AS A THREE-TIME Heineken Cup-winning captain and a veteran of the Leinster rugby team, Leo Cullen is well used to spending his time with talented youths.
However, the 35-year-old lock has been blown away by the commitment and innovation shown by a host of college students across the country when it comes to social entrepreneurship projects. Cullen is involved with Enactus, an organisation founded in America in the 197os that encourages college and university students to foster entrepreneurial skills to benefit the local community.
Ireland became the 37th country to establish a branch and, having previously included universities, is hoping to expand next year to encompass college and institutes of technology.
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Cullen got involved with Enactus through the boardmatch scheme run by the Irish Rugby Union Players’ Association. He told TheScore.ie, “The idea is for students to come up with ideas and projects that will help their communities and encourage social responsibility. The projects usually run during the academic year, from September to May, with a national winner decided upon at the end of May.”
He added, “Some students are working with the elderly down in Limerick; going to their homes and documenting the stories of people living there so there is a history that can be passed from generation to generation. Another project, in Dublin, involves upskilling people who are unemployed and teaching them basic I.T skills.
Some Trinity College students had a project called Food Glorious Food, where they tackled the issue of food waste in restaurants. They approached many restaurants in the city and looked to get them to pass on that food to charitable organisations in the area. One of my favourites was a DCU project that was based along the same lines as the Special Olympics but based on the arts. It was a series of artistic projects – painting, poetry, drama, etc. – for people with special needs.”
Leo Cullen with two of the winning DCU students.
The winners of this year’s Enactus social entrepreneurship project were from DCU. The students will travel to Cancun in Mexico later this year for the Enactus World Cup. As for Cullen, the Leinster lock is currently in Ethiopia with GOAL as he visits a rehabilitation centres in
He has been joined on his trip to Ethiopia by another bright, young thing – outhalf Ian Madigan.
Leinster captain Cullen throws his weight behind community outreach projects
AS A THREE-TIME Heineken Cup-winning captain and a veteran of the Leinster rugby team, Leo Cullen is well used to spending his time with talented youths.
However, the 35-year-old lock has been blown away by the commitment and innovation shown by a host of college students across the country when it comes to social entrepreneurship projects. Cullen is involved with Enactus, an organisation founded in America in the 197os that encourages college and university students to foster entrepreneurial skills to benefit the local community.
Ireland became the 37th country to establish a branch and, having previously included universities, is hoping to expand next year to encompass college and institutes of technology.
Cullen got involved with Enactus through the boardmatch scheme run by the Irish Rugby Union Players’ Association. He told TheScore.ie, “The idea is for students to come up with ideas and projects that will help their communities and encourage social responsibility. The projects usually run during the academic year, from September to May, with a national winner decided upon at the end of May.”
He added, “Some students are working with the elderly down in Limerick; going to their homes and documenting the stories of people living there so there is a history that can be passed from generation to generation. Another project, in Dublin, involves upskilling people who are unemployed and teaching them basic I.T skills.
Leo Cullen with two of the winning DCU students.
The winners of this year’s Enactus social entrepreneurship project were from DCU. The students will travel to Cancun in Mexico later this year for the Enactus World Cup. As for Cullen, the Leinster lock is currently in Ethiopia with GOAL as he visits a rehabilitation centres in
He has been joined on his trip to Ethiopia by another bright, young thing – outhalf Ian Madigan.
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boardmatch community outreach enactus Entrepreneurs inspiring tales Leinster Leo Cullen Rugby Social Entrepreneur