Trinity students to represent Ireland at Enactus World Cup

Posted on: 28 June 2019

Students from Trinity College Dublin will soon be jetting off to Silicon Valley in the US to represent Ireland at the Enactus World Cup, having won the national version of a competition that celebrates positive innovations created at third-level institutions.

The successful Trinity team (Enactus TCD) developed projects that 1) empower homeless people, 2) nurture wellness, and 3) develop sustainability and leadership skills in disadvantaged youth. They beat off competition from nine other higher education institutions in Ireland. Supported by Aer Lingus, Enactus TCD will go forward to the Enactus World Cup in September.

Trinity’s headline project was Hope, which empowers homeless people to develop the necessary skills to allow them to transition out of homelessness and earn a wage while doing so. The team do this by giving homeless people an opportunity to coach football teams made up of Trinity students, while helping them develop soft skills and confidence in a professional environment.

KeepAppy, the second project, developed an app that puts wellness into people’s pockets everywhere. It is a wellness toolkit, comprising of ten features that feed into three primary mechanisms: mental unwellness prevention, mental maintenance and growth towards a wellness-oriented lifestyle, and access to emergency care through their geo-specific partnered helplines.

The final project is 2030 Leaders, which empowers disadvantaged youth through training on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and leadership skills. Participants apply these new skills by teaching younger students about the SDGs in an accessible, fun way.

Research Fellow in Computer Science at Trinity and the Adapt Centre, Kevin Koidl, Research Assistant in Public Health and Primary Care at Trinity, Margaret Martin-Carroll, and Civic Engagement Officer in Trinity, Simone Cameron-Coen, nurtured Team Enactus TCD as Faculty Advisors. They are now looking forward to seeing the team compete on a global stage.

Dr Koidl said:

“This innovative competition sees students, business leaders, academics and alumni come together for a showcase and celebration of the positive and innovative projects created by students at third level. At Trinity we are rightly proud of the success we have in supporting our students to become innovators and entrepreneurs, and I am delighted to see Team Enactus TCD using their skills and passion in these areas to develop innovations that address real-world issues and make real societal impact.”

Enactus Chairman, Terence O’Rourke, said:

“The energy from the students is contagious and this year again we have seen a truly amazing range of projects and initiatives creating real community impacts. We are very excited for Enactus TCD to represent Ireland at the Enactus World Cup.”

Carmel Walsh, HR Director at Aer Lingus, added:

“Aer Lingus has a proud tradition in supporting and employing graduates. Competitions like Enactus are fantastic for nurturing the next generation of socially conscious business leaders. Aer Lingus is delighted to be flying Team Enactus TCD to Silicon Valley in September. We wish Team Ireland the very best of luck at the Enactus World Cup.”

In a first for Enactus Ireland, the national final was a carbon neutral event. No single-use plastics were present and Abbott Ireland provided bamboo keep-cups for all attendees.