What is Social Enterprise?
By Social Enterprise Northern Ireland
The future of business is social, we can be both commercial and have social impact.
What is Social Enterprise? Jul 07, 2021
David Sloan - Belfast89FM
Belfast 89FM is a local radio station providing music, quizzes, and craic plus all the information on traffic and travel news.
The combination of new volunteers and familiar voices of presenters ensures that Belfast 89FM has a truly genuine, engaging and distinctive sound.
www.belfast89.com
Alison Gordon - Open House Festival
Open House Festival is an annual summer event that takes place in the beautiful seaside city of Bangor, County Down, curated and run by Open House. The non-profit festival has entertained visitors for over 20 years, brilliantly building upon each successive outing with great music, film and theatre. www.openhousefestival.com
Sarah Hoppe - Sew Ready CIC
Sew Ready is an award winning social enterprise bridging the current skills gap in garment making by educating young children and adults in sewing skills.
They re-invest profits back into the local community.
www.sewready.org
Martin Fisher - Irish League of Credit Unions
The Irish League of Credit Unions (ILCU) is a trade association for credit unions in Ireland. It operates in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Providing membership for over
258 credit unions across the island.
www.creditunion.ie
Andrew Irvine - East Belfast Mission
East Belfast Mission works across all communities offering a range of services to meet the needs of everyone. With over 100 staff currently employed and approximately 200 volunteers, the range of social projects include:
· A worshipping congregation at the church
· Church and Community outreach services
· Hosford homeless support service
· Stepping Stone- employability programme
www.ebm.org.uk
Darragh Collins - ShareVillage
Share Discovery Village is Northern Ireland's Largest Residential Outdoor Activity Centre offering a wide range of arts, land and water activities based in Fermanagh.
Accessible to disabled and non-disabled people.
www.sharevillage.org
Shauna McFall - Naturally North Coast & Glens
Naturally North Coast & Glens is a Social enterprise delivering Artisan Markets, trader support, urban revitalisation & making a difference across Northern Ireland.
They offer a supportive platform for artisan produce, arts, craft & new businesses.
www.naturallynorthcoastandglens.co.uk
Siobhan Barclay - Harp & Crown Credit Union
Harp and Crown Credit Union is a non-profit making, self help financial co-operative formed and run by people who have a common bond.
They provide safe, secure, flexible financial services to the wider policing family in Northern Ireland.
Loma Wilson - Radius Housing
Crowned as the winner of Social Enterprise of the Year 2023, Radius provides housing, care and support to over 33,000 homes in Northern Ireland.
https://www.radiushousing.org/
Anita Yakkundi - AuSome GrowSome
AuSome GrowSome is an inclusive hydroponics-based centre that grow high quality green produce using innovative sustainable technology. They also continue to make a difference in the autism community through providing training opportunities for marginalised individuals in Northern Ireland.
https://ausomegrowsome.org.uk/
Paul Carvill - Healthy Kidz
Healthy Kidz began its journey in 2014 as a coaching organisation delivering fun and engaging physical activity sessions in primary schools throughout Northern Ireland. In 2023, we are the country’s leading outsourced coaching provider.
A holistic health and wellbeing programme such as ours couldn’t be any more pertinent for children and young people across Northern Ireland. Growing obesity rates, physical inactivity and increasing screen times has only been compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic. To combat this, they currently have 50 Physical Activity Leaders that deliver 400 sessions a week across NI to 20,000 children, all striving to meet their aim:
Thousands of children each day go through our PE programme based on the NI PE curriculum. PE sessions are non-sport specific, all-inclusive, and designed and delivered by highly qualified coaches and professionals.
They also run an extensive afterschool programme including Gymnastics, Dance, Karate and Golf as well as all the mainstream sports. The most popular programmes, Sports Club and Fun, Fitness & Games, encapsulates all that they do well at Healthy Kidz; fun, engaging and educational sessions for all who take part.
To help every child achieve their best possible state of health and wellbeing. Paul is a keen sportsman who has played soccer to professional level in England, and represented his country at all youth levels. Also from a strong GAA background, playing for his club and county, both to senior level. Founder of Healthy Kidz CIC in 2014, has led the organisation from 1 school to 150, as well being the market leader in NI in terms of providers of School Holiday Camps. During this time Healthy Kidz have been awarded over £1 million of funding to deliver Health and Wellbeing services across a number of sectors, from a range of stakeholders. There are 60 staff currently working for the company.
