Welcome to my journey through activism! This page is a summary of my main points of attainment that we have achieved over the last number of years. Feel free to contact me at any point about any of the below sections, I’d be more than happy to talk through them!

SDG National Stakeholder Forum Committee

I have been appointed to the SDG National Stakeholder Forum Committee at the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. Each year, an SDG Forum Committee will be appointed from a variety of sectors and backgrounds to develop the work plan for the Forum for that year and to design a well-publicised, accessible and inclusive National Stakeholder Forum format. The committee consists of representation from all stakeholder groups and is an action under Ireland’s Second National Implementation Plan for the Sustainable Development Goals 2022-2024. The SDG National Stakeholder Forum was established in 2018 to provide a mechanism for stakeholders to discuss innovative ideas and solutions for further development of the national SDG framework. The Forum aims to facilitate open and inclusive engagement and develop collaborative partnerships in support of Agenda 2030.

You can find my profile along with the full committee membership for 2024 below!

Irish Second-Level Students’ Union (ISSU)

During the 2022/23 term, I served as the Sustainability Officer for the Irish Second-Level Students’ Union (ISSU). I dedicated significant attention to advancing Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). A pivotal part of my role involved active participation in both the Interdepartmental Steering Group on ESD and the ESD Advisory Group at the Department of Education. Here, I advocated for the perspectives of 600,000 students before influential decision-makers. Notably, I played a crucial role in ensuring that student and youth voices were heard in the development of the new School Sector Climate Action Mandate.

One of the notable achievements during my tenure was the successful organisation and execution of 'Debate Your Decision Makers,' Ireland's largest national sustainability consultation event for young people. Held at the Mansion House in February, the event witnessed numerous students engaging in spirited sustainability-focused debates with politicians. Noteworthy figures like an Taoiseach, Uachtarán na hÉireann, and Minister Norma Foley, along with several esteemed guests, delivered special addresses. From these discussions, the students collaboratively crafted a comprehensive list of 41 sustainability-related demands, which now serves as a government action plan. This list has been formally presented to Minister Eamon Ryan, Minister Foley, and other influential political figures.

During this event, we introduced five policy documents, each meticulously crafted by the ISSU in collaboration with students. These documents serve as comprehensive guides to foster sustainability in every school nationwide. The reception has been overwhelmingly positive, with expressions of gratitude pouring in from various quarters, including Department officials, as well as students and teachers. They commend us for furnishing them with a solid foundation to instigate sustainable transformation within their school communities.

National Youth Action Group (NYAG) of Youth Work Ireland (YWI)

Since July 2023, I have been a member of Youth Work Ireland's National Youth Advisory Group (NYAG). The role of the group is to act as young people’s voices in the governance of Youth Work Ireland. In November of last year, the group embarked on an Erasmus+ funded trip to the European Parliament in Brussels. Here, we held talks with the European Youth Forum, Ireland’s Permanent Representative to the European Union and a number of MEPs such as Maria Walsh, Grace O’Sullivan and Seán Kelly. The purpose of this trip was to set our focus for the next year, and with the meetings we had and experience gained, we are now running a campaign to increase youth participation and representation in the Local and European Elections in June. To date, we have lobbied the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage and An Taoiseach to set the date of the Local and European Elections to be Saturday the 8th of June and having it the previous day as scheduled would interfere with students and first time voters sitting the Leaving Certificate.

SpunOut

In late-2022, I was filmed by SpunOut for a documentary about youth climate activism . It showcased three young climate activists, Erin, Alannah and myself as we told our stories on how we got involved in activism at a young age. The video has amassed over five hundred thousand views online and has spread information on how to get started as an activist to thousands of young people throughout Ireland and abroad.

There is a space for everyone in climate activism. Find the area that suits you. Erin, Jamie and Alannah share how they first got involved.

Employment at Yugo

For the past year, I've been employed at Yugo Highfield Park in Phibsborough. Originally, I had planned to make this site my student accommodation in Dublin starting in September. However, an interview in July led to me relocating in August to assist during the check-in period. During the past 13 months, I've been part of a dynamic team dedicated to providing the highest quality of student living to more than 400 students. We've also been proactive in addressing modern challenges in Ireland, such as accommodation shortages, the high cost of living, and the increasing cost of college. 

Throughout this period, I've progressed within the organisation and recently earned a promotion to the role of supervisor. My primary responsibility in that role involved overseeing a team of four dedicated summer assistants who reside with us, continuing the exceptional work we've achieved in recent months. This experience has significantly enhanced my problem-solving and leadership skills.

In addition to my daily responsibilities, I actively incorporate sustainability into my work here. I strive to integrate YugoEco, the sustainability pillar of our company, into all aspects of our operations. Our commitment to sustainability goes beyond simply reducing office printing - it encompasses a holistic approach to environmental responsibility.

I am also a Change Leader with The Yugo Movement, a community of students committed to creating a sustainable future within the company. Change Leaders play a crucial role at the forefront of sustainable change within Yugo, inspiring and leading others to create a more sustainable and environmentally conscious world. I am currently working on and leading an initiative across many departments in Yugo to encourage as many students to register to vote as possible. This voter registration drive aims to educate students about the importance of voting while simultaneously guiding them through the modernised voting registration system. This project is currently being trialled and will be rolled out to all 11 Yugo Ireland Spaces in the first half of October 2023.