Training Links Programme

Lead Organisation

Social Enterprise Republic of Ireland (SERI)

Network Members

1. Spraoi agus Spórt
2. Ballyhoura
3. Inishowen Development Partnership
4. Hair Together
5. The Shona Project
6. Treo Port Lairge CLG
7. The Midlife Women Rock Project
8. Speedpak Group
9. Partas
10. Wexford Local Development
11. Leap
12. Killala Community Council Newstart CLG
13. Comharchumann Forbartha Cill tSeadhna Teo
14. PAUL Partnership
15. Ballina Costume Company
16. CFÁA - The Achill Experience Aquarium & Visitor Centre
17. FACT Social Club
18. The B!G Idea
19. South West Mayo Development Company
20. PDFORRA Medical Assistance Scheme (PMAS)
21. Ovation Community Learning CLG
22. Edible Landscape Project CLG
23. Longford Women's Link
24. ACT

Impact Summary

The Artificial Intelligence Social Enterprise Network (AISEN), led by the Social Enterprise Republic of Ireland (SERI), will provide social enterprises with training to adopt and use AI effectively. Participants will learn to streamline operations, enhance decision-making and improve service delivery using AI tools such as Open AI, Co-Pilot, and Gemini. They will also explore the ethical and privacy aspects of AI. The programme includes developing AI implementation plans and completing a capstone project to solve a real-world problem within their enterprise.

Lead Organisation

Early Learning Initiative, National College of Ireland

Network Members

1. Early Learning Initiative, National College of Ireland    
2. Northside Partnership  
3. Lifestart Foundation Ltd  
4. Let’s Grow Together! Infant and Childhood Partnerships CLG  
5. Louth Local Development CLG  
6. Brill Resource Centre  
7. Parents First (Laois, Offaly) CLG  
8. Daughters of Charity Community Services   
9. Youth New Ross  
10. St. Ultans Childcare Project 

Impact Summary

In line with ‘Ireland’s National Skills Strategy 2025 – Ireland’s Future,' the Home Visiting Alliance Training Network aims to enhance the skills of Home Visitors throughout Ireland to meet the evolving needs of families and society through a series of online training webinars. This includes interdisciplinary skills such as cultural sensitivity, trauma-informed care, empathy, communication, resilience, creativity, and problem-solving. The plan seeks to develop a flexible, knowledgeable workforce capable of addressing emerging challenges in at-risk communities. It emphasises improving early childhood home visiting practices, promoting lifelong learning, and increasing skilled Home Visitors to support marginalized families.  

Lead Organisation

The Disability Federation of Ireland 

Network Members

1. Blanchardstown Center for Independent Living 
2. Carlow Center for Independent Living 
3. Centre for Independent Living Cork 
4. Donegal Centre for Independent Living 
5. Galway Centre for Independent Living 
6. Kilkenny Centre for Independent Living 
7. Leitrim Association for People with Disabilities 
8. Longford Centre for Independent Living 
9. North Tipperary Disability Support Services 
10. Offaly Centre for Independent Living 
11. County Roscommon Disability Support Group 
12. Sligo Centre for Independent Living 
13. Tipperary Centre for Independent Living 
14. Waterford Centre for Independent Living 
15. Westmeath Centre for Independent Living 
16. Wexford Disability Development (CIL) 
17. West Limerick Centre for Independent Living 

Impact Summary

The National Alliance of Centres for Independent Living (NACIL) has 17 member organisations. Collectively these organisations provide services to over 2,000 disabled people across all five HSE Health Regions.

It will support NACIL to:

• Navigate the changing landscape of health and disability services in Ireland.
• Be better informed and positioned to ensure that the independent living services they provide, grow as Ireland progresses with the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD).
• Help build the newly formed Alliance.
• To build sustainability and organisational stability, with a strong focus on the commonality between participants.