Jennifer McWilliams - Antrim Enterprise Agency
Antrim Enterprise is a leading enterprise centre in the borough of Antrim and Newtownabbey established in 1991. A company limited by guarantee with charitable status they are your go to business advice centre supporting businesses every step of the way. They believe that every client that comes through their doors are helped, encouraged and supported on their entrepreneurial journey.
Fundamental to the success in achieving their vision and mission, is the fact that quality underpins everything they do, and it's done with pride which encompasses core values:
Passion: Their staff are emotionally committed employees, passionate about their work and the organization they work for
Respect: They are about treating all people [directors, staff, customers, clients, suppliers and stakeholders] with dignity and value the collective power of teamwork.
Integrity: Antrim Enterprise is about being honest and having strong moral principles in all our day-to-day dealings with customers, clients and suppliers
Dedication: Antrim Enterprise fosters strong teamwork and encourages personal initiative and growth within the workplace
Excellence: They strive to excel in every aspect of their business and deal with every task with a determination to succeed
Passionate about the health and well-being of entrepreneurs all their support encompasses advice, guidance and top tips for personal and business health including physical, mental, emotional, environmental and financial.. Antrim Enterprise has been at the forefront of providing co-working space for entrepreneurs along with innovative ways of connecting and encouraging collaboration including a range of networking groups such as NETWalking and OpenCoffee Club.
Gearóid Ó Machail - Cairde Teo
In 2009 a number of experienced community workers, academic researchers, trade unionists and Irish language activists formed the CAIRDE social enterprise based in Armagh City, N.E. Ireland.
CAIRDE is the Irish language translation of ‘friends’; it is also an acronym for ‘Communities in Armagh Investing in Regeneration, Diversity and Enterprise’. (Teo is Irish for ‘Ltd’).
This third sector company focuses on micro-business incubation; employment, training and learning opportunities and action research projects. CAIRDE Teo also works in partnership with a number of institutions and organisations in Armagh City and throughout the island to promote and develop the use of the Irish language both locally and nationally.
CAIRDE’s latest collaborative social enterprise – Aonach Mhacha – will build and manage a cultural centre in the historic heart of Armagh City. The complex will sustain 15 jobs in the Irish language and cultural sector in Armagh and help generate a further 6 full-time posts. Facilities in the new ‘cultúrlann’ will include: social enterprise incubation hubs, office accommodation, classrooms, meeting rooms, a black box performance area, a media suite, a café, a dance studio, a gift shop, an art gallery and exhibition area. Services will include minority language classes, social enterprise training, cultural tourism events, art & cultural heritage exhibitions, concerts, festivals, musical and dance performances, workshops, seminars and community development initiatives.
Rosemary Deans -Centred Soul
Centred Soul is the brain child of a Social Worker who wanted to marry conventional & alternative approaches to support women. Centred Soul started in 2011- back then it was just Rosemary, as a Complementary Therapist, taking on the feet of the world, one Reflexology treatment at a time! She was fed up with the role of Social Worker & wanted work to be something she really enjoyed. The support system in Northern Ireland, for women & families is minimal! In fact, NI only has one perinatal team in the Belfast Health & Social Care Trust & if you fall outside of that area, there is very little else. Thankfully new support networks, created by women who have experienced perinatal mental health are emerging, but there were no supports in the Newry & Mourne area, or Southern Health & Social Care Trust.
Centred Soul has changed this. Centred Soul started as an idea & it has developed into a beautiful community of women, who supported me through tough times & now this continues for others. This isn't a space where you'll find them holding hands & singing kum-by-ya, but you'll find down-to-earth people, plenty of laughs, tears, expletives & it's guaranteed that genuine friendships are made. So, whether you come along to a monthly BTAPS (Birth Trauma & Perinatal Support) Meetup or call in for a cup of coffee, this space is for you.
Nisha Tandon - ArtsEkta
ArtsEkta is a multi-award winning cultural organisation that works to develop intercultural relationships at the heart of the community and is home to the Belfast Mela - the largest celebration of cultural diversity on the island of Ireland.
The brainchild of Indian-native Nisha Tandon, ArtsEkta was founded in 2006 on the principles of inclusivity, creativity and openness in all aspects of society – Ekta means ‘uniting’ in the Indian language.
