Running from 2019 to 2021, the programme offered students a space to explore shared concerns, discuss identity and difference and learn from each other through workshops and residentials. In response to a sense of alienation from current political structures, the students also engaged directly with political leaders through online dialogues building their awareness and capacity for future leadership.
Supported by the Irish Government's Department of Foreign Affairs and Department of Education, this Post-Primary Schools initiative supports the Government’s 'New Decade, New Approach' commitment to expand cross-border school engagement.
The key aims of the programme were to support students in:
This north-south schools dialogue event was hosted to coincide with the visit of H.R.H Prince Charles and President Michael D. Higgins to Glencree in 2019. Working with the Glencree team, pupils and their teachers from three schools examined the topic of Irish-British relations through dialogues and readings. The students, aged 16-18, represented St Colmcille’s Community School (Dublin), St Louis Secondary School for Girls (Dundalk), and New-Bridge Integrated College (Banbridge, NI).
Building on the “Our Identity” Dialogue event, the 45 students from across the three participating schools took part in a three-day residential event at Corrymeela. Facilitated by Glencree and Corrymeela, the students explored the themes of culture and identity through a series of workshops and team building activities.
The next strand in this project focused on visits to the participating schools and the use of arts and crafts skills as the medium to work together to advance the exploration of identity. Peace memorials and art works were examined and the use of Triskel design to represent the coming together of identities was pursued.
In 2020/21, the programme continued to bring students from across Ireland together. During this post-primary school phase, the focus was on inter-school student–politician engagement through a series of online dialogues (held virtually due to COVID-19).
Five student-politician engagements took place between senior students from Ballyclare High School and Dominican College, Co. Antrim, Loreto Community School, Co. Donegal and Dublin’s Luttrellstown Community College with politicians north and south of the border. Click on the links below to view these student-politician dialogues.
During these exchanges, the students shared areas of common concern to them including: Covid, Brexit, mental health and identity. They also welcomed the opportunity to address their concerns on other key areas such as climate change and LGBTI+.
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