Skills Building
Building Skills for a Stronger Sector
The Wheel is committed to ensuring that nonprofit workers, both paid and unpaid, and the organisations they work in, have the skills they need to deliver their varied and important missions across Irish society.
We do this through various means, including an extensive training and events calendar every year, working with partners to provide specially designed accredited programmes, developing and delivering The Leadership Academy, funding peer-led training networks through our Training Links scheme, taking part in skills-building European partnerships, researching the skills and training needs of the sector and advocating on behalf of the nonprofit workforce with key stakeholders.
We work to ensure that nonprofit organisations, of all types, and those that work for them, are well served by the state's skills development infrastructure.
In order to inform this work, we have recently commissioned and collaborated in important research reports to provide evidence on training and skills-building in the nonprofit workforce in Ireland. We have also participated in significant skills-building initiatives and programmes for the Irish nonprofit sector, as detailed below.
Page Contents:
Research
Consultation Report on The Support Needs of the Nonprofit Sector; Sheila Cahill Consulting, 2021
This significant report for the nonprofit sector in Ireland, carried out on behalf of Carmichael and The Wheel by Sheila Cahill Consulting, and co-funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development, contains the results of new and extensive qualitative research into the training and support needs of the sector.
The report highlights the range and scale of challenges facing nonprofit organisations in Ireland today, from small community groups to larger national bodies and everything in between. The study looks at the supports available currently to these organisations, locally, regionally and nationally, while also identifying how supports could best be developed in order to help organisations meet the challenges they face. The report also recognises the range of positive new strategies and initiatives that have been developed by the Department of Rural and Community Development, which point the way towards delivering the support needs identified in the research.
(There is significant complementarity between this research and the 2020 report on Appraisal of Upskilling Employees in the Non-Profit Sector, authored by Indecon on behalf of The Wheel. That report (which can be read below) quantified for the first time the levels of training and upskilling undertaken by people in the nonprofit sector – paid and unpaid.)
The report’s author engaged with 19 focus groups around the country, which included representatives from voluntary organisations, community groups, charities and social enterprises. The report also contains the results of a wide-ranging consultation which involved organisations representing the full diversity of our sector as well as policy-makers, regulators and funders.
To address the main challenges facing the sector today, the report identifies a wide-ranging support agenda for the sector which encompasses training and supports tailored to recognise the diversity of organisations in the Irish nonprofit sector and delivered by those with a strong understanding of the sector.
Carmichael and The Wheel hope that this report will provide important information to any organisation which seeks to support nonprofit organisations and the work they do to promote the public good in communities all over Ireland. We are appreciative of the support of the Department of Rural and Community Development in this work.
If you would like to find out more about this area of our work, please drop Mairead O’Connor, our Skills Development Senior Manager, an email: mairead@wheel.ie.
Investment Appraisal of Upskilling Employees in the Nonprofit Sector; 2020, Indecon International Research Economists
This landmark study, carried out by Indecon on behalf of The Wheel, quantifies for the first time the levels of training and upskilling undertaken by people in the nonprofit sector – paid and unpaid. The authors also produced a rigorous cost benefit analysis of investment in upskilling amongst these workers. With input from stakeholders right across the nonprofit sector, including charities, community development organisations, voluntary services providers, social enterprises and community groups, this study makes a compelling case for the need to invest in skills development in the sector.
In carrying out their study, Indecon undertook new primary research amongst a representative cross-section of CEOs, staff and volunteers of nonprofit organisations, receiving nearly 700 survey responses in all. The high level of engagement with the research across the sector demonstrates the awareness amongst organisations of value of workforce skills development in meeting communities’ needs.
The report identifies areas where investment is needed to address current and emerging skills gaps in the Irish nonprofit sector. It also identifies areas where more training and investment is required because of anticipated growth in the sector, including IT, marketing and communications, project management and human resource management.
The report indicates that investment in training in the nonprofit workforce in Ireland is low, in comparison with other sectors in the Irish workforce and with comparable nonprofit workforces in other countries. Specifically, it identifies barriers that impede the necessary investment, such as the cost of training and lack of time available to engage with training amongst workers, and points the way towards the solutions needed in this regard.
