Challenge Bank

Do you have a Challenge in your area that you think could be solved through Design Thinking? Take the next step in your Challenger journey by adding it to the bank!

Courses will be based on the Challenges that people like you, across the region, feel need fresh and innovative thinking. To do this, we’re asking everyone to submit the Challenges that they’d like to tackle collaboratively.

Like and comment on other people's Challenges to show support and increase its chance of being included in a Course. You can filter Challenges by county or category.

Roll over a Challenge for more details. Click to go to the Challenge and like it or leave a comment.

Click to go to the Challenge and like it or leave a comment.

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Airbnb for empty kitchens & Shared outdoor street food area

Airbnb for empty kitchens & Shared outdoor stre...

Ideas from Monaghan Farmer's Market - Airbnb for empty kitchens, Shared outdoor street food area. Could come under the broader theme of Food in the county *Image by Streatyard at Streatyard, a seasonal and temporary outdoor eating area in Corcaghan, outside of Monaghan Town

Monaghan

Developing Universal Design Community Garden

Developing and establishing Dundalk Community Garden, based on a Universal Design would be all inclusive, accessible as well as supporting a wide range of needs. It would be a place where all ages and backgrounds could find respite and experience nature, supporting sensory, therapeutic and mental health. It's aim is to engage all levels of ability and backgrounds, children with additional needs, families,young people,single individuals, general population, dementia sufferers, it would support those who feel lonely and isolated no matter the age or gender in gardening, horticultural therapy or just enjoying the change of seasons or to learn something new or inspire connection to nature. Help bridging the gap in town center activities and bringing the community together.

Louth

Design Think Water Safety

Sadly, there have been a lot of drownings and water accidents happening in Monaghan and along the border region, and beyond, recently with the good weather which is really sad. There’s jetties popping up throughout the county but not so much in safety measures it seems Could we bring people together in communities to design think water safety? It’s unfortunately really topical but also so important to address in as many ways we can to reach a solution of some sort See this 'Design Jam tackles water safety in the Great Lakes' www.michigandaily.com/news/academics/design-jam-tackles-water-safety-great-lakes-0/

Monaghan

West Cavan Revitalisation

Attracting people to live and work remotely in West Cavan.

Cavan

Village regeneration through infrastructure improvement

Village regeneration through infrastructure imp...

To create community cohesion, participation and buy in from the wider community. To create a shared vision to address local dereliction, parking, walking, birdwatching, by implementing an economic priority for the local community first.

Donegal

Develop a physical regeneration for the villiage

Regenerate the vacant and derelict fabric of the once thriving historic market village. Enticing new life and young families to the area and make our village vibrant once again. Regenerating these buildings would drive greater economic activity and footfall as well as acting as a catalyst for improvements to the wider area.

Donegal

Public transportation

As collective community's a discussion needs to be had around the idea of an all Ireland railway system.

Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo, Cavan, Monaghan, Louth

Cycle and Pedestrian lanes for Ballybofey-Stranorlar

Cycle and Pedestrian lanes for Ballybofey-Stran...

Ballybofey-Stranorlar has a population of approx 2000 children in schools and creches. We also have many people involved outdoor activities including walking, running and cycling in the community. The towns need to be developed to make it easier for school children and our community to move around safety without cars. Our town centres are walkable and easily accessible, but the pre-dominance of cars in the main streets, inadequate pavement width and lack of cycle lanes make it unsafe for non-car road users in most areas. Establishing proper cycle and pedestrian lanes would - link the heart of the towns with areas of recreation on the town boundaries - support the development of wellbeing activities for people of all ages and abilities - reduce the number of cars on the road, and congestion, especially at the start and end of the school day.

Donegal

A Recreation Corridor from Donegal's heartland to the Coast

A Recreation Corridor from Donegal's heartland ...

Establish a networked recreation corridor through the area of scenic beauty from Ballybofey-Stranorlar to Donegal Town, in Co. Donegal. Creating a visitor friendly route between these two key towns in Donegal would - provide a resource for tourists and residents, encouraging year round wellbeing and outdoor activities - stimulate small communities and craft businesses along the route - create a pathway for visitors along the wild atlantic way into the heart of Donegal drawing them further north on their journeys The Wild Atlantic Way has been brilliant for bringing visitors to the West Coast of Ireland, but areas without the attractions of beaches are losing out as visitors congregate along signature points. Failte Ireland also recognise that the WAW north of Galway is underperforming and attracting fewer visitors than the southern route. this project would increase economic and tourism sustainability for the North West of Ireland.

