Social Entrepreneurs Ireland (SEI) actively backs individuals with innovative solutions for social problems. Since its foundation in 2004, this privately-funded non-profit organisation has given support to over 600 social entrepreneurs through funding exceeding €15 million and in-kind contributions. For those harbouring ideas that instigate positive societal changes, SEI has recently announced a national call for applications for its accelerator programme.
The nine-month programme, designed to back potential-rich social entrepreneurs, has five slots available. It aims to elevate the participants’ organisations to a higher level, with an emphasis on effectivity, scalability, and sustainability. Each participant is offered individualised support, mentoring, and consultancy in key areas, including communications, leadership development, strategic planning, governance, resilience, and fund raising. A reward of €20,000 in unrestricted funding is also part of the package, with further opportunities to attract additional funds.
Successful applicants will become part of Ireland’s broadest network of social entrepreneurs focused on mitigating social and environmental issues countrywide.
“We aim to catalyse social change by harnessing the potential of individuals,” states Tim Griffiths, CEO of SEI. “We’re committed to discovering and supporting top-notch social entrepreneurs tackling societal issues throughout Ireland. However, we couldn’t provide this vital aid without the backing of corporate partners such as DCC plc, the sponsor of our national call, and real estate company Kennedy Wilson, who lend support to our impact initiative.”
SEI’s approach involves working closely with select participants to fathom their unique objectives and create a tailored roadmap directed at achieving their vision.
“DCC plc, an international group specialising in sales, marketing, and support services and a supporter of SEI’s national call for applications, has personally witnessed the transformative potential of SEI’s work in the past twelve years,” says Donal Murphy, CEO of DCC plc. “Social entrepreneurship plays an instrumental role in devising and implementing resolutions to Ireland’s social challenges.”
Education for Sustainability, a social enterprise concept of Susan Adams, found its roots in her observation that her children’s curriculum at school lacked adequate information about climate change and the environment.
Having been a conservation management professional with Dublin Zoo, she took it upon herself to address the environmental concerns, designing an eight-week educational scheme for primary and secondary school students, inclusive of the necessary teacher training to administer it.
The child-centric scheme encourages students to recognise environmental issues and proactively create their solutions. This has brought about diverse outcomes, from abolishing the usage of plastic bottles to creating biodiversity gardens and arranging clothes exchange initiatives.
“I simply wish for people to value the environment, which can only happen if they grasp its importance”, she discusses. She started Education for Sustainability back in 2017 and operated it alone for a couple of years. She attributes her considerable growth to the support from Social Entrepreneurs Ireland.
“A social enterprise is an organisation primarily committed to addressing a concern. Before I associated with Social Entrepreneurs Ireland, I was uncertain about my role, functioning as a single trader. However, by 2021, I had transitioned into a fully-fledged social enterprise to magnify its impact,” Adams shares.
The Impact Programme assisted in laying a solid foundation for their expansion. Currently, Education for Sustainability employs five individuals and operates in 261 schools, having educated 569 teachers as a part of its initiative. “Once a teacher has been trained, they continue the cycle by training more pupils in the following year,” she shares.
Associating with Social Entrepreneurs Ireland was instrumental in refining her business model, which depends on a combination of corporate sponsorships and governmental funds.
“To endure, we necessitate consistent governmental funding. We are hoping for governmental contributions towards climate literacy, analogous to what they provide for arts or STEM subjects. This is a domain that is currently underfunded, despite the ongoing environmental crisis,” Adams remarks.
However, Social Entrepreneurs Ireland’s assistance wasn’t limited to financial assistance but also extended to practical areas like human resources and digital marketing.
“The first query upon starting the impact programme is about identifying your weaknesses and your needs, so a customised programme can be designed for you. This personalisation is significant, as time is a crucial asset for a social entrepreneur,” Adams concludes.
“I owe my achievements to Social Entrepreneurs Ireland (SEI), I could not have reached this far without them,” states emphatically. This quintessential sentiment is shared by myriad successful social enterprises across the country that have been a part of the impact programme, including Positive Carbon, a firm combatting food waste; DCode Dyslexia, proponents of literacy innovations; Pocket Forests, urban cultivation experts; as well as AsIAm, a prominent establishment in the national autism spectrum.
As per Griffiths, their method is to cater to each social entrepreneur according to their individuality. He asserts, “We extend our assistance, however, we refrain from dictating terms. Our aim is to empower them, enabling them to realise their full potential.”
The selection process actively seeks out candidates who demonstrate an entrepreneurial zeal. As Griffiths notes, “We’re interested in those who feel vehemently about the issues they aim to solve; typically, they possess hands-on experience, providing them with insightful knowledge about the problem at hand, and the necessary solutions”. He further adds, “They are solution-oriented, harbour the determination to effect change, and aren’t daunted by refusals.”
Griffiths is quick to dispel the misconception about social enterprises having to be non-profit. “The enterprise’s purpose needs to be the resolution of a social issue. Whether profit-oriented or not is immaterial; we remain unfazed by the business model in place,” he clarifies.
He believes, however, that social entrepreneurs necessitate unique assistance, adding, “They experience the same obstacles as traditional entrepreneurs, facing challenges related to human resources and supply chain management. Nevertheless, they are responsible for an additional mantle – remaining faithful to their cause, a convoluted situation that’s more demanding to operate in.”
“This is why we are here; we believe that these individuals, if provided with the necessary support, can bring about a significant positive change. I’m filled with awe for these extraordinary and inspiring individuals,” he concludes empathically.