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

Health Care Forests

Inspire and support healthcare sites in transforming their green space for health, wellbeing and biodiversity. Ideas include beautiful gardens for rest and recovery; woodland, orchards and meadows that lock up carbon and create habitats for wildlife; and growing space for fruit and veg. https://nhsforest.org/ lots of evidence about the benefits linking nature and well being. Also lots of examples of projects in action to learn from. Can link into social prescription projects.

Monaghan, Louth

Bowls in the Community

Lawn Bowls is a sport ‘EVERYONE’ can play no matter age, colour, fitness level, disability, it’s a sport that can be adapted to suit everyone. We currently run an Inclusive bowl’s session every Monday morning from 11am - 1pm but I’m sure there is loads of people in care homes, retirement homes, schools and colleges around the county of Sligo that we could travel to and put on a session for them making them feel involved and giving them a new challenge. All our coaches are Garda vetted and have their safeguarding courses done so it wouldn’t take a lot for this idea to take off.

Leitrim, Sligo

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

Recruiting new members & volunteers

We will be undertaking a major redevelopment of Letterkenny Community Centre over the next number of years and require new volunteers and board and committee members to help.

Donegal

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

A community space for activities

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

Monaghan

Greenway from Ballybay to Castleblayney

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

Monaghan

Repurposing old buildings in the town

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

Monaghan

Lack of youth activities in Ballybay

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

Monaghan

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

Outdoor sports club like badminton, basketball, cricket, etc. in Monaghan

Outdoor sports club like badminton, basketball,...

Idea from Monaghan Farmer's Market - Outdoor sports club like badminton, basketball, cricket, etc.

Monaghan

Aughavas GAA and Aughavas Community Astro Pitch Development

Aughavas GAA and Aughavas Community Astro Pitch...

We aim to construct an Astro all weather Pitch at Aughavas GAA Grounds in Co Leitrim

Leitrim

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

Arts on Wheels in Monaghan

An idea from the Monaghan Idea Generation Workshop on the theme of Arts; Rural areas are currently badly served by the arts. I’d love to see an arts-on-wheels service that would deliver arts directly to homes in the rural areas of the county. This could be done in people’s gardens by a range of visual and performance artists, musicians, poets, writers, storytellers and the like. Funding might be feasible by people paying for art creation or performances for their relatives as a treat or to celebrate an occasion.

Monaghan

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