Education projects for people from disadvantaged backgrounds, people with disabilities and people with migrant status are among those to receive funding from the Engage and Educate Fund set up by law firm Mason Hayes & Curran and Social Innovation Fund Ireland.
Five recipients will share €150,000 to develop their projects, as well as getting access to an accelerator programme which provides supports similar to those from venture capital companies.
The five winners this year are:
- Blue Diamond Drama Academy, a project that addresses the lack of third level education and employment opportunities available to adults with intellectual disabilities
- Deaf Education Online, a project about the barriers that deaf adults face accessing education
- Suas Ireland Education Programme, a project that looks at tackling the educational disadvantage for children aged 8-14 years in DEIS schools
- Teen Turn, a programme that provides role models and hands-on experience to teenage girls from disadvantaged communities
- Intercultural Language Service, a flexible language learning experience that promotes social inclusion amongst migrants within their communities.
MHC partner Richard Woulfe said: “We passionately believe that education opens a world of opportunity for citizens and by providing access through many routes, we are creating a more just and fair society.
“We share Social Innovation Fund Ireland’s belief that, just as business entrepreneurship is critical to innovating in our economy, social entrepreneurs are critical to innovating in our society and we are delighted to support the fantastic awardees announced today.”
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SIFI chief executive Deirdre Mortell added: “Each of the awardees are very inspiring in their creativity, innovation and determination to make a difference and to meet a social need. Many of us have the privilege of a good education but it is easy to forget that not everyone has that privilege — 3,300 people leave school every year without a qualification, which is not acceptable.
“The Engage & Educate Fund supports social entrepreneurs providing access to education and supporting young people to stay longer. For this year we have found five truly incredible projects that are already changing people’s lives and we look forward to working with them to help them achieve their goals.”
Photo (l-r): Susan Whelan, Deaf Adult Literacy Service; Kate Sheridan, Blue Diamond Drama Academy; John Logue, Suas; Joanne Dolan, Teen-Turn; and Peter Sheekey, Intercultural Language Service (Pic: Robbie Reynolds)
