About WorldWise Global Schools
About WWGS

Irish Aid’s WorldWise Global Schools is Ireland’s national Global Citizenship Education (GCE) programme for post-primary schools.
WWGS was set up in 2013 as the key channel through which Irish Aid support for GCE in post-primary schools is to be coordinated. The aim of the programme is to increase the number of post-primary schools engaging in quality global citizenship education by providing a comprehensive range of supports.
It is funded by Irish Aid and implemented by a consortium of organisations:
- Self Help Africa
- Concern Worldwide
- The City of Dublin Education and Training Board Curriculum Development Unit (CDU).
WWGS Aim
To bring about an increasing spread, number and mix of post-primary schools engaging in and availing of quality Global Citizenship Education in Ireland.
We do this by providing a wide range of supports to Schools, School Clusters, NGOs and School Networks.
WWGS Programme Outcomes


Communities of Practice in GCE
A primary focus of the WWGS programme is on learning through active participation – for example the individual teacher, or school is an active participant in the practices of WWGS.
In this context, a community of practice is a group of teachers, students, school leaders, or key stakeholders participating in GCE, and experiencing/continuously creating their shared identity through engaging in and contributing to the practices of the WWGS community and GCE in Ireland and beyond.
For WWGS, like many programmes and organisations, communities of practice have become an integral part of the way we operate.
WWGS has both a Teacher Advisory Group and a Student Advisory Group to ensure that the programme is responding to the direct needs of its participants.
WWGS interventions, such as our training and events are co-designed by participants to ensure we are offering supports that are directly targeted to the needs of those participating in the programme, and ensuring that the participants voice is at the centre of what we do.
International Recognition and Peer Learning
The WWGS programme has received international recognition for its work and continues to work with partners on a national and international level to engage in peer learning on Global Citizenship Education.
GENE Global Education Innovation Award
In 2018 WWGS received a GENE Global Education Innovation Award. It was the first Irish initiative to win this award.
GENE – Global Education Network Europe is the network of Ministries, Agencies and other bodies with national responsibility for Global Education in Europe. GENE supports networking, peer learning, policy research, national strategy development and quality enhancement in the field of Global Education in European countries. GENE works towards the day when all people in Europe – in solidarity with people globally – will have access to quality Global Education.
Find out more here.


2018 GENE Award winners accepting their award in Brussels

WWGS Director, Aishling McGrath speaking at the award ceremony in Brussels
UNESCO-Hamdan Prize for Teacher Development
In 2021 WWGS was nominated by the Department of Education for the UNESCO-Hamdan Prize for Teacher Development.
The UNESCO-Hamdan Prize for Teacher Development was created in 2008 to support the improvement of teaching and learning quality in achieving the Sustainable Development Goal 4 on Quality Education, which is one of UNESCO’s priorities.
WWGS are currently awaiting the outcome of this nomination. The award ceremony and announcement of the laureates is in October 2022, World Teachers’ Day.
Find out more here.

International Peer Learning
WWGS has availed of various opportunities to engage in international peer learning in GCE. Please see some examples below.
Code of Good Practice for Global Citizenship Education
Since 2020, WWGS has been a signatory to the IDEA Code of Good Practice for Development Education. WWGS is an active member of the Irish Development Education Association (IDEA). They are the national network for Development Education/Global Citizenship Education in Ireland and a leading voice for the sector. They represent over 80 members involved in the practice, promotion and advancement of GCE/DE in formal, non-formal and informal settings.
Find out more here.

On a national level, WWGS collaborate widely with a variety of stakeholders. Please see the table below for a sample of stakeholders that we engage with.
WWGS collaborate widely with a variety of stakeholders
Organisation | Type of collaboration |
---|---|
Afri | WWGS Funded & supported for GCE in post-primary schools |
Amnesty International | WWGS Funded & supported for GCE in post-primary schools |
An Chomhdháil um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gael (COGG) | Collaborate on Irish Teacher Training & Resources |
Association of Community & Comprehensive Schools (ACCS) | Member of WWGS Education Panel |
Association of Secondary Teachers of Ireland (ASTI) | Member of WWGS Education Panel |
Beyond Borders: GOWC and Caoimhe Butterly | WWGS Funded & supported for GCE in post-primary schools |
Brigit's Garden | WWGS Funded & supported for GCE in post-primary schools & input at regional trainings |
CEIST | Member of WWGS Education Panel |
Concern | Member of the WWGS Grants Selection Committee |
Coolplanet Experience | WWGS include a workshop from this organisation in agenda of regional teacher training |
Crawford CIT Cork | WWGS include a workshop from this organisation in agenda of regional teacher training |
Cloughjordan Eco Village | WWGS include a workshop from this organisation in agenda of regional teacher training |
Department of Education and Skills (DES) | Member of WWGS Education Panel & Grants Selection Committee |
Development Perspectives | WWGS Funded & supported for GCE in post-primary schools |
ECO UNESCO | WWGS Funded & supported for GCE in post-primary schools |
Educate Together | WWGS Funded & supported for GCE in post-primary schools |
Education and Training Boards Ireland (ETBI) | Member of WWGS Education Panel & WWGS workshops as part of ETBI overall training |
Financial Justice Ireland (FJI) | WWGS Funded & supported for GCE in post-primary schools |
Gaeloideachas | Collaborate on Irish Teacher Training & Resources |
Global Action Plan (GAP) | WWGS Funded & supported for GCE in post-primary schools |
GRETB | Collaborate on Irish Teacher Training & Resources |
Grow Your Own Waterford | WWGS include a workshop from this organisation in agenda of regional teacher training |
Head, Heart & Hands Ltd. (Mind the Gap) | WWGS Funded & supported for GCE in post-primary schools |
IDEA | WWGS is a convenor of the Formal Education Working Group and runs workshops in partnership with IDEA |
Inishowen Development Partnership (IDP) | WWGS Funded & supported for GCE in post-primary schools |
JCT CSPE | WWGS resources given to all JCT team |
JCT History | WWGS workshops as part of official JCT training |
JCT STE(A)M | WWGS workshops as part of official JCT training |
Joint Managerial Board (JMB) | Member of WWGS Education Panel |
LASC | WWGS Funded & supported for GCE in post-primary schools |
National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals (NAPD) | Member of WWGS Education Panel |
National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) | Member of WWGS Education Panel & Grants Selection Committee |
Poetry Ireland | WWGS Funded & supported for GCE in post-primary schools |
Raidió na Gaeltachta | Collaborate on Irish Teacher Training & Resources |
Rediscovery Centre | WWGS include a workshop from this organisation in agenda of regional teacher training |
RTE Youth Assembly | WWGS member of steering group on project |
Secretariat of Secondary Schools (JMB/AMCSS) | Member of WWGS Education Panel |
Sonairte | WWGS Funded & supported for GCE in post-primary schools |
Spiritan Network | WWGS Funded & supported for GCE in post-primary schools |
St Louis Schools Network | WWGS Funded & supported for GCE in post-primary schools |
Teachers' Union of Ireland (TUI) | Member of WWGS Education Panel |
TG4 | Collaborate on Irish Teacher Training & Resources |
The Organic Centre Leitrim | WWGS include a workshop from this organisation in agenda of regional teacher training |
The Ubuntu Network | Member of WWGS Education Panel & WWGS workshops conducted in partnership with Ubuntu in ITE providers |
Trócaire | Member of the WWGS Grants Selection Committee |
UNICEF | WWGS Funded & supported for GCE in post-primary schools |
www.developmenteducation.ie | Member of WWGS Education Panel |
Young Social Innovators (YSI) | WWGS Funded & supported for GCE in post-primary schools |