Dublin-based social enterprises awarded share of €100,000 to scale innovative solutions

Five social-impact organisations have been announced as awardees of the Social Entrepreneurs Ireland (SEI) 2023 Impact Programme.

The five awardees, who are all based in Dublin, demonstrate innovative solutions addressing hygiene poverty, urban biodiversity, the wellbeing of children in emergency accommodation, employment for young adults with Down Syndrome and climate literacy education within schools.

The Impact Programme is part of SEI’s €500,000 investment into social entrepreneurs who are ready to grow their solution.

Each awardee will receive an equal share of €100,000 in direct funding, in addition to tailored support and training throughout the nine-month programme, to build strong organisational foundations and take their organisation to the next level. The programme runs from September 2023 to May 2024.

The five awardees, chosen from more than 100 applicants, are:

• Education for Sustainability CLG – Founded by Susan Adams from Killiney in 2017, Education for Sustainability is dedicated to enhancing climate literacy and addressing climate anxiety in Ireland. It does this through a school’s programme that aims to educate students and teachers about the causes and effects of climate change and the ways in which they can become agents of change. Since 2017, Susan and the team have worked in 81 schools, engaging over 18,600 students and supporting 44 schools to become plastic free.
• Hygiene Hub – Co-founded by Sorcha Killian who is based in Beechwood in 2020, Hygiene Hub is actively addressing hygiene poverty through providing and distributing hygiene products to those needing it most, increasing awareness about this problem and pioneering the first formal research on hygiene poverty in Ireland. To date Hygiene Hub has distributed over 43,000 kilograms of hygiene goods to members of the homeless population, low-income families, asylum seekers and the elderly via its community partner network.
• Little Fitness CLG – Set up by Sinead Ryan from Santry in 2020, Little Fitness addresses the physical, social and developmental needs of children experiencing homelessness through fun, inclusive and non-competitive fitness activities and games, delivered through an eight-week programme. In 2023, Little Fitness will run more than 20 programmes across Dublin City Centre.
• Pocket Forests – Co-Founded in 2020 by Catherine Cleary & Ashe Conrad-Jones who are based in Dublin 8, Pocket Forests are redefining green spaces and enabling communities to create and value space for nature. The process involves three workshops focused on soil health, planting to maximize biodiversity, and maintaining the ecosystem. To date the organisation has completed 75 Pocket Forests, planted approximately 2,500 trees around Ireland and worked with over 1000 volunteers.
• Together Academy – Established in 2020 by Therese Coveney from Sutton, the Together Academy is a tailored employment-focused programme for young people with Down Syndrome, providing its students with certified training, practical work experience, employment opportunities and a critical social and support network. The first cohort of students graduated in June 2023 following the two-year training programme, with 10 graduates being placed into employment and 25+ employers committed to employing students. The Together Academy is currently operating two integrated cafés in Ballsbridge and Dun Laoghaire.

The SEI Impact Programme identifies high-potential social entrepreneurs and supports them through funding and mentoring. Impact Awardees receive training in areas such as fundraising, communications, governance and leadership.

Three of this year’s awardees – Education for Sustainability, Little Fitness and the Together Academy – are previous graduates of SEI’s Ideas Academy, a programme aimed at early-stage social entrepreneurs to develop their solutions.

Commenting, CEO of Social Entrepreneurs Ireland Tim Griffiths said: “We believe that true change begins with the passion and dedication of individuals who dare to challenge the status quo. The five incredible organisations joining the Impact Programme have already proven they have a solution that can improve lives and accelerate social change.

“With bespoke supports from SEI and our community, we know they will go on to deliver a more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable future. We’d like to congratulate all the social entrepreneurs at the helm. We look forward to working together.”

Kennedy Wilson is the Major Programme Sponsor of the SEI Impact Programme. Commenting, Kennedy Wilson’s Global Sustainability Officer, Peter Collins said: “As we enter our second year of support for the Social Entrepreneurs Ireland Impact Programme, we have already seen first-hand the crucial difference the programme and its awardees make across Ireland.  Each of this year’s awardees is working to solve a pressing social problem in an innovative and scalable way. Kennedy Wilson is proud to be supporting SEI and these award-winning social entrepreneurs to scale their offerings and increase their impact nationally.”

Since its foundation in 2004, SEI has supported more than 600 social entrepreneurs across the country who are championing and driving solutions in areas such as mental health, homelessness, the environment, education, and unemployment, and delivering on SEI’s vision of accelerated social change through the power of people.

Alumni of the Impact programme include AsIAm, jumpAgrade, Change By Degrees, The Shona Project, Positive Carbon and The Two Norries.