Critical ChangeLab is an EU-funded project which aims to develop innovative, transdisciplinary, youth-led approaches to democracy and global citizenship education.
Trinity is part of a consortium using participatory action research (PAR) with civil society organisations in ten EU countries to create a new model of democratic pedagogy (Critical ChangeLabs). Critical ChangeLabs involve collaboration with local stakeholders to address challenges relevant to young people.
In February, researchers from Trinity’s School of Education and the Trinity Long Room Hub co-designed a series of workshops with InSync, an organisation providing youth and family services in Kildare and West Wicklow. The theme of ‘community and identity’ was chosen in consultation with the InSync Junior Board and their Area Coordinator youth workers. This topic is particularly pertinent in the context of the growing influence of the far right in Ireland, an issue of concern for the young people who participated in the project.
The Junior Board are young people aged 16 – 24 who contribute youth perspectives to decision-making for the entire InSync service. Participants worked with Trinity researchers to explore historical examples of exclusion and social change and articulate their visions for inclusive futures and better youth agency within their local communities. The Junior Board created a series of handmade zines at the end of the workshops to capture their reflections and messages in relation to these themes.
Speaking of the collaboration with Trinity, an area coordinator with the Junior Board said:
“ The Junior Board and the Critical Change Lab started a process to look at democracy and through that process what we discovered, and affirmed, was that some of the most marginalised young people in our communities are living in worlds where they see themselves as having no power to change things and in lots of ways with little voice.”
At the end of March, the Junior Board and Area Coordinators came to Trinity for the final research focus group, a campus tour, a visit to Leinster House, and to share their zines with colleagues from the School of Education and Trinity Long Room Hub.
Commenting on their participation in the workshops, one member of the Junior Board said they felt their “opinion as a young person is valued” and that through the participatory research “you’re provided a way to give your opinion, your thoughts, and your observations on ongoing issues that you have found in your area.”
Another participant highlighted the importance of being part of the Critical ChangeLabs, and seeing how historical societal injustices were changed in the past: "even if it did take 60-70 years, change can be made ... it gave that empowerment that it might take time, but we can make changes to the society we're in and solve the issues we're facing... "
Following the latest workshops, Dr Mairéad Hurley, Assistant Professor in Science Education at Trinity, reflected on the experience, and outlined the next steps of the project:
"It has been a joy to work with InSync as co-researchers, and the young people have constructed powerful messages full of creativity, humour, and vulnerability. We look forward to continuing this collaboration and supporting this incredible group in using the Critical ChangeLab model to further investigate inequality and injustice, envision alternate futures, and collaboratively take action on the issues that matter to them.
With our partners across Europe, the Trinity team is now reflecting on the first iteration of the Critical ChangeLab and planning for the next series of workshops. We're also preparing to work with a new group of young people this summer as part of our ongoing collaboration with the Digital Hub and the Beta Festival of Art & Technology.
If any schools, artists, or non-formal learning institutions are interested in getting involved, please email us at criticalchangelab@tcd.ie—we'd love to talk!"
The Critical ChangeLab project draws upon the expertise of Trinity’s multidisciplinary Science & Society research group, based in the School of Education
The Critical ChangeLab project also builds upon the Trinity Long Room Hub’s work in this area in recent years, including The Democracy Forum and CEPRAH (Community Engagement Praxis for Research in the Arts and Humanities).
Team: Mairéad Hurley, Caitlin White, Karen Fowler (School of Education), Elspeth Payne (Trinity Long Room Hub)
Project website: https://ars.electronica.art/criticalchangelab/en/
Contact: criticalchangelab@tcd.ie
Critical Changelab is funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement number 101094217. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.