Published 28.05.2026
by Kids’ Own
by Kids’ Own
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A children's arts organisation and publishing house.
Kids’ Own were delighted to attend The Wheel Summit 2026, held at The Helix at DCU. The theme of the event was Community at the Heart of our Democracy. The day offered an opportunity to meet civil society organisations that work in the community and voluntary sector throughout Ireland.
As the opening address stated “The transformative social movements of the past century, such as gender equality, disability and LGBTQ+ rights, social inclusion, community development and climate justice, did not start in the corridors of power; they were sparked by grassroots action in community halls and around kitchen tables.” As an organisation that has social justice at its heart it was a great opportunity for Kids’ Own to be in the room with people driven by the same values as us.
In his opening keynote address Séamus Boland, President of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) highlighted that “progressive support for disability is being eroded” and stated that both online and in daily life we are seeing an increase in racism, misogyny and division. In response Lorraine Egan, Chief Executive Officer of Horizons Cork, spoke of the importance of cross sectoral cooperation in countering this harmful turn to right wing discourse, and the need to not be divided within the community and voluntary sector. As an organisation that often works with marginalised groups, Kids’ Own were glad to hear this reality identified and named and join in the call for cross sectoral collaboration to fight this rising tide of hate.
This theme of Unity was something that was echoed in one of the afternoon parallel sessions Stronger Together: The Importance of Cross Sectoral Advocacy where the panel discussed the merits and challenges of small organisations working in the same area – forming alliances under one umbrella. The event was insightful, with the audience breaking into smaller groups for discussions about the possibilities and potential hurdles to working cross sectorally. The importance of “just starting a conversation” was highlighted – human connection is our most powerful resource! Reach out, listen, adapt and don’t let your ego get in the way of the main goal; societal change. The sense of possibility and collectively in the room was invigorating.
Another parallel session was Building Readiness: Future Skills for The Nonprofit Sector. A big takeaway was that organisations across the community and voluntary sector can’t afford to get left behind when it comes to technology, training and future skills. The conversation focussed on investing in teams, creating opportunities for learning, and building organisations that are adaptable and resilient for the future.
The highlight of the day was Stories from The Heart of Our Community. At this session, voices from across Ireland’s community and voluntary sector shared their stories about how they came to do what they do, and why they do it. Each speaker spoke passionately about their project, but the presentation by Damien Quinn was revelatory. Speaking candidly Damien told how due to “early childhood responsibilities” his life took a turn that resulted in him going to prison. After serving his sentence it became clear to him that the idea of a fresh start is one often spoken about but not put into practice within Irish society.
Drawing on his own life he founded Spéire Nua, an organisation that supports people to rebuild their lives through lived-experience leadership, peer mentoring, personal development, policy entrepreneurship, and innovation. Much of what Damien spoke of brought our publication Keep Up Hope, made in collaboration with the Irish Penal Reform Trust, to mind.
As an arts organisation that partners with many different civil society groups we found The Wheel Summit hugely beneficial. It was an opportunity to engage in conversation and reflection, to remind ourselves why we do what we do, and think about how best to do it. Many thanks to the organiser and speakers for a great event.
Read about Kids’ Own Projects here: https://kidsown.ie/projects/
