Have you read about the Coastal Explorers Programme in Co. Donegal yet? It features on pages 80-85 of the NRN’s LEADER Programme Case Studies Booklet, published in 2021.
The Inishowen Basking Shark Study Group (IBSSG) is a member of the wider Irish Basking Shark Project (IBSP) which is an amalgamation of regionally based researchers who aim to educate and inform on marine life in Irish waters, with a particular focus on basking sharks. In 2018, funding under the LEADER Programme supported the IBSSG to develop a Coastal Explorers Programme for the youth of Inishowen.
This ten-week Programme set out to engage young people aged 14–17 from the Inishowen Peninsula to explore and learn more about their local marine environment. The Programme focused on marine and maritime skills development in young people living in coastal communities. Through tailored training, participants gained knowledge, skills, awareness and an appreciation of the local biodiversity and unique coastal heritage in Inishowen.
To read the full case study, please see here.
This project was supported as part of the LEADER Programme 2014-2020 (extended to 2022) under the theme: Rural Environment and the subtheme: Protection and Sustainable Use of Water Resources. The Local Action Group is Donegal Local Community Development Committee and the Implementing Partner is Inishowen Development Partnership.
