EIL Intercultural Learning

The EIL Development Education Programme is managed by a Committee formed by the Development Education Coordinator and a core group of returned participants with a particular interest in development education.
The DevEd Management Committee ensures that the programme is owned by and relevant to EIL members by taking a direct role in identifying key priority areas, objectives and activities for the implementation of the Development Education Programme. Its members are in charge for 1

year and meet up to 5 times a year. The Commeette renewal is every year in September. If you are interested in becoming one of the member get in contact with Caterina at caterina@eilireland.org. 

EIL will be looking for new Committee members to get involved for September 2012.

Get to know the current members:

Mark Moore

"Hi guys, my name is Mark Moore. I've just finished a degree in Physics and Chemistry from Trinity College. I traveled to Hong Kong in 2008 on an EIL Travel Award and have remained involved ever since. The Hong Kong-Ireland exchange was very insightful and encouraged me to learn more about other cultures and global issues. I joined the Development Education (DevEd) Committee in 2009 to help plan the EIL DevEd programme. Involvement in the DevEd committee is a great facility to meet like-minded people passionate about the injustices in the world today both at home and abroad. By organising the network weekend programmes and events the committee directly highlights issues to returned volunteers and other network members. Involvement in the DevEd committee enlightens and provides for action; I would highly recommend it!" Pictured in the centre of the image

Paul Quinn

"My name is Paul Quinn, I’m from Cavan but I’ve been living in Dublin for about eight years. At the moment I’m doing my PhD in UCD, studying Politics and International Relations. I travelled to Nigeria with EIL last year, where I volunteered on a human rights project. On my return I became more involved with EIL and the development education committee as well. While we can definitely make a positive contribution to the project in two months, in the long term awareness raising creates something sustainable. It gives us the opportunity to share our experience and challenge the misconceptions that are out there. Making people more informed is probably the best way to tackle stigma and discrimination and promote better understanding." In the picture Paul is in the middle.

Jamie Keating

"Hi everyone, my name is Jamie Keating. I am a PhD student in UCD and I am studying astrophysics. I traveled to Ecuador for two months as an ACCESS Travel Award winner in 2010. Since returning from Ecuador, I have stayed involved with EIL through the development education committee. It has been a great opportunity to work with the DevEd committee because it keeps me informed of current issues in development education in Ireland and abroad, giving me a chance to play my part in raising awareness of important international issues. An opportunity I wouldn’t get from my day-job! I want to take the knowledge and experiences I have from volunteering in Ecuador and use them at home in Ireland, working with the DevEd committee is a great way to do this!"

Katy Dobey

"My name is Katy Dobey and I've been involved with EIL for the past five years. I've travelled to Hong-Kong, Washington and Vermont with EIL. I've been a member of the board since 2006 and was on the Dev. Ed. Committee in 2010 also. I qualified as a primary school teacher last year and am working in Dublin at the moment. I think that Dev Ed is one of the most important things EIL does as it gives us a platform to share our ideas and learn from each other!" In the picture Katy is on the left

Ryan Gibbons

"Hello Everyone! My name is Ryan Gibbons, I am 18 years old, and studying Sociology and Social Policy in Trinity College. I first became involved with Eil, when last summer they gave me the opportunity to attend the Governor’s Institute on Current Issues and Youth Activism in Vermont, via a travel award. After experiencing the intercultural participation amongst the Turkish, American and Irish participants, I was eager to take part in more international exchanges, and to become further involved with EIL during the gap year I took last year. So, this summer I was able to take part in the first Eil Ireland Volunteering programme in Germany. I spent 3 weeks volunteering in Daaden, where not only my German improved greatly, but also my perception of German culture. While I have not had the opportunity to volunteer in developing countries, I hope that my volunteering experience in ‘developed’ countries will help to add another dimension to the DevEd committee. I have also the desire to learn and to work with others in the raising of awareness of development issues." In the picture Ryan is the guy with black jumper on the right.

Jamie Kelly

"Hey, i'm Jamie. I'm 21 and live in Finglas, i'm currently studying Geography and Sociology at NUI Maynooth. My involvement with EIL is pretty recent, I applied for the access travel award through EIL last year and I won! I spent two months in Mexico this summer doing lots of different things! The majority of my time there was spent working with children in a library project based in a small fishing village on the west coast of Mexico. It has been my most amazing experience in my life to date. I have always had an interest in development issues, studying them at college and my experience in Mexico has made me realise I would like to be more active and hopefully being on the development education committee with EIL will fulful this. I am looking forward to what the year has to bring with EIL!"

Aine Ryan

"Hello! My name is Aine Ryan. I am a primary school teacher from Athlone, Co. Westmeath. I have been teaching in Finglas since I qualified from St. Patricks College four years ago. This summer I went to Himachal in India with EIL. I was working in a pre-school in the mornings and doing community visits in the afternoons. I really enjoyed and appreciated the time that I spent there. I would love to have involvement with EIL in the future. Informing and educating people about the realities of life for in developing nations is something that I am very passionate about and I would love to get involved with the development education committee to further this goal."

Oksana Redina

"Hi, my name is Oksana Redina, I am 25.  I am originally from Lithuania but for the last 6 years I’ve been living in the lovely place called Dundalk in the Northeast of Ireland.  I am completing my honours degree in Applied Social Care in Dundalk Institute of Technology.  I was a winner of Access Travel award in 2010 and spent 2 most fabulous months in Ghana. 

On my return I became more involved with the EIL because it is very pro-active organisation that aims to increase awareness and overcome inequalities in Ireland and all over the world.  As the DevEd committee member I hope to contribute in some ways to combating many developmental issues.  I truly believe that through collective action we can bring social change and address inequalities and struggles of many people living in Ireland and elsewhere".  

Hi, my name is Oksana Redina, I am 25.  I am originally from Lithuania but for the last 6 years I’ve been living in the lovely place called Dundalk in the Northeast of Ireland.  I am completing my honours degree in Applied Social Care in Dundalk Institute of Technology.  I was a winner of Access Travel award in 2010 and spent 2 most fabulous months in Ghana. 

Jenni Roche

Hi, my name is Jenni Roche. I’m 21 and currently studying Drama and Classical Civilisations at Trinity College. I first became involved with EIL in 2008 when I won the Travel Award to Japan. The time that I spend in Japan was a great cultural learning experience and have remained involved with EIL ever since. I became a member of the Development Education Committee in 2012. Worldwide issues have always been of great interest to me and I believe that development education is very important for promoting diversity and global citizenship. The Dev.Ed Committee provides a fantastic resource for returning volunteers and for anybody who would like to learn more about human rights and global issues. I cannot wait to offer my skills and dedication to the Dev.Ed Committee and I look forward to the rewarding challenges of the year ahead.

 Árann McMahon

Hey everyone, I'm Árann McMahon, a 19 year old student from Galway. I first became involved with EIL two years ago, when I won a Travel Award to Japan. During my stay there, I became fascinated by a culture that was so different to my own - so in order to help spread the message of cultural awareness, and to give back in some small way to EIL, I recently became involved in the Dev Ed Committee. My current course of study is in Nanoscience, so being part of this team also lets me explore human interactions in a way that I don't often get an opportunity to do. I'm really looking forward to helping out this year, and if we can change how even one person thinks, for the better, it will be worth every second."