Students Are Leading the Way 

5 Oct 2021

The strong contribution by UCC students to this year’s Community Week is testament to the resilience and compassion of Ireland’s student leaders. UCC Students are standing up and taking responsibility for creating a better future that cares for health and wellbeing, inclusive communities, the environment and a just society. Despite the challenges of the pandemic, the culture of student engagement, through clubs, societies and volunteering at UCC, shines through in their commitment to this year’s Community Week. Here are some of the community week events led and delivered by students during UCC Community Week 2021:

Launch of UCC Gaisce Project

Whether you already volunteer, or are looking to begin volunteering, The UCC Gaisce Project is an excellent opportunity to make friends, develop skills and to reach your full potential. The UCC Gaisce Project will be officially launched as part of UCC Community Week.

Public Participation Workshop

Making submissions to development plans, or objections to planning applications can be a daunting process. Join us for a workshop demystifying the process, and learn how to have your voice heard in consultation processes. This collaboration between Cork Environmental Forum and UCC Green Campus Network aims to equip people with the tools and knowledge to actively engage in their community through public consultation processes, development plans, and planning objections.

An Introduction to Community Gardening

Join the UCC Community Garden Committee for an introduction to the UCC Community Gardens. These student-led presentations and demonstrations will help you find out more about how to get involved in community gardens or feel free to come along to pick up some simple tips for beginner gardeners.

Campus Bat Trail

Join National Parks and Wildlife Services (NPWS) as they lead a Bat Trail around the UCC Campus. During this event, brought to you by the UCC Environment Society, you will get to discover and experience using echosounders to detect and identify bats. Learn more about these fascinating creatures and how we can help care for them and their habitats.

Exploring Community Democracy

The event invites communities of interest to explore how communities and community groups in Cork and farther afield promote, develop and use democracy to shape society. Hosted by the UCC Co-Operative Society together with the Centre for Co-Operative Studies and UCC Sociology Department.

Communities of Care: Dementia and Mental Health

This collaborative event between the UCC Alzheimer’s Society and the UCC SÁMH (Suicide Awareness & Mental Health) Society focuses on dementia-specific care in the local Cork community along with mental health issues faced by the elderly.  Care service providers and researchers share practical information about geriatric mental illness and dementia, in addition to providing an example of dementia-specific care in the local Cork community. The UCC Alzheimer's Society donates all proceeds from its events to the Bessboro Day Care Centre, which provides dementia specific care to the local Cork community.

Neighbourhood Street Clean

Join the local residents, students and staff for a local neighbourhood street clean, led by the Environmental Society. All are welcome to come along and meet like-minded people wanting to inject care in our environment, starting right here on our own doorstep.

The University in the Era of Climate Change and the Responsibility of the Civic University

Keynote from Prof Keri Facer, Professor of Educational and Social Futures, University of Bristol and Guest Professor in Education for Sustainable Development at Gothenburg University with Prof John O’Halloran, UCC President as discussant. Keri’s work is concerned with creating the conditions for ecologically sustainable and socially just futures and the role of education and informal learning in these processes. Keri Facer will present a keynote paper will explore the role of universities in helping to create ecologically sustainable and socially just futures. The following Q&A will include UCC students and youth activists Asha Woodhouse, SU President and Alicia Joy O’Sullivan, UNIC Student Board Representative.

More info and register here.

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Browse the full Community Week Programme here.