The research also includes a cost benefit analysis which demonstrates a clear net benefit to investing in nonprofit workforce development. On average, for every €1 invested, there will be a return of €2.86, in terms of increased quality and impact – demonstrating clearly the positive return that would follow from increased investment in training in the non-profit sector, including increased innovation in work practices, productivity benefits and lower operating costs.
The Wheel would like to acknowledge the support of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science in funding this research.
If you would like to find out more about this area of our work, please drop Mairead O’Connor, our Skills Development Senior Manager, an email: mairead@wheel.ie.
Training Links
Training Links funds networks of social economy organisations to undertake training together. The programme is uniquely placed to meet the training requirements of our sector's workforce.
Since 2005 The Wheel’s Training Links programme has supported the training and development needs of more than 50,000 social economy workers across Ireland. This includes volunteers and employees across many disciplines from charities, community and voluntary organisations and social enterprises.
For a deeper dive into Training Links visit https://www.wheel.ie/training/traininglinks.
Get in touch by emailing Lauren on lauren@wheel.ie.
The Leadership Academy
Supporting Nonprofit Leaders
The Leadership Academy is where leaders from Irish charities, community organisations and social enterprises come together to learn from and inspire each other. Start by taking the self-assessment to reflect on your leadership skills or browse our Leadership Library to discover a wealth of relevant resources from accredited training to the latest podcasts and articles.
Visit the Leadership Academy website to find out more: https://www.leadersacademy.ie/
If you would like to chat to us about oppotunities or areas on interest in relation to Leadership, please get in touch with Sharon at sharon@wheel.ie.
EU Projects
The Wheel participates in and delivers a number of European programmes and projects that aim to activate involvement in Europe among Irish community, voluntary and charitable organisations and social enterprises, and improve our offerings to members. The projects below were designed specifically to improve the knowledge, skills and abilities of the sector in Ireland and across the EU.
Some of the EU projects we are involved in are:
baSE
Selected by the EU Commission through the Erasmus+ Programme, the Blueprint for Advanced Skills & Trainings in the Social Economy (baSE) project aims to reinforce the capacity of the social economy and its human capital in key areas. The project involves 25 partner organisations from 10 European countries who have formed an alliance focused on upskilling and reskilling of social economy practitioners.
The main outputs of baSE are:
- Reports on social economy skills gaps defining a long-term and sustainable strategy
- Development of a framework for “SocioComp” outlining competences for new Curricula and updated Occupational Skills Profiles
- A MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) Platform providing interactive courses with user forums or social media discussions to support community interactions
- Upskilling of social economy practitioners by designing and delivering new competence-based curricula focused on Twin Transitions (Green and Digital)
- Policy recommendations to strengthen social economy VET training provision
- A social economy magazine, an online flipbook for the community of social economy experts, learners and stakeholders.
To know more about baSE or if you wish to be involved in focus groups, activities and trainings linked to this project, please contact Perrine – perrine@wheel.ie.
SCOPE
The purpose of the SCOPE programme is to provide free, sector specific eLearning modules to social economy workers and volunteers. Learners can work at their own pace and their learning will be validated using digital badges.
eLearning modules include:
- Governance Basics
- Financial Basics
- Fundraising Basics
- Communications Basics
- Risk Management Basics.
To learn more about F4S3 visit our project website here - https://scope-skills.eu/en-ie/.
Get in touch by emailing Lauren on lauren@wheel.ie.
F4S3
The purpose of the Foundations 4 sector 3 programme is to support new entrants into the sector through a series of training workshops and webinars.
The F4S3 programme offers two training modules using a blended learning approach. Module 1 focuses on sector-specific knowledge and will consist of two days face-to-face training augmented by two online training sessions utilising webinars and online communication platforms. Module 2 focuses on personal and professional development. Similarly, it will have two face-to-face training days augmented by two online training sessions. Learning will be validated using digital badges.
To learn more about F4S3 visit our project website here - https://www.f4s3.eu/.
