Supporting local has never been easier thanks to the Galway Social Enterprise Collective. Bringing together a group of six brilliant Galway social enterprises under the one banner “Choose Galway Social Enterprise'' to promote the benefits of social enterprise in the community, these organisations are busy helping their communities by encouraging social and environmental welfare over gaining profits.
Making valuable contributions to our communities there’s no end of reasons as to why you should start choosing Galway social enterprises. Discover all about the amazing social enterprises participating in the Galway Social Enterprise Collective below;
Galway City Partnership
Galway City Partnership is a local and community development company working in Galway City. They increase awareness of and promote social enterprise activity in Galway City by sharing of information, hosting meetings and providing networking opportunities. GCP provides one to one mentoring to groups who are exploring the possibility of using a social enterprise model for their group with a social inclusion focus.
They provide valuable information, access to training and signpost to funding initiatives in the social enterprise area while also recognising that existing social enterprises require support in creating employment, providing services, and generating income in disadvantaged communities. Galway City Partnership champion social enterprises in Galway city at both a local, regional, and national level.
Commenting on this initiative Fiona Blaney, Social Enterprise Worker Galway City Partnership said, “We want you to think about using a social enterprise when choosing a service or product. We want people to seek out social enterprises and think beyond the immediate and look to the long term. Make the right decision by reinvesting in your local community”.
This campaign is being led by Galway City Partnership with funding received under The Dormant Accounts Fund.
Chair of Galway City Partnership, Tommy Flaherty, Mayor of Galway Cllr Colette Connolly, GCP Social Enterprise Worker Fiona Blaney
Westside Resource Centre
Westside Resource Centre is a community-based organisation with charitable status. They provide high-quality, serviced office accommodation to community, voluntary, not-for-profit and charitable organisations. They also support community work in the local area and are involved with community initiatives such as Westside Arts Festival, Westside Christmas Market, Social Inclusion Week and Culture Night.
More than 30 local and national organisations use Westside Resource Centre’s facilities throughout the year, and it serves as a base for local community groups including Westside Community Patchers, Westside Men's Club, Westside Craft Group and Westside Community Organic Garden.
On being a part of Galway Social Enterprise Collective, Westside Resource Centre's CEO James Coyne said, "It is wonderful to have the opportunity to showcase this work so that the general public can learn more about social enterprises and their activities. Social Enterprises are actively working to solve some pressing social challenges and to support communities. They also deliver important services, they provide employment, they contribute to the local economy and, most distinctively, they reinvest any surpluses back into their social mission.”
Looking ahead, James said, “At its best, this way of working produces a kind of positive 'feedback loop' of valuable services delivered today...and even better services in a brighter tomorrow."
An Mheitheal Rothar
An Mheitheal Rothar (The Bicycle Community) set out to encourage and nurture a cycling culture in Galway. Run by members and volunteers the team works to establish a practical, ethically motivated facility and social hub which encourages a strong community and promote the health and environmental benefits of cycling.
An Mheitheal Rothar is a social enterprise aimed at building community relationships through workshops, community engagement and events in Galway. They provide people with the facilities, tools and space free of charge to repair or service their bikes through quick and easy guidance through hands on learning experience.
Cathy Coote from An Mheitheal Rothar said "By returning bikes to use that would otherwise be scrapped, An Mheitheal Rothar provides valuable training in cycle mechanics to our trainees, as well as an affordable, fossil fuel free means of transport for our customers." The team at An Mheitheal Rothar have created a welcoming space to allow for socialising and offers people the opportunity to develop lifelong skills including bicycle mechanics, coordination and teaching.
GOCOM Radio
GOCOM Radio is first of its kind in Ireland and already has over 72,000 record listeners and over 5,000 followers. The vision of this community radio is an Ireland where everyone is seen and heard, irrespective of race and status. The incredible GOCOM Radio represents voices, language, culture, music and issues of ethnic minorities and interests of marginalised groups in Ireland, such as the traveller community and people living with disability. They are always willing to take on new volunteers across a range of jobs, offering them opportunities to be heard and to develop their skills in broadcasting.
Islammiyah Saudique-Kadejo, the CEO of GOCOM Radio, felt inspired to launch GOCOM Radio as a platform giving voice to ethnic minorities, under-represented, and marginalised groups. Speaking of the Galway Social Enterprise Collective, she said, “Social enterprises are important because they solve social problems, innovate and fill the gap in existing services that cannot be provided by the public or private businesses.
They also reach socially excluded, marginalised and under-represented people by providing volunteer, training, employment opportunities and reinvesting profits back to enterprises for growth and community development.”
For Islammiyah, the importance of social enterprises in their community is that, “social enterprises connect with the community and contribute to local identity, and help local people.”
Galway Community Circus
This year, Galway Community Circus are celebrating their 20th anniversary of bringing the joy of circus to Galway. Galway Community Circus is more than a circus school, it’s also a social enterprise that exists to improve the lives of the local community. Galway Community Circus’ Alex Stewart explains, “Social enterprises are important because they exist primarily to improve the lives of people. They operate to meet the needs of communities, and profits are reinvested back into the social enterprise and therefore the community. They create jobs and opportunities, help transform communities and meet social needs. Galway Community Circus is a social enterprise that exists not only to bring the joy of circus to our community, but also to improve the lives of our local community.”
Created to meet the needs of the local youth by offering a non-competitive, physical and creative activity in a safe and welcoming space, Galway Community Circus’ philosophy is ‘circus for all’. Using the circus arts they are able to teach young people, including those who are disadvantaged, at-risk and vulnerable, the tools to develop self-confidence, resilience and social skills while tapping into strengths and hidden talents.
By choosing Galway Community Circus, you are making the community more resilient, inclusive and sustainable. The nature of the circus teaches social, personal and life skills, helping the involved youth to become active, self-aware global citizens. Circus is a valuable support network that meets the educational and psychological needs of communities. When you choose Galway Community Circus, you Choose Social – and you directly support the local youth and the future of the Galway community.
Galway Community Circus Executive Director Ulla Hokkanen said, “As we celebrate our 20th anniversary this year, we encourage you to come out and try a circus class or workshop! Everyone, regardless of age, ability or background, is welcome at our Circus.”
Bounce Back Recycling
Bounce Back Recycling is a social enterprise that delivers social, environmental and societal impacts that make economic sense. They provide quality recycling services for companies, councils and householders to recycle their unwanted mattresses and bulky waste rather than send it to landfill. They are an environmentally conscious organisation, delivering a recycling service that is convenient, affordable and sustainable. Bounce Back Recycling work with a number of local authorities, householders and many retail outlets with the aim of improving the recycling rates across the country.
As a social enterprise, Bounce Back Recycling gives people who experience barriers to employment the opportunity to get jobs, work experience and progression opportunities within their organisation.
“Bounce Back Recycling is a flagship social enterprise that is reclaiming the Traveller community’s role in recycling that contributes to Ireland’s environmental and economic sustainability.” says Martin Ward, Manager of Bounce Back Recycling.
“We are delighted to be part of the Choose Galway Social campaign that showcases the huge collective impact that social enterprises deliver across local communities in Galway. We are asking the public to support the campaign by buying social. Every euro spent with a social enterprise delivers multiple social impacts in local communities."
This project was approved by Government with support from the Dormant Accounts Fund.
