TALENTED young people from West Belfast have scooped awards at the 2023 Trócaire Game Changers competition – demonstrating their knowledge of global justice issues.

Students from St Dominic’s Grammar School grabbed second prize in the post-primary category with their game ‘Hedbanz Global Goals Edition’. Other Belfast entries that reached the finals included ‘Beat the Global Goals’ also from St Dominic’s and ‘Pollution Solution’ from Springfield Primary School.

There were 223 entries from all over Ireland in the competition, with only 26 board, digital and card games – based on different themes including climate change, gender equality and education, refugee journeys and ocean pollution – making it through to the finals in the Helix Centre in Dublin.

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 the event.

Meanwhile Rathmore Grammar from Belfast reached the finals of ‘The Right Focus’, a competition featuring documentaries focusing on areas such as global health, war, fast fashion and refugees, with their entry ‘Refugee Inequality’, a documentary exploring SDG 10 around reducing inequalities. Eighteen entries were received from post-primary schools and Youthreach groups, and nine of the documentaries were shown at the final.

Springfield Primary School pupils with teacher Emma Andrews at the Game Changers competition finals in Dublin. Photo: David O’Hare
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Springfield Primary School pupils with teacher Emma Andrews at the Game Changers competition finals in Dublin. Photo: David O’Hare

Springfield Primary School teacher Emma Andrews said: “This was our first time entering the competition which we heard about through Trócaire’s partnership with Eco-Schools. The competition is a great way to have a conversation with the pupils about important issues like sea pollution which is what our game explores. What the children have learned in this process is amazing. They have been able to engage with the issues and make the connection between things that affect us globally and locally.”

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.”