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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Rural decline

Rural isolation and decline in areas of disadvantage due to lack of jobs and poor infrastructure.

Leitrim

Creating infrastructure to develop sustainable craft enterprises in rural communities

Creating infrastructure to develop sustainable...

The last factory within the village was a guinness bottling facility that closed in the 1990s. We identified a pressing need for collective workspaces for the many creatives that live in the village. Creatives include; ceramic artists woodworkers, bakers, designers, furniture makers, antique restorers, textile workers, web designers. Despite living in a small village covid-19 lockdown has highlighted the massive potential of online sales and the support that is shown to Irish businesses by buying local. Creating a craft quarter in kiltyclogher could not only drive light manufacturing but also supply back to the local tourism industry. With higher footfall, ancillary services would be needed, including a cafe and craft shop that would also greatly benefit the community in its social aspects.

Leitrim

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

Art & information hiking Trail over the peaks of the iron Mts. Co. Leitrim

Art & information hiking Trail over the peaks o...

Development of a hiking trail from- either 1; the Cuilcagh ’stairway to Heaven’ to Drumshanbo. Or 2; Blacklion to Drumshanbo via the Cavan Burren, the Shannon Pot, up to Glangevlin, over Sliabh na Cille, then join the Leitrim way/Beara-Breifne way to Drumshanbo. Along the route there could be sculptures, murals , and various other art installations that make the journey more memorable, inspiring, and educational as to the area's local history, wildlife, and the Tuatha de Danann. I have mapped out possible routes but would like a team to help develop the initiative. Another asset that can be developed along this route is the dis-used old cottages along the way. These cottages are often in excess of 300years and are a monument to Irish history. Forgotten and left to crumble these cottages can be restored as 'museum' type locations/destination that can be preserved, used as resting/ information points, café, and even accommodation to generate income to the landowners.

Leitrim, Cavan

Omeath's forgotten History

Omeath has a unique history and potential for a cultural tourism destination as the village was the home to the first recorded Gaelic match, the first Galteach, a summer residence of Padraig Pearse, the famous blind poet Seamus dall Mac Cuarta, The Fadgies . However, none of the buildings associated with Pearse and the first Gealtach were preserved and neither the heritage or tourism potential has been recognised by either the local authority or failte Ireland, Support and resources are required to promote the history and unique culture and promote the area as a cultural tourism destination.

Louth

Keeping the West open

Find a way to keep more of Irelands tourist things open longer. The local hotel closes for six months and with it one of our swimming pools. More people moved West during the pandemic, so these people and those already living here need to be recognised. When the tourists go, there is still a population who want to live, to experience things, to enjoy their weekends. It is more important now with the people from the East moving here. If there is nothing for them to do here, what stops them moving back East. It may mean opening shorter hours, or operating differently, but there us still money among the populace, we have to travel to Dublin for music events, don't make u have to travel for everything we want to do.

Leitrim, Sligo, Cavan

Fundraising

Currently fundraising via a Go Fund Me page, difficult in a small rural area as so many other local groups are doing something similar. Can different groups/committees join together to run one overall fundraiser rather then working individually and split the proceeds evenly

Leitrim

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

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

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

News, Gossip, Rumour - items for Our National Chronicle

News, Gossip, Rumour - items for Our National C...

Ticked all 6 x county boxes as we reckon News & its cousin Gossip is relevant to all. We are revitalising the 1200 year long tradition across Ireland; Annal or Chronicle writing. We invite districts to send us NEWS items most proximate and pertinent to their parish pump and with luck your wee gems and tall tales might get inked into our parchment. https://www.brumoytura.org/annals

Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo, Cavan, Monaghan, Louth

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

Lack of support for individuals in Community Groups

Lack of support for individuals in Community Gr...

The biggest challenge that facing a Community Group is the complete lack of financial support for the individuals. The programs that currently exist are simply not fit for purpose. The Pobal Scheme just does not work as the bar is way too high. There is an overemphasis on generating incomes and does not take any heed of the actions being delivered. There simply has to be another scheme involved because there was so many good ideas in the community and voluntary sector but they are being stifled by bureaucracy/

Donegal

Develop sustainable tourism solutions

Create a wider range of sustainable tourist experiences to be consumed both from national and International travellers . The main aim should be to reduce the downfall of future pandemics, allow producers and growers to find new markets , maintain and create more local employment and diversify revenue streams.

Louth

Insurance Costs for community groups and social enterprises

Insurance Costs for community groups and social...

There is a lack of competitive insurance provision for community groups and social enterprises. Small Community groups and charities could be forced to cease operations as a result. There may be an opportunity for a social enterprise to meet this need.

Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo, Cavan, Monaghan, Louth

Help Sustain Social Enterprises using alternative local energy like hydro or wind alternative

Help Sustain Social Enterprises using alternati...

Investigate Natural Resources available locally

Donegal

Migrant Community Strategy

Plans of action for integration into the community. Long term goals in each county to achieve inclusion of migrants arriving and living in their county. Taking action leading to education of both Irish and migrants living together. Reducing discrimination of a minority group. It would be great to develop a Multicultural Centre as a means to provide services to incoming migrants and for events related to integration. A fabulous way for Irish and migrants to come together.

Leitrim