The B!G Idea Accessing Europe

The B!G Idea Goes Global with Access Europe Profile

Just in case there was any doubt about our ambition — we now have a global profile. The B!G Idea is officially listed on Access Europe, a national support programme that helps Irish organisations navigate and secure EU funding. The Department of Foreign Affairs funds the initiative, and The Wheel delivers it.

So far, so impressive.

Why Access Europe Matters

The European Union offers enormous opportunities to member states. However, navigating funding calls, partnerships and application processes can feel overwhelming. In reality, most organisations simply don’t have the time or capacity to search for suitable EU opportunities. That’s where Access Europe steps in. Following the success of its first phase (2014–2017), the Department of Foreign Affairs partnered with The Wheel in 2020 to relaunch and strengthen the programme.

The Mission of Access Europe

Access Europe focuses on three key pillars:

Awareness
Raising understanding of the value of strategic involvement in EU programmes while providing clear information on funding opportunities.

Capacity
Helping Irish civil society organisations apply for, secure and manage EU funding successfully.

Support
Encouraging partnership development and building meaningful European networks.

What We Highlight in Our Profile

In our Access Europe profile, we outline our core areas of impact, including:

• Active citizenship
• Education and training
• Employment and job creation
• Mental health
• Social inclusion
• Youth empowerment

Importantly, we also highlight our growing EU project experience.

The BANG! Erasmus+ Project

We showcase our current BANG! (Bridging All Next Generations) project, delivered in partnership with:

• Kaospilot (Denmark)
• Politecnico di Milano (Italy)
• High School of Agrinio (Greece)
• Secondary School of Agriculture and Forestry Vinkovci (Croatia)

Together, we are developing a digital learning platform that will support critical and creative thinking in classrooms across Europe. As a result, teachers will gain practical tools to embed creativity into everyday learning environments.

Why European Partnerships Matter

European collaboration offers more than funding. It creates space to exchange knowledge, test ideas in diverse contexts and co-create innovative educational models. Moreover, international partnerships allow us to scale impact while learning from other education systems. In short, we grow stronger by working together.

Our Strengths

Our Access Europe profile outlines several organisational strengths. For example:

• We engage students across both rural and urban communities with consistently high participation rates.
• We design creative exercises for hybrid and digital learning environments.
• We collaborate closely with mentors, teachers and industry partners.
• Above all, we are a team of doers — proactive, adaptable and partnership-driven.

Looking Ahead

Naturally, we are excited about what lies ahead. Access Europe may well become the stepping stone that opens a whole new field of European opportunities. With the right partnerships and shared ambition, we can expand creative thinking education far beyond Ireland. To learn more about Access Europe, click the link below.

• Become a Partner