Bringing together communities of Belfast and beyond, we create projects that inspire audiences to engage with the diversity, tastes, rhythms and sights that make up the multicultural life of Northern Ireland.
Over the last decade they have grown dramatically in size and scope and are now recognised as one of the region’s leading arts charities and a pioneer in the development of intercultural arts for Northern Ireland.
Kelly Molloy - Wee Chicks
Providing innovative childcare solutions to organisations and families ensuring they have access to affordable options with a strong focus on positive mental health – enabling them to build stronger minds, for a healthier future.
Their vision is that every child should grow up active, healthier and happier.
Working in collaboration with other organisations, their mission is to break down the barriers of childcare. Empowering parents and children, providing high quality, affordable childcare services with a focus on positive mental health and support.
Thus enabling us to build strong minds, for a healthier future!
Sean Bruen - Kith & Kin Financial Wellbeing
Kith and Kin established as a Social Enterprise in 2015. Since then, they've been working across communities in the United Kingdom to provide accessible Financial Advice and Support to a range of stakeholders.
Providing employers with an outsourced solution to improve workplace Financial Wellbeing. They create bespoke wellbeing sessions, helping people get Fiscally Fit, and develop financial resilience. Working with your HR Function or Senior Management, they review the composition of your workforce, shaping service delivery around the financial priorities of your different employee groups.
Thereafter, non-commission based Financial Advisors work to create solutions to your biggest Financial Wellbeing challenges. Delivering services across 4 main areas – membership, webinars, online modular training & 1-to-1 Financial Clinics.
In addition, they've established a new project Housing Matters. The 1st Social Enterprise Estate agency in N.I, part funded by Belfast City Council.
A Multi-Award winning social enterprise. Recognised as one of the top 100 Social Enterprises in the Uk in 2021 by Natwest and Pioneers Post & NatWest Top 100, having previously won a Trailblazer award in 2020.
Check out this video explainer, for more information - https://youtu.be/5FEV8vaHoRc
Alan Potters - Fermanagh Fun Farm
Fermanagh Fun Farm is a very busy social enterprise. The farm is a leisure attraction open to the public, providing a fun, engaging, hands on experience. They also cater for school visits, group visits and birthday parties. The farm is home to over 150 animals (20+ species) including 2 meerkats! All animals are treated as pets and the majority of animals are rescued / adopted. There are a wide range of farm animals living onsite and pet animals too. Check out their attractions page to see the range of animals on on offer.
Activities / Facilities
*Cuddle Time in Pets Corner,
* Donkey (or) Pony Walking & Grooming,
* Feeding Animals,
* Trailer and Quad Ride to Cow Patch,
* Indoor and Outdoor Playareas (New softplayframe for 2023)
* Picnic Area / Tearoom / Gift Shop
* Cups and Saucers Ride on
* Pedal Boats
Jenny Williams - Habitat Ireland
Driven by the vision of a world where everyone has a decent place to live, Habitat for Humanity works beside families to build, renovate or repair their home in 70 countries. In a world where one in four people don’t have a safe place to live, vulnerable people face huge challenges, exacerbated by climate change, to escaping poverty and improving their health and living conditions Habitat has helped more than 46 million people build their lives on the solid foundation of decent, affordable homes.
In Ireland, Habitat for Humanity directly tackles poverty through its network of Habitat ReStores. As they build sustainable communities, ReStores provide access to low-cost home improvement materials, employability training for people of all abilities and divert tons of material from landfill which helps build sustainable communities. Habitat also raises funds to support long-term partner programmes in some of our world’s poorest communities.
Learn more: www.habitatni.co.uk/donate
Donal Traynor - Community Finance Ireland
Today it is the fastest growing social finance provider across the island of Ireland but there is always more to do.
He and his team are driven by their overall mission to ensure that Social Impact is Felt not just Dreamt. He has over 23 years working with charities and social enterprises as well as with stakeholder and government influencers across the island, helping find social finance solutions that supports both ambition and sustainability.
Dónal holds a degree in Economics & Geography from UCD, Grad. Dip. in Business Studies from UL, an MBS in Co-operative and Social Enterprise from UCC, and is QFA accredited from the Institute of Banking.
