Social Enterprise Dublin, a network of seven local development companies, has launched a campaign to generate more engagement from businesses and individuals in the capital.
‘Get Social Dublin, Invest in your Community’ is calling on the business community to back social enterprises by buying a product or service, offering their time as a volunteer or investing in the enterprise to drive growth.
Social Enterprise Dublin says that since 2019 it has mentored and delivered financial support to 90 social enterprises in the capital who have provided employment to 650 people in their local communities.
A social enterprise operates like any other business in that it produces goods and services for which the customer pays. The defining difference is that it reinvests all profits back into achieving its social objectives rather than to shareholders.
Dublin’s social enterprises range from local coffee hubs and trucks like Mug Shot Cafe and Hard Ground Coffee that employ people who are experiencing homelessness or on probation, to sustainability experts like The Sustainable Life School and Pocket Forests who help communities to protect their environment and green spaces in urban centres.
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There are authentic walking tours of Dublin with In Our Shoes Walking Tours led by guides that grew up in the heart of the city, and hairdressers who offer hair and beauty services to the migrant community through the Dignity Partnership.
Connections Art Centre is a creative haven for artists and people with disabilities, while Bee8 manages up to 100 beehives this year, producing honey and protecting the eco-system in Dublin 8.
SED spokesperson Una Lowry commented: “This campaign is all about highlighting the people behind these social enterprises who are addressing social issues head on and instigating real change. We hope to give people a better understanding of what social enterprise can achieve and how supporting these businesses can make a big difference to the lives of others.”
Bernie Walsh, who co-founded Sunflower Recycling almost 30 years ago, added: "When running a social enterprise, the social has to be given the same balance as the profit.
“Sunflower Recycling is known for promoting recycling as an option for job creation. We recycle paper, cardboard, polystyrene, clear plastic, aluminium cans and plastic bottles in conjunction with Repak.
“Customers choose us as they know their choice is helping to provide jobs for over fifty long term unemployed people in the community.”
The Get Social promotional campaign, funded from the Dormant Accounts Fund, involves telling the stories of a number of social entrepreneurs in Dublin and the people they support through media, videos, podcasts and on social media.
Further information and a list of social enterprises in Dublin are available on socialenterprisedublin.ie.
