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.

add new challenge

Promote the benefits of Diversity and combat Racism.

Promote the benefits of Diversity and combat Ra...

Recognise the benefits of different cultures of migrants now living in our communities and help integrate new migrants into our local communities. In addition to promote a zero tolerance to Racism.

Louth

Ensuring sewage treatment for Dunfanaghy appropriate to present and to future needs.

Ensuring sewage treatment for Dunfanaghy approp...

As above.

Donegal

Securing a safe Footpath/cycle track between Dunfanaghy and Portnablagh - or better still - to Ards

Securing a safe Footpath/cycle track between Du...

As above - plans exist

Donegal

Simple Bi-lingualism symbolism (Irish language/heritage,) as core rural/economy/tourism accelerator

Simple Bi-lingualism symbolism (Irish language/...

The history, heritage, culture of Irish family and place names could be leveraged by many Innovating Community project challenges. Symbolism is powerful, transforming ordinary story lines into remarkable narratives. Border counties have both Anglo and Gaelic stories to tell, two facets. Innovation is the goal. The cultural popularity of Breaking Bad (two personas in one) and Game of Thrones (borrows heavily from the Irish "Book of Invasions") is proof re-visualizing our landscape/projects with bi-lingual/cultural bias has merit. Bi-bilingualism as symbolic principle in signage is a start. Over time we can develop great products and enhanced story lines by tapping our rich Anglo and Gaelic Irish heritage. Innovation happens everywhere, from simple ideas. Note: I am working alone on some Digital Heritage Development ideas, so would love to work with others to explore ideas to embrace Gaelic Irish heritage, not ignore it.

Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo, Cavan, Monaghan, Louth

A community space for activities

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

Monaghan

Lack of youth activities in Ballybay

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

Monaghan

EV Charge Point

EV charge point for Sligo Folk Park

Interactive noticeboard / whiteboard in Monaghan Town and other towns

Interactive noticeboard / whiteboard in Monagha...

Ideas from Monaghan Farmer's Market - Interactive noticeboard / whiteboard Communication between groups etc would be overarching theme here?

Monaghan

West Cavan Revitalisation

Attracting people to live and work remotely in West Cavan.

Cavan

Wells for Community Connection

To develop exsisting and new places /opportunities for social connection in meaningful ways. Traditionally communities where more dependent on each other and more curious to connect (less distractions) The local community well was a meeting spot for clean water. Meeting at the well and other meeting spots created strong connections. As did the mode of transport ie walking and cycling created opportunities to stop and acknowledge each other. Recreating this type of transport initiative in rural Ireland like electric bikes initatives would help the actions to reduce climate change / and involve tech solutions re the security and charging points as secondary aims. The primary simple aims are social engagement in health promoting initiatives through meeting places as a result of meaningful regular activity.

Louth

Better community integration

Moving to a different country is not an easy task. Once you arrive to your new country you can be faced with different barriers. One of the most common problem faced by families arriving to Ireland presently is that of language barrier and Culture shock. Culture shock can be experienced from difficulties of making new friends, worries of fitting in and finding job. You suddenly feels like the outsider. Your life has changed and your previous life seems so distant away. You become uncomfortable as you grow in different direction than what you have been used to. Life becomes stressful and tense. And you begin to look for clusters that reminds you of home in silo groups. Integrating becomes difficult. But remember you will not always feel this way. Our challenge is to use our unique skill set to bring together women from all the different nationalities living in Co Louth to work together with people they would normally not work with for better integration in our communities.

Louth

Digital Divide

increase in eServices leaving people behind

Louth

Keeping towns and villages viable

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

Cavan

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

Tackling Plastic Waste Locally Via a "Precious Plastic" Project

Tackling Plastic Waste Locally Via a "Precious ...

The Precious Plastic project (https://preciousplastic.com/universe/how-does-it-work.html) is a global programme to tackle plastic waste on a local level by setting up local volunteer led workshops and social enterprises to turn plastic waste back into usable products. The programme has developed in the last few years to focus on creating an ecosystem of training and supports that can give people a wide range of new skills and bring economic and environmental advantages to local communities.

Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo

Retail

"That's lovely! Will I click 'buy'? Don't [think] it's available in town." It's a crucial moment. 'Convenience now vs searching town' Bigtech's unfair advantage is scale and 'frictionless' user experience (UXUI) Indigenous retailers by nature will always struggle, is there alternatives to connect that user, that item, with our bricks & mortar reseller? Local gov, if you're listening, help me, help town. We at Glofend Technologies are working on a possible solution to connect offline retailers with online buyers.

Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo, Cavan, Monaghan, Louth

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

Clinics/hubs for Volunteer led groups to navigate a range of strategic issues to help them thrive

Clinics/hubs for Volunteer led groups to naviga...

There are a lot of governance issues for groups to contend with, and it can be challenging to find appropriate support when it is needed. While people can access training – often at the point in time when they have a challenge or question it can be hard to know where to go. Would there be a benefit in a clinic type arrangement or physical hub or ongoing mentoring panel. There are lots of accessible supports for SME’s or start ups. Is there a similar model for Not for Profits, or is there some other solution that could be available on an ongoing basis?

Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo, Cavan, Monaghan, Louth