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Young people from Limerick and Dublin were the top winners at the 2023 Trócaire Game Changers and Right Focus competition today
Pictured at the 2023 Trócaire Game Changers and Right Focus Competitions are the Winners of the Primary Game Changers Award: Nicker National School, Old Pallas, Co. Limerick students Fionn, Sam, Keeva, Molly, Lily, Anita, Ellie, Anne with their innovative, interactive boardgame ‘River Run’ which aims to raise awareness about the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Photo: Mark Stedman
Talented young people from Counties Limerick and Dublin today scooped the top awards at the 2023 Trócaire Game Changers competition, with innovative entries raising awareness of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the world around us.
This year’s competition received more than 223 entries from all over Ireland. A final selection of 26 board, digital and card games – based on different themes including climate change, gender equality and education, refugee journeys and ocean pollution – made it through to the finals in the Helix Center in Dublin on May 22, 2023.
Trócaire Game Changers is an annual competition run by the Development Education team, who run workshops in schools and youth groups across the country teaching students and young people about global justice issues.
The programme invited students to create a development education game that focuses on one or more of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Students played and judged the games of fellow finalists at today’s event.
Pictured at the 2023 Trócaire Game Changers and Right Focus Competitions Pictured at the 2023 Trócaire Game Changers and Right Focus Competitions are the Game Changers Youth Winners: Forόige, Blanchardstown, Co. Dublin Daniel, Darcy, Aoife, Isabelle, Nicolas and Maia with their game ‘Ethiopia Aid’ which focused on NGO’s and humanitarian disasters. Photo: Mark Stedman
Primary Category: Nicker National School, Old Palla, Limerick with their innovative, interactive board-game ‘River Run’ which aims to raise awareness about the SDGs.
Post Primary: Loreto Secondary School, Balbriggan, Co. Dublin with their game ‘A Blob’s Rights’ exploring human rights.
Youth Category: Forόige, Blanchardstown, Co. Dublin with their game ‘Ethiopia Aid’ which focused on NGO’s and humanitarian disasters.
Ellie , a fifth-class student from Nicker National School, who worked on the ‘River Run’ game said she learned a lot from participating in Game Changers. The winning board game ‘River Run’ is focused on the River Shannon and imagines what it would be like in Ireland if we lost water.
“The board game was inspired by the Mahat family on this year’s Trócaire Lent box who were forced to flee their home due to the effects of climate change. We were really inspired by Natesha’s story and how her family lost everything in the drought. We spent a lot of time making this game and we really enjoyed it. We learned so much.”
Their teacher, Siobhan English, said: “The student’s game was inspired by Trócaire’s Lenten box this year and the Mahat family who are struggling in Somalia due to the effects of climate change. The young girl Nasteha (8) who featured on the box resonated with the students because so many of them are farmers and they can empathise with the family who lost their animals and crops because of climate change.”
Meanwhile Loreto College, St. Stephen’s Green in Dublin won The Right Focus, a competition featuring documentaries focusing on areas such as global health, war, fast fashion and refugees. The winning documentary was entitled ‘War in Ukraine’ and explored peace and conflict. 18 entries were received from post- primary schools and Youth Reach groups, and nine of the documentaries were shown at the final today.
Pictured at the 2023 Trócaire Game Changers and Right Focus Competitions are the Winners of the Post Primary Game Changers Award: Loreto Secondary School, Balbriggan students Aoife, Orla, Molly, Iris, Deirbhile and teacher Paula Grace, left, and Finola Finnan, Deputy Chief Executive Officer Trócaire, with their game ‘A Blob’s Right’ which explores human rights. Photo: Mark Stedman
In the Game Changers Youth Group Category, Forόige, Blanchardstown, Co. Dublin scooped the top prize with their game ‘Ethiopia Aid’ which focused on NGO’s and humanitarian disasters.
Darcy who created the game said: “Our board-game focuses on the issues in Ethiopia such as displacement and droughts. We really enjoyed making the game and learning about climate change.”
Lukasz Pasich, Volunteer at Foróige Blanchardstown said: “It’s a great way to introduce global problems to the kids. They enjoyed making the games and it’s a great day out for them.”
Trócaire’s Director of Ireland Programmes, Gwen Dempsey, said at the event: “One of Trόcaire’s aims is to connect, engage and mobilise people to act together for change. Game Changers and The Right Focus are a perfect example of this. All of the young people who have taken part in this programme not only learn about global justice issues themselves but also become peer educators. The quality of the games and documentaries they created was outstanding.”
“By working together, we can bring about real and positive lasting change and the amazing interest these young people have shown in issues of social justice is both humbling and heartening. I would urge others to find out more about Game Changers and The Right Focus by visiting www.trocaire.org.”
1st: Nicker National School, Old Palla, Co. Limerick with their innovative, interactive boardgame ‘River Run’ which aims to raise awareness about the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
2nd: Balbriggan Educate Together National School, Balbriggan, Co. Dublin with their game ‘Got to Go’ based on the SDG’s.
3rd: Scoil Eoin Primary School, Innishannon, Co. Cork with their ‘Game of Goals’ based on the SDG’s.
1st: Loreto Secondary School, Balbriggan, Co. Dublin with their game ‘A Blob’s Rights’ exploring human rights.
2nd: St. Dominic’s Grammar from Belfast with their game ‘Hedbanz Global Goals’ created by first years on the SDG’s.
3rd: Loreto College, Cavan with their game ‘World Wide Worries’.
1st: Forόige, Blanchardstown, Co. Dublin with their game ‘Ethiopia Aid’ which focused on NGO’s and humanitarian disasters.
2nd: Youth Work Ireland, Tipperary with their game on the SDG’S and gender equality.
1st: Loreto College, St. Stephen’s Green in Dublin with a documentary entitled ‘War in Ukraine’ which explored peace and conflict.
2nd: Crumlin Youthreach, Dublin with ‘Freed from Desire’.
