Impact
From collaborative exhibitions and programme engagement to the development of resources, here’s how developmenteducation.ie made an impact in 2024
“20 Years in 20 Objects” Exhibition
To mark the Irish Development Education Association’s 20th anniversary, developmenteducation.ie curated a reflective exhibition titled “20 Years in 20 Objects”.
Inspired by the Irish Global Solidarity in 100 Objects project, it reimagined that concept as a living archive and memory project celebrating the history of Global Citizenship Education (GCE).
This living archive brought GCE history to life through a selection of symbolic and practical objects from IDEA’s “memory box,” including:
The first Fairtrade plates used at IDEA events.
A copy of Irish Aid’s 2005 White Paper on Development.
A global educator’s toolkit of games and resources.
A Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) pin worn by former director Frank Geary.
The exhibition included guided tours, a live workshop, and hands-on engagement from the GCE community.
“20 Years in 20 Objects” demonstrated the adaptability of the 100 Objects model as both a physical and thematic education tool, deepening shared ownership across the sector.
Guidelines for Creating GCE/DE Resources
Developmenteducation.ie led the sector-wide process of revising and improving the Guidelines for Producing Development Education and Global Citizenship Education Resources, launched in April 2025.
Highlights from the collaborative development process:
Introduced at the Strategic Partners Advisory Panel (SPAP) meeting, supported by Irish Aid.
Built on a public consultation in 2023 and an advanced draft review in autumn 2024.
Developed with input from a wide range of GCE actors including Youth 2030, WorldWise Global Schools, Ubuntu, DICE Project, Global Village, STAND, and Saolta.
This updated edition reflects the demands of the SDG era and the need to decolonise educational materials, offering practical guidance on producing effective, inclusive resources, from worksheets to video reels, in print and digital formats.
Download the Guidelines here
Expanding & Evaluating Our Resources Library
Developmenteducation.ie significantly expanded and assessed its Resources Library in 2024, supporting educators with timely, high-quality materials:
80 new annotated resources added (bringing the total to 925).
20 new resources authored by Global South writers, focusing on the Developing World (total now: 245).
2 featured blog campaigns promoted new additions and encouraged submissions, with a focus on peace and conflict themes.
To better understand impact beyond download counts, a light-touch, anonymous user survey was embedded across the site:
757 participants completed the survey.
Educators from 27 counties across Ireland accessed the resources.
48% said they would use the materials in formal education.
47% of respondents work in primary or post-primary education.
16% identified as third-level educators or GCE practitioners.
22% used materials for background reading or research.
This continuous feedback loop helps shape platform improvements and tailor future resources more closely to educators’ real-world needs
Programme Engagement
In 2024, developmenteducation.ie delivered a dynamic programme of educator-focused initiatives designed to meet the evolving needs of teachers and student teachers.
A total of 863 people engaged with the programme overall, including through in-person events, workshops, and mini pop-up survey activities.
The in-person events included:
30 post-primary student teachers at Galway University for the Global Citizenship Education Day, participating in the session:
“From ‘hot potato’ issues to a planet on fire – a teacher’s guide to handling global justice today.”18 primary-level student teachers at Mary Immaculate College, exploring how to produce classroom-friendly GCE resources.
15 art and design PME student teachers at NCAD’s Change Lab, engaging in the “Pause for Thought” collaborative exhibition and reflection on visual education approaches in GCE.
94% of participants reported improved understanding, knowledge, or potential behaviour change regarding global issues, demonstrating the impact of our engagement programmes.
Meet the developmenteducation.ie Consortium
Consortium member organisations include:
DevelopmentEducation.ie is part-funded by Irish Aid at the Department of Foreign Affairs. Irish Aid is the Government’s overseas development programme which supports partners working in some of the world’s poorest countries.
Irish Aid also supports global citizenship and development education in Ireland to encourage learning and public engagement with global issues.
The views expressed on this website are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Irish Aid.