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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Vacant Houses could be Happy Homes

Housing department Co Council, vacant property owners and potential tenants approved for HAP work to gather to access grants to renovate vacant houses into homes for struggling homeless, and housing waiting list members

Leitrim

Electrical bike and vehicle hire in dundalk and surrounding local villages

Electrical bike and vehicle hire in dundalk and...

https://www.cambridge.gov.uk/voi-electric-bike-and-scooter-trial https://www.ufodrive.com/en/ https://www.lakedistrict.gov.uk/visiting/getting-to-the-lake-district/electric-car-hire-and-charging-points-in-the-lake-district. With more people working from home, using park and ride, could we reduce cars per household down to one car by offering rental of electrical bikes/ cars. Used as an marketing for tourism as well.

Monaghan, Louth

Drogheda Community Fridge

A Community Fridge in Drogheda Town where people can help themselves for free. Indivuduals and businesses can donate surplus food to the fridge to tackle the huge issue of food waste. Volunteers help run the scheme with the help of Co Louth council.

Louth

Creating Smart Communities in County Cavan

Centralised around the 13 remote working hubs in County Cavan, we would like to bring together forward-thinking ideas of how we might create smart communities to live and work in. Areas of development could overlap across digital, environmental, economical and social aspects of how our local communities can thrive.

Cavan

Towards 2025: Community Groups Connecting

What does the future hold for your community group? Our communities have grown and changed over the past number of years, how we engage and interact with one another is also changing. The needs, wants and ambitions of people who live in our local area and how we connect is becoming more diverse too. Is it time to take a fresh approach to engaging your communities’ greatest asset, IT’S PEOPLE! Some of the challenges faced by all community groups. > How can you better understand your community, it’s people, who they are, their wealth of skills, talents and diversity? > Are there untapped skills in your community which could bring a new energy to your community organisation? > How can you connect with them and engage them moving forward? > How can you empower your community group and its residents? > How can you support your community grow and deliver in these ever changing times? Why not start the journey today to re-focus and re-energise your community group.

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

Communication and Marketing of Ballybay, or lack of it, for residents / potential residents / visito

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?

Monaghan

EV Charge Point

EV charge point for Sligo Folk Park

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

Kiltyclogher - A vibrant and sustainable future - Kilty Alive

Kiltyclogher - A vibrant and sustainable future...

This challenge will help to develop and sustain the many unique aspects of Kiltyclogher village, its community, and surrounding rural area.

Leitrim

The Tain Walkway

Creating a Walkway from Ardee to Dundalk through Tallanstown, Louth Village and Knockbridge using the historic Tain Trail as a guide

Louth

Community project to improve Drumkeeran Village

Small park/green area with seating and planted flower beds for residents and visitors to enjoy. The village has an elderly residential housing and day care facility on the back lane but very little green space near or in the village. A small park in the village would both enhance it and improve the biodiversity in the area. It would also be a communal area where people could meet and enjoy the outdoor space.

Leitrim

Digital Divide

increase in eServices leaving people behind

Louth

Reuse of unused buildings for dedicated community hubs

Reuse of unused buildings for dedicated communi...

Many groups are desperately in need of dedicated meeting spaces. Men's Sheds, Hen's Sheds, Baby and Toddler Groups, Youth groups are struggling to secure cost effective meeting spaces - even in pre-covid times. Alongside that many public buildings remain due to closures eg. HSE, Post Offices, Council Buildings. This would apply to all counties although at present I am particularly interested in finding premises for Dunleer Men's Shed. Could there be a scheme that matches groups to suitable premises?

Louth

Keeping towns and villages viable

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

Cavan

Be a Welcoming Community

Moving house is considered one of the most stressful life events. Imagine trying to settle into your new neighbourhood during a global pandemic and national lockdown. I know all about this challenge as I faced it when I moved into a new estate in August 2020. I also know community services are striving to develop new ways to reach marginalised individuals and communities safely, as we emerge out of a lockdown as restrictions are being lifted. COVID has highlighted many of the inequalities that existed pre-COVID 19, for example, the digital divide is acutely felt by those who experience social isolation. Aim: The aim of this project is to reduce the digital divide, combat loneliness and social isolation for marginalised communities as we move towards recovery from the impact of COVID on our economic and social life. The benefits will enhance education, health and wellbeing and other opportunities for marginalised individuals / communities.

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