Global Education Time’s Youth Action gives students the chance to move from learning about global issues to taking meaningful, real-world action. Linked directly to GET’s Teaching and Learning Units (TLUs), these events help young people develop critical thinking, empathy, and active citizenship through creative, student-led projects.
Through Youth Action, students explore important topics, reflect on their learning, and take practical steps that show how individual and community actions can make a difference. Aligned with the Junior Cycle curriculum, the programme supports schools in bringing global issues to life in ways that are engaging, relevant, and empowering.
As part of a recent Youth Action, students from Roscommon Community College visited the APA charity shop in Athlone. During the visit, they learned about the environmental and social impacts of fast fashion, including the scale of textile waste and the resources used in clothing production highlighting the global challenge of climate change.
Students also discovered how buying from charity shops can be a positive alternative. Choosing second-hand clothing helps reduce waste, extend the life of garments, and challenge the culture of fast fashion. At the same time, purchases support the work of A Partnership with Africa (APA), with funds contributing to projects that promote education, health, and sustainable development.
For the students, the experience connected classroom learning with real-life action, showing how small choices can contribute to global change. When young people lead, communities listen—and real change begins.
