Young Minds, Bright Ideas: How Young People Are Shaping the Future of Fingal

Smart Dublin had the pleasure of spending time in Swords in early April, supporting the Academy of The Near Future team in the first Design Your Future programme delivered in partnership with Fingal County Council at the Carnegie Library Swords.

The week kicked off with a fun but revealing exercise: students designing “terrible towns” for different users. This set the tone for a programme that encouraged critical thinking, creativity and sustainability. Students then explored how the Fingal area has evolved over time, guided by Catherine Keane, Fingal Senior Librarian, who brought Fingal’s archives and maps to life and prompted meaningful discussions about place, community and change. On the same day, students were given a very insightful talk by Fingal County Council’s Active Travel team, on the importance of active travel around Dublin and examples of ways that they are making Dublin a safer city to travel in.

Day two blended creativity and technology. Students wrote postcards to their future selves, imagining arts events for the new Swords Cultural Centre that is currently in development, and got hands on with coding through micro-bits. Fingal Artist in Residence, Linda Shevlin delivered an inspiring biodiversity session which was followed by Visual Artist, Maria McSweeney who led a hugely popular potato planting with seaweed fertilisers and seaweed printing session.

Across the final couple of days the students focused on visionary futures and problem solving. They identified local challenges, brainstormed bold solutions and then in teams, developed their own prototypes. On Friday, they presented their ideas and prototypes to Fingal County Council staff along with special guest, Fingal Mayor Tom O’Leary. Their ideas included using drones to promote biodiversity in Dublin and initiatives tackling safety and anti-social behaviour.

 This programme was a powerful example of how young people, when given the space and tools, can contribute thoughtful, ambitious ideas for the future of our cities and communities. If this week is anything to go by, Fingal’s future is in very safe hands.

A big well done to Grace D’Arcy, Clara Butz and Nicole Marry, who set up and delivered the workshop for the week.

For more information about the Academy of the Near Future programmes visit

www.nearfuture.ie or email  info@smartdocklands.ie