Lead Organisation

LGBT Ireland

Network Members

1. LGBT Ireland 
2. Midlands LGBT+ 
3. TENI 
4. OutWest 
5. Gay Project 
6. Outcomers 
7. LinC 
8. GOSHH 
9. Outhouse 
10. Amach LGBT 
11. ShoutOut 
12. GCN 

Impact Summary

The LGBTI+ Training Links Network offers service providers in the LGBTQIA+ community sector the chance to participate in training, network with others in the field, and share experiences to benefit the sector as a whole. The network provides opportunities, such as the continued professional development conference, which is a two-day event featuring workshops, speakers, and time for connecting with other attendees. This creates a space for connection, learning, and strengthening bonds within the LGBTQIA+ community sector.

Lead Organisation

Dóchas 

Network Members

1. A Partnership with Africa 
2. Financial Justice 
3. See Beyond Borders Ireland 
4. Brighter Communities Worldwide 
5. Tearfund Ireland 
6. Edmund Rice Development 
7. Comhlamh 
8. ILCU Foundation 
9. Development Perspectives 
10. Nepal Leprosy Trust 
11. Habitat for Humanity 
12. Concern Worldwide 
13. CBM Ireland 
14. Goal Global 
15. Misean Cara 

Impact Summary

The Dóchas Leadership Programme 2025 is a collaborative effort between Dóchas and 15 of its member organisations, working in partnership with UCD Innovation Academy. Following a similar course delivered in 2023, it brings together emerging and existing leaders in the sector to focus on creative thinking, innovation and leadership. An inclusive approach involving online delivery allows participation of personnel from across the network, including those in the Global South. Through this programme, Dóchas provides a platform for participants to connect, coordinate and collaborate, continue peer learning and exchange, and apply skills and best practice to sectoral initiatives.

Lead Organisation

Comhlámh – Development Workers and Volunteers in Global Solidarity 

Network Members

1. Comhlámh – Development Workers and Volunteers in Global Solidarity CLG 
2. Tearfund Ireland 
3. Nurture Africa 
4. SeeBeyondBorders Ireland 
5. Voluntary Service International (VSI) 
6. Vincentian Lay Missionaries (VLM) 
7. Suas Educational Development 
8. Salesian Missions (operating as Don Bosco Aid) 
9. Church Mission Society Ireland 
10. Brighter Communities Worldwide 
11. SERVE in Solidarity Ireland 
12. Viatores Christi CLG 

Impact Summary

The Rethinking International Volunteering Network will work to support the sector to strengthen individual and collective values-led approaches to international volunteering and development programming. Tailored trainings will support participants to explore the different dimensions of values-led volunteering, building capacity to mainstream learnings across their organisations and broader networks. Areas to be explored include safeguarding, inclusive programming, collective care, ethical communications and fundraising, and challenging the harmful practice of orphanage volunteering. The network has identified these are priority areas where joint training will them to strengthen collective impact and quality, at a time of rapid change.

Lead Organisation

Philanthropy Ireland 

Network Members

1. Philanthropy Ireland 
2. Community Foundation Ireland 
3. Basis.point 
4. Camden Trust 
5. KHF 
6. Irish Hospice Foundation 
7. Kylemore Trust 
8. Lifes2 Good Foundation 
9. Mount Street Club Trust 
10. Oakfield Trust 
11. Stephens Green Trust 
12. The Ireland Funds 

Impact Summary

By engaging in this programme we aim to add value in the leadership, management, and operational skills of grant making organisations to increase impact, build governance and inform grant making strategies, in support of an agile, responsive community of grant makers addressing beneficiary needs. It will help in the support and development of high-quality, impactful, sustainable, and responsive grant making programmes to maximise impact of resources.

