A traveller organisation, a migrant centre, and an after-prison service are among the beneficiaries of this year’s Engage and Educate Fund, which is supported by Mason Hayes & Curran and Rethink Ireland.
The awards fund, which also draws on the state’s Dormant Accounts Fund, amounts to €1.2m and it will be divided among five winners.
These are the Galway Traveller Movement, the Cultúr Migrant Centre, Blossom Ireland, Care After Prison, and Youth Horizons, and each will receive grants and non-financial supports.
The Fund was established in 2017 to provide support for projects that empower people through education to achieve their full potential and to contribute to their communities.
The selection panel pointed out that the Covid pandemic has widened the gap in educational opportunities between different socio-economic groups over the past two years. As a result the negative impact on young people and adults who left the education system early, or are now at risk of doing so, is growing,
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Mason Hayes & Curran managing partner Declan Black said: “We absolutely believe that education can and does open a world of opportunity for people. This is our biggest fund yet and we’re delighted to be part of a project that will provide access to education to help people realise their potential.
“The ability of each of these organisations to provide educational services to those who have had difficulty in accessing education, or are otherwise disadvantaged, was an important consideration in selecting this year’s awardees. We look forward to seeing the outcomes that will be achieved with this funding.”
Rethink chief executive Deirdre Mortell added: “This year’s awardees have demonstrated incredible creativity, innovation and determination in what they do. A lot of people in Ireland already have the privilege of a good education but it’s easy to forget that not everyone has the same opportunities. Around 3,300 Irish people leave school every year without a qualification — our work with this fund aims to change that.”
Photo (l-r) Deirdre Mortell, Declan Black, minister Joe O’Brien TD and Sister Mairead Hughes, founder of Youth Horizons. (Pic: Conor McCabe)