A charity, a social enterprise, an all-island of Ireland business – with a mission. To create a world-class community finance system that works tirelessly towards ensuring that positive social impact is felt – not just dreamt. And we’re getting there.
Siobhan Reynolds - Camphill College, Holywood
In Camphill Holywood, as in all Camphill communities, work in the community has purpose and meaning. Each member of the community participates and contributes in whatever capacity they are able to. Work can be in the houses and social spaces, helping to cook, homemaking, preparing for festivals or gardening and community members can also help in a variety of different roles in the workshops (the bakery, cafe and shop). Contributing to the community gives each individual the opportunity to feel a sense of responsibility, belonging and value, which in turn promotes confidence and self-esteem.
Ross Parkhill - Stendhal Festival
Stendhal Festival was originally formed in 2008 by Ross Parkhill & John Cartwright, to showcase local music across 3 days in Limavady, Northern Ireland.
The festival reformed as Stendhal Festival of Art in 2011 by the founders Ross Parkhill, John Cartwright and Colm O'Donnell, as a platform for local artists to perform alongside acts such as Turin Brakes at Ballymully Cottage Farm in Limavady. The festival was named after Stendhal Syndrome.
Attendance numbers of the festival have increased year on year, with the festival winning Best Small Festival in 2013–2015, Best Family Friendly Festival 2014 in Ireland and nominated for the UK Festival Awards in 2016. The festival is built and run by volunteers from the local area.
David Boyd - Belfast Child CIC
David Boyd - Belfast Child CIC
Belfast Child C.I.C provides free mentored health & well-being sports related training as a means of an 'Off the Streets Programme' for young people in Belfast.
Through sports academies aiming to build, stronger, safer and healthier communities that offer our young people, regardless of background and ability the opportunity to participate in healthy activities.
Sports programmes will not only offer health and fitness benefits but also focus on raising aspirations, building self esteem and developing team working skills.
Belfast Child CIC funds its own charity (Creating Help In Local Districts T/A C.H.I.L.D Trainiing Academy) which has a fully functional gym in Belfast City Centre.
Barney Herron and Mark McNally - Bremar Training
Bremar’s is an education and training company who's vision is a society where the provision of education, training and support is accessible to all in a safe, respectful and supportive environment.
They offer a wide variety of training programmes, counselling and consultancy services
www.bremartraining.com
Martina Bell - ArtSpace
ArtSpace is a community interest company offering multisensory environment hire to children/young adults/adults with additional support needs led by Nurse specialists. The organisation's day opportunities support people with learning, physical and sensory disabilities to develop their skills and independence in a supportive, nurturing environment.
Hear more from Founder & Managing Director, Martina Bell who gets us up to speed on this wonderful community led organsaiton.
Jacqui Barnes - Bridge Association
The Bridge Vocational Training Unit has been operational in Antrim town since 1988 and moved into new, purpose built premises in 2004. The Unit is committed to providing high quality vocational training opportunities to adults with learning disabilities aged 18+ years and currently offers accredited courses which are tailored to suit the ability and needs of each individual trainee in 3 key areas encompassing Catering; Retail and Horticulture/Propagation.
Jacqui joins Cate on the podcast to share more about the ongoing work they do to support adults with additional needs.
Lisa McCaul - WOMEN'STEC
WOMEN'STEC are Northern Ireland's largest quality provider of training for women in non-traditional skills. Their mission is to allow women the time and space to develop their confidence, their self-efficacy and their wellbeing so that they can take on new challenges, in their personal lives, their education and their careers.
Stephen Lynch - The Rink
The Rink is home to Northern Ireland's largest roller arena and is operated by local social enterprise, Powered by Sport. Stephen Lynch, CEO tell us more about their activities and ongoing mission to bring people from all backgrounds, religions and ethnicity together through the sport.
Eileen Russell - Waymaker Child Therapy
Waymaker is a Community Interest Company passionate about providing high-quality therapeutic play and creative arts therapy for children, specialised support for parents, and professional training. They believe all children have the right to access highly trained therapy services regardless of their circumstances. Waymaker offer a tiered approach to their service's cost to ensure all families can access vital support for their children.
Eileen Russell, founder of Waymaker joins Cate on the #WISE Podcast to tell us more about the power of play to transform the mental health and well-being of children and families with emotional, social and behavioural issues.
Find out more about Waymaker here.
