Seminar: Thinking Differently about International Volunteering with Matt Baillie Smith – NOW FULL

Start Date: 15/03/2018 End Date: 15/03/2018

Event Location: IDEA Office, 6 Gardiner Row, Dublin 1.

THIS EVENT IS NOW FULL – WAITING LIST ONLY

IDEA in conjunction with EIL Intercultural Learning & Global Citzen Award are running a seminar on Thinking Differently about International Volunteering with Matt Baillie Smith, Thursday 15 March, 9.30am – 12.30pm (including lunch). Matt Baillie Smith is Professor of International Development at Northumbria University. His work has focused on volunteering, civil society, citizenship and NGOs. 

This seminar will explore the role of volunteering in how we think about international development and global citizenship. Drawing on Matt’s research on volunteering with diverse development NGOs and humanitarian actors, as well as his research on Development Education, Matt will suggest we need to rethink volunteering and development. He will argue that we need to avoid repeating well-worn arguments about the gap year and international volunteers from the global North, but instead need to think about how different kinds of volunteers and ideas of citizenship come together to try and promote development in the South. He will also examine what the consequences are for both volunteers and marginalised communities. As part of this, Matt will provide an opportunity for participants to explore and analyse data from a project with the Swedish Red Cross on Volunteers in Conflicts and Emergencies, and to use this to think about what questions this poses for current thinking about volunteering, development and citizenship.

Registration on the day runs from 9.30 – 9.45am, with lunch from 12.00 -12.30pm.

To register contact:  eimear@ideaonline.ie.

Global Citizenship Education in Ireland to 2030 - Launch of IDEA´s new vision document

By Maximiliana Eligi Mtenga • September 12, 2025
Over the past few months, IDEA and its members co-created a new strategic vision and roadmap for GCE in Ireland for the next five years. This is the successor to Vision 2025 and is called Vision 2030. We are delighted to announce that we will launch the publication of Vision 2030 on Tuesday 21 October 2025 in the Georgian Suite of Buswells Hotel, 23-27 Molesworth Street, Dublin 2, 12 noon – 12.45pm. Refreshments will be provided. Please save the date and register below for the event. Please note that there is limited space at this event and places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. Once capacity has been reached, a waiting list will be opened.

We’re Hiring - Capacity Development Programme Manager

September 12, 2025
We’re Hiring - Capacity Development Programme Manager The Irish Development Education Association (IDEA) is looking for a Capacity Development Programme Manager to join our team. This is a unique leadership opportunity to help shape the future of Global Citizenship Education (GCE) in Ireland and beyond. At IDEA, we work with over 100 members, from large NGOs like Trócaire and Concern to smaller organisations and individual educators, all committed to building a more just, equal, and sustainable world. The Capacity Development Programme Manager role is central to this mission. Key role responsibilities: Lead IDEA’s capacity development programme , ensuring our members and the wider sector have access to high-quality training, workshops, and networking opportunities. Design and deliver flagship events , including our annual conference, webinars, and seminars that strengthen skills, knowledge, and collaboration. Drive innovation and impact , ensuring our programmes respond to members’ needs, emerging challenges, and international best practice. Champion impact measurement and research , supporting our members to demonstrate the transformative power of Development and Global Citizenship Education. Collaborate across IDEA teams on policy, advocacy, and communications, ensuring capacity-building directly contributes to systemic change. Represent IDEA nationally and internationally , ensuring Ireland continues to be seen as a leader in the global conversation on education, equality, and sustainability. The role offers: A permanent contract (subject to funding) Hybrid working based in Dublin city centre Competitive salary, employer pension contribution and 25 days annual leave The opportunity to work at the heart of a dynamic national network with strong international links If you are an experienced leader with a passion for education, social justice, and building the capacity of civil society, this could be the role for you. Deadline for applications is Monday, 13 October, 5.00pm. Interviews: Week commencing 20 October 2025 For the full role description and application process, please download the Job Specification here

IDEA CEO Addresses Major International GCE Conference in Seoul

September 11, 2025
IDEA CEO, Ruairí McKiernan, was among the speakers at the recent 10th International Conference on Global Citizenship Education (IConGCED) in Seoul, co-organised by APCEIU (the Asia-Pacific Centre of Education for International Understanding under the auspices of UNESCO), the Korean Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and UNESCO. The conference brought together more than 350 participants from 51 countries under the theme “Democracy in the Post-Truth Crisis: The Role of GCED.” Ruairí was the only Irish speaker, sharing perspectives shaped by Ireland’s history of conflict, peacebuilding, and global solidarity.