Lead Organisation

Barnardos 

Network Members

1. Cloyne Diocesan Youth Service CLG 
2. Good Shepherds 
3. Midleton Family Resource Centre 
4. ISPCC 
5. West Cork Beacon 
6. Cork City Partnership CLG 
7. Cork Migrant Centre, South Presentation Sisters CLG 
8. Traveller Visibility Group 
9. OSS 
10. Cuanlee CLG 
11. Sundays Well Life Centre (aka Cork Life Centre) 
12. Le Cheile FRC Mallow

Impact Summary

The network aims to upskill community and voluntary groups in the Cork City & County Geographical areas to support practitioners and volunteers in providing an effective, appropriate and shared response to Keeping Children SAFE & PROTECTED from harm. Desired outcomes include:

• Increased confidence and capacity within the community and voluntary groups across Cork in keeping our children and young people safe from harm.
• Provide an appropriate, effective and accessible response to training needs gaps identified by practitioners and volunteers.
• Deepen the knowledge, understanding and skills for working in this complex are.
• Provide a platform for the sharing of best practice and expertise and further collaboration in providing a shared response.

Lead Organisation

Football Cooperative 

Network Members

1. Access Sport Foundation
2. Active Connections
3. Active Retirement Ireland
4. All Irish Dance
5. Chronic Health Advocate
6. Connemara Therapeutic Riding CLG
7. Cycle Sense
8. Cycling Without Age
9. Ex Well Medical
10. Festina Lente Enterprises CLG
11. Fettercairn Youth Horse Project
12. Football Cooperative
13. Galway Community Circus 
14. Gerri's Place
15. Irish Amputee Football Association
16. Irish Dragon Boat Association
17. Liquid Therapy
18. Little Fitness
19. Lough Ree Access For All
20. Meitheal Mara
21. Mixed Ability Sports Ireland
22. Move2Be
23. New Wave Adventure Project
24. No Barriers Foundation
25. ParkHiit
26. Parks Tennis
27. Rainbow Club
28. Red Rhino Kickboxing Club
29. RISE
30. Sail Training Ireland for Youth Development
31. Sailing into Wellness
32. Shamrock Squad Adventures
33. Siul Eile 
34. SPACE To Do
35. Sport Against Racism Ireland
36. Sport Agus Spraoi
37. The Bike Hub
38. The Wellness Community
39. Venture Out Wilderness Project
40. Yoga for Health Ireland

Impact Summary

The Physical Activity Social Innovation for Health (PASIfH) training link aims to upskill each of the network organisations on Impact Management with a core objective progressing towards the development of a Common Outcomes Framework. The Common Outcomes Framework will provide an organised, generalised, set of outcomes and outcome indicators that establishes a universal approach for impact evaluation. This process will aim to define a collective and sector-led understanding of how physical activity programmes improve outcomes for all stakeholders.

The result of which will help to inform or adapt programme design (as the framework can be referenced to integrate greater health promotion outcomes); promote shared and consistent measurement of impact that results in peer-to-peer based evidence; empower each of the network organisations to 'talk about' themselves in a more systematic way to all stakeholders and enable a range of wider benefits including supporting programme beneficiaries to greater understand the positive outcomes that they can expect to experience from their participation.

Lead Organisation

One Family 

Network Members

1. Paul Ring, Step by Step, Child & Family Project  
2. Geraldine Nugent, Aosog, Child & Family Project  
3. Sarah Kearney, Daughters of Charity  
4. Dublin City Childcare Committee  
5. Anne Staunton, Rainbows Ireland  
6. Aileen Hickey, Parentline  
7. Geraldine O Driscoll, Ozanam House, St Vincent de Paul  
8. Chime, The National Charity for Deafness and Hearing Loss  
9. Dublin 7 School Completion Project  
10. Bradog Youth Services  
11. Dominic Justice of Ireland 

Impact Summary

We aim to build knowledge and skills across front line practice; developing a targeted approach within a shared framework; creating dedicated support and services for families. The project aims to increase the awareness of the needs of families by creating a shared understanding of how systemic issues are impacting on lives and family wellbeing. Through training we hope to develop a knowledge hub, lending to peer support, best practice, referral pathways and a united approach to service delivery. We aspire to creating opportunities for lifelong learning supporting the retention of staff and knowledge in the Dublin 7 and 1 areas.