icecream
architecture

Innovating Communities is an active training programme to strengthen local development and community-led action across counties Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo, Cavan, Monaghan, and Louth.

Icecream designed and managed the project working directly with local development companies in each county. The program provides access to training in Design Thinking. It encourages people across the Border Region to participate in a community of fellow learners, with cohorts of participants focussing on local challenges and developing sustainable solutions to improve community life.

Design thinking is a process that focuses on people to address various challenges, and it can be applied to tackle any issues of local interest. Helping young people access better job opportunities, developing a tourism strategy for a group of villages and creating a local approach to tackling major issues like climate change are a few examples of the many projects undertaken. Not only will our training courses provide immediate benefits, but the design thinking skills and new connections established during the program will leave a lasting legacy that will positively impact community action for years to come.

Outcomes

A fantastic body of outcomes has been developed and delivered through the Innovating Communities program. The creation of community gardens, a recreational corridor, opportunities to develop new social enterprise, pop-up cinemas, youth hubs, and inclusive language class proposals to increase social and economic opportunities for refugees, are just a few of the many outcomes.

Processes
A range of online training, blended workshops, and in-person design thinking sessions have taken place with groups ranging from school students to inter-county cohorts made up of active community members. Design thinking activities and training materials used to develop their projects are tailored to the specific needs and aims of the groups.

Clients