Galway projects that empower young people and adults through education are being invited to apply to a €1.2 million fund which has been launched by Rethink Ireland.
The fund supports projects which allow young people and adults from marginalised communities to access education.
Since it was introduced, €450,000 has been invested in supporting 11 projects across ten counties in Ireland with financial and mentoring support.
As a result, these projects have reached 5,725 participants and mobilised 1,305 volunteers.
In order to apply, the project must focus on enhancing educational attainment for young people and adults.
These can be people experiencing poverty or socio-economic disadvantage, Traveller and Roma people, migrant people, people from minority ethnic communities or people with disabilities.
The Engage & Educate Fund was created by law firm Mason Hayes & Curran LLP and Rethink Ireland, the Social Innovation Fund of Ireland, in partnership with the Government of Ireland.
Welcoming the launch of the fund, Minister of State Joe O’Brien said that the fund is another terrific example of public private philanthropic partnership.
“This €1.2 million Fund is now open to applications from projects all over Ireland in marginalised and disadvantaged communities aiming to empower their members through education,” said Minister O’Brien.
Deirdre Mortell, CEO, Rethink Ireland added that education is the silver bullet to empowering people and that ’empowered people means empowered communities’.
“We are delighted to launch this second phase of our Engage & Educate Fund, with increased finance from Mason Hayes & Curran LLP and our Government via the Dormant Accounts Fund,” said Deirdre Mortell.
“Never has this Fund been more important as the Covid-19 pandemic has increased inequalities between people and communities.”
