Sustainable Cork Fund 2019-2020
Shaping a more inclusive future through environmental, social, and economic innovations
This is a €200,000 fund created by Rethink Ireland in partnership with Cork Chamber of Commerce and the Department of Rural and Community Development via the Dormant Accounts Fund.
The Sustainable Cork Fund will support not-for-profit organisations to increase the sustainability of Cork’s urban and rural communities through environmental, social and economic innovations. Taking sustainability to include environmental, social and economic resilience, the fund will support projects achieving impact in:
- Climate action and environmental awareness: increasing sustainability, climate change education, increasing efforts in recycling, the circular economy, green production and waste awareness, etc.
- Community inclusion and cohesion: generating a positive sense of belonging, particularly for marginalised and vulnerable groups, including people with disabilities, people in minority ethnic groups, etc.
- Sustainable employment and economic development: supporting good quality jobs for all, strengthening Cork’s business environment sustainably and increasing localised economic development
Awardees
Nasc, Gateway to Inclusion
Nasc was founded in May 2000 with the goal of realising the rights of all migrants and refugees within Irish society. Nasc’s Gateway to Inclusion Project provides free, specially tailored English language classes in a women-only, supportive environment. The language component is a ‘gateway’ to ‘hard to reach’ refugee women at risk of geographical or social isolation. The project works to assist women to accomplish their goals and provides support to overcome the barriers that can stop them from accessing formal education or employment which may include trauma, domestic violence, poverty or lack of access to healthcare.
Northside Community Enterprises, Sustainable Futures
NCE Outreach was set up in 2000 as an inclusive and unique training model that aims to support participants engaged with addiction treatment or Probation services. The Sustainable Futures project aims to provide training, personal development, and employment in the area of sustainability for the local community and participants of NCE Outreach, in a safe and non-judgmental environment. The project aims to create part-time employment opportunities at NCE while also feeding into the development of a community-based, living lab for sustainability in Cork City, based at Farranferris Education & Training Campus.
Refill Ireland
Refill.ie is a social enterprise helping to eradicate a need for single-use plastic water bottles by providing an alternative, free-to-use refill network. Refill will expand their “Tap Map” service in Cork to show people where to find free tap water nearby. They will also work with local businesses and county councils to educate, advocate and promote the installation of more refill points. They are working to find a location for a new Community Refill Hub in a high footfall area, which will provide free-to-use filtered water to the public.
