New Cross-border Programme to Champion Social Enterprises
A ground-breaking new initiative will further cooperation etween established social enterprises in addressing shared challenges related to social impact. Led by the Social Enterprise Republic of Ireland (SERI) and Social Enterprise Northern Ireland (SENI), the DISCOVERY Programme will run for two years, focusing on cross-border cooperation and development.
Supported by funding from the International Fund for Ireland’s “Communities in Partnership” programme, the initiative seeks to strengthen connections between social enterprise leaders, recognising them as pivotal figures in driving social impact and fostering community relations. This programme not only aims to empower those delivering essential community services but also to lay the groundwork for greater cross-border collaboration within the social enterprise sector.
The partnership between SERI and SENI represents a significant milestone, with both organisations uniting to design a programme that serves the collective interests of social enterprises in Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Scotland. Their shared efforts aim to enhance innovation and support the growth of this crucial sector.
At the launch, Paddy Harte, chair of the International Fund for Ireland, highlighted the vital contributions of social enterprises, noting their role in helping to “manage and navigate the challenges around financial sustainability and help develop long-term viable social businesses that will benefit communities.”
John Logue, CEO of Social Enterprise Republic of Ireland, was also present and expressed his excitement at the launch of the DISCOVERY programme. John highlighted that, “Through the DISCOVERY programme, our motivation is really to practically support the operators of social enterprises, to help them to apply new digital tools, to enhance their financial management expertise, to help to grow and manage income, and to optimise and control costs. There’s also a great learning opportunity from the cross-border collaboration and that’s what we aim to facilitate, and that’s what the programmes about.”
Learn more here.