Donegal

Keeping towns and villages viable

Finding new uses for closed up buildings attracting more people to live work and spend time locally

Cavan

Services Outreach Centre for communities of Ray, Rathmullan and surrounding areas

Services Outreach Centre for communities of Ray...

Services for young people such as CAMHS, JIGSAW, RAINBOW, Donegal Youth Services are available in Letterkenny only. For older people services such as renewal of driving licenses, eye/ear appointments, chiropody, insurance could be made easier by bringing these services to Ray by way of pop-up clinics or consultations.

Donegal

EV Electric Vehicle Interpretive Centres joint funded by vehicle manufactures'/government

EV Electric Vehicle Interpretive Centres joint...

Ireland is banning the sale of new diesel and petrol vehicles by 2030.In less than nine years from now motorists will be asked to embrace new technologies in a new form of transport most have never used before. To help this transition E.V. centres are needed to assist the motoring public in becoming familiar with the use of such vehicles. Here they can test drive different models by hiring and taking them on a circuit provided by the centre. In doing so such fears as range anxiety can be addressed and the advantages of owning such vehicles can be shown in a hands on experience. I feel this could speed up the interest in such vehicles by familiarising the public on a need to know basis. These centres could also help in making the transition to E.V.s less challenging as we approach the 2030 deadline. These centres would arguably be the first of their kind in Ireland and bring other benefits such as tourism. Here visiting families can experience the future of travel.

N/A, Sligo

Communities Working Together for Everyone's Benefit

Communities Working Together for Everyone's Ben...

To gather community groups together to garner support for each other community's project in a positive and procative way

Leitrim

Town Vitality, How to increase population & visitors

Town Vitality, How to increase population & vis...

Increase town residents = more evening-trade, activity, life, vibrancy, save retail! Your ideas..? Imagine walking through the Savoy Cinema doors (shut 30+ years) into a #CultureQuarter, a hidden village of ...? Craft making, Arts, Studios, 3Dprinting resident’s waste plastic. Affordable indigenous commercial units like 'Donegal Village'. Older generations; could we see a return of reLearning-old-trades before they're lost forever? Mixed-income, multi-generational community-led housing is a norm in many countries. Until more learn Cohousing is not CoLiving, we'll never catch up with other UK/EU towns/cities. or does Sligo continue w 'flats' where nobody needs know their neighbour, or community. Sligo's Courthouse Block ..still ignored, Dereliction has compounded vacancy. #NormalPeople want to live in warmer communities. Down-sizers deserve better options than retirement or nursing village. We can build better stuff in better places!

Sligo

Develop Inclusive Shared Green/Blue Spaces in County Louth

Develop Inclusive Shared Green/Blue Spaces in C...

As a coastal county we have the opportunity to develop a fully accessible sea swimming point for people with disabilities. Louth has beautiful scenery and historic locations that could be connected by accessible cycle lanes. These amenities would benefit the environment and everyone living in County Louth.

Louth

Cycle/Walking Trail to Drogheda

Open up the Old Coach Rd from Beltitchburne to Drogheda and extend to Termonfeckin to allow safe walking and cycling as a viable means of transport link. This can keep walkers and cyclists away from the main road and also be suitable for tourism promotion.

Louth

Safe walking and cycling

Ensure that all towns and villages have footpaths and cycle lanes (if feasible) to local shops and schools. Traffic calming measures to be introduced if cycle lanes not feasible.

Louth

Bicycle Lanes

St. Mary’s Road, Dundalk is one of the most elegant wide streets in town with old red brick houses along one side and a heritage stone wall on the opposite. Most of the houses have a Conservation Order on them. 4 years ago the Marist College built a brand new school, as part of the remit bicycle lanes were added to the street, even though the footpath was wide enough to encompass them. As a resident of St. Mary's Road we had to put up with the new lanes because the school could not be completed. We were reassured that they could be reviewed in the future. To date none of the students or others use this bicycle lane. Our problem is that the whole other side of the street has been taken over by a bicycle lane with bollards that’s rarely or ever used and we have no parking on this side. Many residents have complained about this problem. We’re not against cycle lanes but object to the design of the existing ones, which could be accommodated on the extremely wide footpath.

Louth