Get in touch by emailing lauren@wheel.ie.
RevitaLESE
The purpose of the RevitaLESE programme is to assist and engage with long established social economy organisations who wish to revitalise their social mission, business model and activities.
The RevitaLESE partnership has created a wealth of resources for the European social economy sector including blogs, case studies, podcasts, comprehensive training materials for LESE organisations and an Impact, Validation and Sustainability Report examining the success of the programme.
To learn more about RevitaLESE visit our project website here - https://revitalese.eu/.
Get in touch by emailing CathyAnne on cathyanne@wheel.ie.
Collaborations
The Wheel works closely with the Employer Engagement Unit of SOLAS to promote access to skills building programmes and subsidised training among employers in the nonprofit sector. Organisations and individuals can access low-cost and free upskilling and training through their local Education and Training Boards all around the country. Find out more at https://www.solas.ie/programmes/skills-to-advance/.
You can also access a free recorded webinar that The Wheel ran in conjuction with SOLAS and ETB's all about Local Training for Your Employees which will explore the opportunities available in more details and how your organisation could benefit from accessing training opportunities through an ETB.
The Wheel works closely with colleagues on the MicroCreds Expert Advisory Group to guide the development of MicroCredentials – an initiative of the 7 universities in Ireland to create and promote short, flexible and responsive accredited courses. These courses are designed with and for employers and workers and are tailored to the workforce needs of today and tomorrow. You can find out more at https://microcreds.ie/ or watch The Wheel’s webinar where we introduce and explain MicroCreds in this video here
The Wheel has partnered with Carmichael, a leading provider of training in the community and voluntary sector in Ireland, to deliver a varied training schedule, supported by the National Training Fund. Topics covered include Leadership, EDI, Impact Management and Annual Reporting. Find out more at https://www.carmichaelireland.ie/courses/?type=scheduled-courses
The Wheel has been partnering with Grow Remote and LOETB since 2021 to facilitate the delivery of cutting edge accredited programmes for hundreds of sector workers in Leading Remote Teams. You can find out more and register your interest on Grow Remote's website at https://growremote.ie/leading-remote-teams/
The Wheel and Community Action Network have been collaborating on the Transformative Leadership accredited programme since 2014. This innovative, culturally attuned leadership development programme, accredited by Maynooth University, has impacted hundreds of learners and their organisations over that period, developing their capacity to lead change, work with complexity and empower others to do their best. The next intake of the programme will happen in autumn 2024. Find out more here.
The Wheel has supported the development of the Leaders for Change programme, designed and delivered by Quality Matters, in collaboration with National College of Ireland, since 2014. This Level 9 qualification in nonprofit leadership and management develops skills such as change management, outcome measurement, ethical decision making and team and stakeholder management. The next intake of the programme is in September 2024.
The Wheel, Quality Matters and Whitebarn Consulting coordinate the Social Value Ireland network. Social Value Ireland is a network of individuals and organisations who are interested in changing the way Irish society accounts for value. Membership is free and the network is open to all organisations and individuals who have an interest in social value and its measurement. Find out more and join today.
Meet the Team
Mairead O'Connor - Skills Development Senior Manager
Contact Mairead on mairead@wheel.ie about skills policy and advocacy.
Lauren Carroll - Programme Manager
Contact Lauren on lauren@wheel.ie if you would like to discuss Training Links funding or find out more about The Wheel’s work with the Education and Training Boards.
Sharon Hughes - Leadership Academy Manager
Email Sharon on sharon@wheel.ie to find out more about The Leadership Academy or our collaborations with Higher Education providers.
Sinéad Vaughan - Training Manager
If you have a need for a particular training topic or if you are a trainer that would like to be featured email Sinéad on sinead@wheel.ie.
Perrine Cesbron - Programme Officer
Contact Perrine on perrine@wheel.ie if you would like more info on the baSE project, Shared Services or Social Value Ireland.
Matthew Norman - Training & Events Officer
Contact Matthew on matthew@wheel.ie if you would like more info on our training calendar of events.
