We want every young person in Ireland, whatever school or centre they walk into each morning, to have the chance to think creatively, work with an industry mentor and see their ideas taken seriously.
Our 2026–2028 strategy sets a bold ambition: to build Ireland’s most inclusive creative innovation pathway, giving young people universal access to creative learning and clear progression routes, particularly those who may not have networks or opportunities of their own.
To make that happen at scale, we need the right infrastructure behind the programme. So, with support from Pobal through the Dormant Accounts Fund’s Growing Social Enterprise Fund, we’ve built it: a brand-new Think B!G platform designed to bring the whole programme together in one place.
The new platform automates enrolment, matches schools and mentors across the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, and gives everyone involved a clearer view of the programme as it happens.
For teachers, that means less time spent on admin and more time teaching. Mentors can see their teams, give feedback and track progress in one place. And for students, it creates a smoother journey from their first idea right through to their final pitch.
But this isn’t just about making things easier.
We’ve designed the platform around the classrooms we actually work in. Shared devices, phone bans and patchy school Wi-Fi are a reality in many schools and Youthreach centres. The platform needs to work with that reality, not around it. Access to Think B!G shouldn’t depend on how good a school’s broadband is.
The really exciting part is what this unlocks.
For the first time, we can see engagement across classrooms in real time. That means we can spot where a school might need a bit of extra support and step in before they have to ask.
It also means we can shape The B!G Idea journey around the young people taking part, whether they’re TY students, Youthreach learners or schools in Northern Ireland, rather than asking everyone to fit the same mould.
And, importantly, we’re already seeing what our programmes can do for students when they have the opportunity to get involved.
Patricia Dunphy, a teacher at Our Lady of Mercy Secondary School, described seeing her students realise that “the students can be part of the solution.”
Michelle Howard, a tutor at Tullamore CTC, put it simply: “They’ve completely changed their mindset on their lives and their goals. They now know they can have dreams.”
That’s the bit that matters. Talent has never been the problem in Irish classrooms. Access is.
This platform means we can say yes to more schools, more centres and more young people and give industry a more diverse pipeline of creative talent that reflects the whole country.
Our 2026–2028 strategy brings together five programmes: Think B!G in Transition Year, Solve for Youthreach and CTC learners, AI4TY, Next-Gen Educators and Open Minds for teacher training.
And now, one platform brings them together too.
That means a student can move from a classroom project to the next stage of their journey without having to start all over again. It also gives us a much clearer picture of how the whole pathway is working, rather than five separate snapshots.
It’s a B!G step forward for us and, more importantly, it means we can open the door to more young people, in more places, and give more of them the chance to Think B!G.
