Social Enterprise Support Pilot Programme launched to empower communities in Connemara and the Aran Islands

A new initiative has been launched in Connemara and the Aran Islands which aims to develop the capacities of social enterprises and cooperatives operating in the region. The pilot initiative is part of the EU-funded EmpowerUs project, a wider initiative launched in six coastal regions across Europe to empower coastal communities to take action and ensure sustainable, inclusive and resilient coastal development.

The Social Enterprise Support Pilot Programme initiative, led by Údarás na Gaeltachta and Queen’s University Belfast, seeks to create a stronger enabling environment for the social enterprise and cooperative sector in the Gaeltacht. This development challenge will be addressed through developing more commercially viable and financially resilient social enterprises and co-operatives, building the skills, knowledge and learning capacities of social enterprises and co-operatives across the Gaeltacht. The programme’s implementation will lead to the development of more inclusive forms of business development that protect and enhance the natural, cultural and community assets of the Gaeltacht.

Recognising these development opportunities, the Social Enterprise Support Pilot Programme will be implemented through three mechanisms:

• An online modular programme to inform and inspire community and voluntary sector organisations about the potential of the social economy.

• A technical assistance programme to support local groups to develop projects. In addition to providing strategic and legal advice, this programme will upskill local communities in conducting feasibility studies, digital transformation, developing markets and creating social impact.

• Additional provision of support for local social entrepreneurs with high growth potential, via site visits, lectures and provision of resources.

The Social Enterprise Support Pilot Programme aims to have a transformative impact in the area by addressing skills deficits, creating new job opportunities, and strengthening the social enterprise sector’s ability to capture value from the blue economy. Through collaboration, knowledge sharing, and capacity building, the pilot initiative seeks to establish a stronger enabling environment for the social enterprise and cooperative sector and create a more sustainable and inclusive economic future for coastal communities in Connemara and the Aran Islands.

“The Social Enterprise Support Pilot Programme involves a staged approach to develop the skills, knowledge and learning capacities of social enterprises and cooperatives operating in the Gaeltacht. It builds on Údarás na Gaeltachta’s longstanding support for these sectors and seeks to deepen and accelerate their capacity to secure a sustainable future for these coastal and islands communities” – Wesley Flannery, Queen’s University Belfast.

“Údarás na Gaeltachta are delighted to lead this pilot through the collaborative partnership established with our academic partner, Queen’s University Belfast and with the other partners from the EmpowerUs project. Our agency has over 40 years of experience engaging with the community and local development in the Gaeltacht and is committed to funding and resourcing local social enterprises as they work for the benefit of our local communities. We look forward to both sharing and learning from our international partners across the EU and collaborating with them during the implementation of the pilot project in Connemara to support the development of social enterprises across the Gaeltacht” – Tomás Ó Síocháin, CEO of Údarás na Gaeltachta.

To stay up to date on the Social Enterprise Support Programme, and all other EmpowerUs pilots, visit the official EmpowerUs website and follow us on X and LinkedIn. If you are interested in getting involved in the Social Enterprise Support Programme or would like to learn more, please get in touch with Micheál Ó Conghaile, Údarás na Gaeltachta (m.oconghaile@udaras.ie) or Alex Miller, Queen’s University Belfast (alex.miller@qub.ac.uk).