Marketing of Ballybay, or lac...

Social Enterprise, Smart Villages, Business, Development Group, COVID, Connectivity / Broadband, Local Services, Education / Training, Health and Wellbeing, Town Centres, Children and Families, Tourism, Place & Space

Communication and Marketing of Ballybay, or lac...

Challenge raised at the Idea Generation Workshop for Ballybay- Communication and Marketing of Ballybay, or lack of it, for residents / potential residents / visitors and more How can we tackle this?

EV Charge Point

Smart Villages, Infrastructure, Technology

EV Charge Point

EV charge point for Sligo Folk Park

view all in challenge bank

49 Groups

Spaces to share thoughts and ideas with others about topics of interest

Cavan Community for Climate Action

Cavan

Cavan Community for Climate Action

We are a group that aim to support projects that involve community action, promote resilience of communities, sustainability and disseminate information by posting on out Facebook page and other social media.

Music/entertainment

CAVAN

Cloonacool environmental group

Sligo

Cloonacool environmental group

Trying to establish more sustainable projects, ie bog, dark sky

Cootehill Chamber

Cavan

Cootehill Chamber

We are a business and community support group

Ballybay Community, Arts & Cultural Centre

Monaghan

Ballybay Community, Arts & Cultural Centre

To develop a Town Centre based Community Facility by renovating an old building

Ballyshannon Regeneration Group

Donegal

Ballyshannon Regeneration Group

We are a voluntary community group focused on positive development and regeneration of Ireland's Oldest town and its environs. Heritage, environment, local economy and wellbeing are central to our plans and activities.

Archaeology Matters Sligo

Sligo

Archaeology Matters Sligo

This is for anyone who is an archaeologist in Co. Sligo or a local historian/heritage enthusiast who would like to raise issues in regard to site condition and how we can initiate conservation of sites that are in need of help. Also, other friendly discussions can be had around topics of interest, new sites being discovered etc. and how we can raise awareness of the existence of vulnerable sites.

Geevagh Mens shed

Sligo

Geevagh Mens shed

We are based in the old community hall in Geevagh

all groups

What's New

Find out what's been happening on Innovating Communities

Welcome to Innovating Communities in County Cavan

Welcome to Innovating Communities in County Cavan– where the aim is to strengthen local development and community-led action through Design Thinking skills and to work in groups to overcome local challenges collaboratively. Cavan County Local Deve...

Welcome to Innovating Communities in County Don...

Welcome to the Innovating Communities Donegal which is being led by Donegal Local Development CLG. We are excited to be joining 6 counties to deliver design thinking training to our community members. In Donegal, we have partnered with Icecream Ar...

Welcome to Innovating Communities County Sligo

Welcome the Innovating Communities Sligo which is being led by Sligo LEADER Partnership. We are excited to be joining 5 other counties to deliver design thinking training to our community members. In Sligo we have partnered with Icecream Architect...

Welcome to Innovating Communities in County Louth

Welcome the Innovating Communities Louth which is being led by Louth LEADER Partnership. We are excited to be joining 6 counties to deliver design thinking training to our community members. In Louth we have partnered with Icecream Architecture to...

Welcome to Innovating Communities in County Sligo

Welcome to Innovating Communities in County Louth

Welcome to Innovating Communities in County Mon...

Welcome to Innovating Communities in County Monaghan - where the sky is the limit!We, at Monaghan Integrated Development CLG, are excited to lead this project and join our 6 neighbour counties Cavan, Louth, Leitrim, Donegal and Sligo, to deliver D...

And we're off! Watch the Regional Launch Event ...

We were over the moon to have Heather Humphreys, TD, Minister of Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands, launch our Innovating Communities Programme (ICP) yesterday, Wednesday 17th February.The Minister commended the ai...

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