Giving Every Child a Step Forward: The Our Shoes Project
Learning Objective
Transition Year (TY) volunteering aims to foster civic responsibility, empathy, and personal growth by engaging students in community, environmental, or social projects. Key objectives include developing transferable skills (teamwork, communication), encouraging self-directed learning, enhancing maturity, and promoting an understanding of social justice and active citizenship.
By running your own campaign, you will understand how Our Shoes project works, its impact on communities, and how you can make a difference through your Transitional Year project to the lives of your fellow students, the environment and to other students in South Africa.
Items in this lesson
Learning Objective
Transition Year (TY) volunteering aims to foster civic responsibility, empathy, and personal growth by engaging students in community, environmental, or social projects. Key objectives include developing transferable skills (teamwork, communication), encouraging self-directed learning, enhancing maturity, and promoting an understanding of social justice and active citizenship.
By running your own campaign, you will understand how Our Shoes project works, its impact on communities, and how you can make a difference through your Transitional Year project to the lives of your fellow students, the environment and to other students in South Africa.
What do you already know about Our Shoes Charity
pre loved shoe campaigns? www.ourshoes.ie
What is the Our Shoes Project?
Our Shoes collects pre-loved sports shoes from schools, clubs, and families, and delivers them to children in need in Southern Africa. Since its start in 2019, it has sent over 50,000 pairs, bringing hope and opportunity.
Photo:
Mr. Roland Rudd, Our Shoes Trustee
and Siviwe Gwarube (South African
Minister of Basic Education) with
Local school children accepting a
donation.
Why Are Shoes So Important?
In many South African communities,
school attendance and sports participation
depend on owning a pair of shoes.
Shoes mean protection, dignity,
and a path to a better future.
Sport is a game changer and sports shoes
allows you to take part and to be part of the
team and game.
How Does the Project Work?
*Register your school or club on our website from 1st March to 30th April 2026.
*Start collecting pre-loved sports shoes and pack them in large boxes.
*Making sure of the quality of
donations.
*Ask students to write a kind gift message & place in shoes.
Getting Involved
*Request a collection online from 7th April to 30th April.
*Your school will be contacted & collection date booked
*From 13th – 30th April, the charity collects shoes from your school and delivers them to Sligo to ship to our partners in South Africa for distribution.
Making Donations
Benefits Beyond Shoes
This project helps children in Africa
but also inspires students in Ireland,
builds teamwork, teaches about
global issues, and reduces shoe waste
—making a big impact both
socially and environmentally in the
World as a whole.
Where Do the Shoes Go?
Shoes are delivered to trusted partners in Cape Town, South Africa and Lesotho, reaching schools, sports clubs, and communities most in need.
Get Involved: Take Action!
Transitional Year Students:
Register your school or club at OurShoes.ie
from 1 March to 30th April 2026.
Collect, donate, and change a life—
one pair of shoes at a time.
Are you ready to make a difference?
Write down 3 things you learned in this campaign.
Write down 2 things you want to know more about.
Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet. email to Catherine@ourshoes.ie