Brendan Clarke - Triangle Housing
Triangle Housing Association is a registered Housing Association with the Department for Communities in Northern Ireland. They provide supported accommodation, family housing and specialised care and support services and supported employment programmes for tenants across Northern Ireland. Triangle is a progressive service provider, promoting social inclusion through a range of strategic partnerships. Brendan Clarke, Enterprise Coordinator joins Cate to tell us more about the organisation and their initiatives.
Orla Fitzsimons - Parent Action CIC
Parent Action is a human rights based organisation, which enables and empowers parent carers of children and adults with disabilities/lifelong health conditions, to advocate for their child’s rights in vital public services. They have created a peer advocacy service to help parents express their views on behalf of their child, who often has difficulty communicating, because of his/her additional needs. These views reflect the lived experience of parent carers and give voice to children and adults with additional needs, who are at significant risk of being ignored.
Founder of Parent Action, Orla Fitzsimons joins SENI Ambassador Cate to tell us more about this vital initiative.
Kerry McWilliams - Lightwork NI
Hear from Kerry McWilliams, Founder of Lightwork NI, a social enterprise on a mission to give everyone the knowledge, tools and skills to develop resilience and cope with the emotions which arise from difficult life circumstances. At Lightwork NI, they teach emotional regulation strategies alongside techniques from positive psychology and life coaching. They aim to give people the practical tools which can help them feel better, so they make better choices.
Have a listen and find out more about Lightwork NI here.
Patrick Minne - Engage Executive Talent CO3
Engage Executive Talent is a specialised executive recruitment service comprising three strands: Permanent Executive Recruitment, Interim Executive Recruitment and Board Recruitment. It was developed by CO3 and launched in September 2019 and is now one of the top recruitment agencies within the third sector in Northern Ireland for appointments to Chief Executive, Senior Management, as well as Board positions. Their Director, Patrick Minne tell us more in episode 4 of the #WISE Podcast Season 4.
More about Engage Executive Talent
CO3 is Northern Ireland’s leadership organisation for Chief Officers in the Third Sector, and its Engage Executive Talent offer has been borne out of the demand from third sector boards and executive teams for services that were more responsive to the needs of the non profit sector than existing mainstream providers.
They engage with the best executive candidates, across public, private and third sectors, recruiting leaders with integrity, who are driven by principle and motivated to contribute to the common good. Their services have evolved over years, honed by the feedback and proactive suggestions of clients, and CO3’s members.
Engage form long term relationships with members, candidates and clients, relationships that extend well beyond the interactions associated with the recruitment and appointment phase. They don’t walk away once they've completed the onboarding. Complimentary membership of CO3 for all our recruited executives and trustees ensures that they have a support network and a personal development roadmap to help them get the most out of their new relationships with the teams they are joining. Support networks include ‘New to Post CEO’, ‘Health’, ‘Marketing and Communications’, ‘HR Management’, ‘Finance Management’, and services include mentoring and training.
Lianne Mulholland - East Belfast Mission
East Belfast Mission is working on the "transformation of the East Belfast community." They run a number of projects to help everyone in the community including Hosford - a homelessness support service, Stepping Stone - an employability project and many others. Their Funraising Regulator, Lianne Mulholland shares more about what they do within the social economy in N. Ireland.
Other social enterprise arms of the organisation includes: refresh cafe and meals on wheels service at Skainos Square; Bright Sparks xhild Care nursery; Restore charity shops in Ards, Larne, Antrim and Belfast Vintage and Bridal on Royal Avenue Belfast, Refurb - the restoration of furniture items which are sold through restore. Read more about East Belfast Mission here.
Jonathan McAlpin - East Belfast Enterprises
Jonathan McAlpin, Managing Director of East Belfast Enterprises joins the podcast to tell us more about their Local Enterprise Agency for East Belfast and how it is the starting point for anyone wishing to start a business or improve and grow their current business.
The mission of EBE is to “To inspire and nurture entrepreneurs to make a positive difference in East Belfast”. They do this by providing Office Accommodation Premises in their City East Building designed with small businesses in mind, Workshop Premises at their Albertbridge Road location on the edge of Belfast City and by delivering cutting edge, innovative and “best in the field” Business Start-Up Training, Business Growth Advice and Business Assistance from our specialised Business Advisors.
