St Mary’s NS is delighted to announce that we have been accepted into the DCU Changemaker Network. On December 6th 2023, Mr O’Byrne and Ms Gloster attending DCU to receive our official award. The DCU Changemaker Network was established in September 2020 with a network of 15 innovative primary schools in Ireland who were chosen for their pioneering work in the development of the skills of empathy, creativity, leadership, and teamwork. The network was extended to 28 schools in 2023 and St Mary’s NS was delighted to be selected as one of the new network schools. The professional learning network has grown in strength over the last three years and St Mary’s NS is looking forward to being part of the journey of expansion.
This social innovation initiative has one powerful yet simple ambition- to support students as Changemakers. A Changemaker ‘is someone with the skills and confidence to lead change in their home, school and community’. This network of schools aims to support teachers and students in the areas of student voice, agency, and participation as well as active and engaged citizenship to address societal challenges such as inequality, climate change and mental health. The overarching goal is to help students develop their skills for critical thinking, empathy, teamwork, leadership to become active participants in their school and community to support sustainable and positive change.
A Changemaker is someone with the skills and confidence to lead change in their home, school, or community.
Changemakers are active citizens.
A Changemaker is a social innovator- someone who is taking creative action to solve a social problem.
Changemaking is transforming your world however big or small.
DCU Changemaker Schools practice and live the values of empathy, creativity, leadership, and teamwork.
Through the development of school cultures which foster the agency of students as Changemakers, we hope to positively influence and empower students’ identity and citizenship, in a changing world.
