Minister of State with Special Responsibility for Disabilities, Anne Rabbitte, has launched the Disability and Participation Awareness Fund to support the participation of people with disabilities in local activities, to provide valuable employment experience for persons with disabilities, and to help remove barriers to community involvement.
A total fund of €3 million will be made available under four strands, with maximum grants available under each strand.
Strand 1: Building skills and removing barriers to help people with Down Syndrome take part in their communities.
Strand 2: Social enterprise initiatives to provide valuable employment experience to people with disabilities.
Strand 3: Arts and cultural activities, particularly those that promote awareness of the lived experiences of people with disabilities and that support the participation of people with disabilities in artistic, cultural, and community life.
Strand 4: Initiatives aimed at encouraging community participation and inclusion for people with disabilities, including sports and outdoor recreation, promotion of accessibility and accessible shared spaces.
Each of the four strands will support organisations working with or involving people with disabilities, and each has a different focus. Organisations applying must meet the stipulated criteria for each strand, and initiatives should seek to address one or more of the key issues outlined in the strands.
Applying organisations should also take note of the additional criteria which could benefit their application, such as a focus on multiple impairments, innovative or assistive technology, research involving persons with disabilities, and organisations led by persons with a disability.
The fund will be operated by Rethink Ireland, and applications can be made directly to them on their website. Rethink Ireland can also support organisations to make an application.
Announcing the fund Minister Rabbitte commented: “I am delighted to announce the launch of this year’s Disability Participation and Awareness Fund and to work with Rethink Ireland to maximise the use of this important funding. This fund has a particular focus on community level funding, helping to increase the participation and inclusion of disabled persons in society.
“The fund will also help to highlight the lived experiences of people through art and cultural activities, and will hopefully encourage organisations led by disabled persons to undertake initiatives that will improve the lives of its members.
“There is great opportunity for organisations to showcase new and exciting innovation which could provide learnings and inspiration for other organisations and communities throughout Ireland, and this is what makes this fund so important and so worthwhile.”