Find out more here.
Rachel Doherty - 4 C UR Future
Season 4 | Episode 1
Hear from Rachel Doherty, Managing Director from 4C UR Future who chats about the work they do to help young people make more empowered career choices.
About 4C UR Future
4C UR Future is an industry-led social enterprise. They exist to involve, inform, and inspire young people to help them make more empowered education and career choices. They deliver 4C UR Future LIVE careers inspiration events across Northern Ireland for Year 9 pupils and have created Northern Ireland's first digital careers platform, the 4C UR Future CAREERS PORTAL.
Fine out more at: www.4curfuture.com
Boom Studios - Marianne Kennerley
Boom Studios is a creative hub, a social enterprise that provides 25 vibrant workspaces for local creatives, a year round creative programme and a range of artistic outreach services for the local community, local businesses and events.
It was inspired by and established by 3 local creatives and their individual experience at Project 24, Bangor. Boom! Studios was established in December 2014. A small group of local creative practitioners wished to create a vibrant workspace where they could develop their individual enterprises.
Boom! took over a vacant town centre building, in Bangor, Northern Ireland. The “Old Clinton Cards” building was….a “blank canvas” and has since created 24 then centre workspaces, housing artists, designers, makers, writers, photographers, arts facilitators… at any stage of their career. It supports, nurtures and helps them develop their work, whatever that looks like.
By placing creativity bang in the centre of town, Boom! makes a positive contribution to the regeneration of Bangor Town Centre, creating opportunities to link traditional local business’s with the local creative industry.
Northern Ireland’s creative industry is thriving, however the next few years will pose many challenges for the arts and creative sector, forcing organisations to become inventive in the way in which they develop and fund their work.
Boom! Studios hopes to present an innovative business model for sustainable arts and creative activity.
Footprints Womens Centre - Isobel Loughran
We have evolved from a strong self-help ethos and operate within a Community Development context. Our Centre has been acknowledged as a valuable asset within the community and has developed a diverse range of services within the Colin Neighbourhood. We wish to continue to provide these services to women and children for many many years to come.
Services:
- Drop in
- Training and Events
- Crisis Intervention
- Women's support and development
- Advice and advocacy
- Health and well-being
- Peer support groups
Contact Footprints Womens Centre:
Connswater Homes - Catherine Waterworth
At Connswater Homes we believe that a home is a building block to a better life; it impacts on health, education and sustains relationships and families. We want to keep people in their homes by offering choice, affordability and desirability.
The office phone number is 028 9065 6155 and text phone 07569 155199 (remember if you are texting to give us your name and address so that we know who we are dealing with). If you wish to email, our email address is housing@connswater.org.uk
Action Mental Health Works - Amanda Jones
Action Mental Health have been providing mental health recovery, resilience, counselling and employment services across Northern Ireland since 1963.
The AMH Works team are specialists in mental health and emotional well-being training and consultancy, working with some of NI’s and the UK’s leading employers for more than ten years. The service provided through AMH Works supports employers to develop employee awareness and skills to effectively promote and manage employee mental and emotional well-being in the workplace.
AMH Works also work with employers to design bespoke training programmes tailored to cover relevant issues and to meet identified needs for their organisation.
To find out more about how AMH Works can support your organisation to improve the mental and emotional well-being of your employees please contact rpower@amh.org.uk or by phone on 07540124083.
TIDAL Toome - Una Johnston
TIDAL, is a successful Community group based in Toome. Over the last 20 years we have provided much needed amenities and services for the local community, including the creation of employment opportunities. We have successfully connected a diverse community not only from Catholic and Protestant backgrounds, but, also residents from the Indian, Polish and Lithuanian nationalities and brought generations together and well as connecting our detached youth with those living within Toome.
The Hummingbird Project - Leigh Carey
At The Hummingbird Project we are a bit unusual, a bit quirky, a bit different from the norm. We are disruptors, boundary pushers, challenging the norms in traditional mental health service provision and leading the charge for doing things differently.
Our lived experience of having suffered mental ill health in addition to our professional training means we are trauma informed, passionate and authentic. There is no them and us. We leave the stigma at the door and work alongside our clients to develop a plan tailor made to them.
As a much-needed addition to existing services, our vision is to provide a new model for mental health services rooted in the community that moves beyond traditional medical interventions.
Our 3U-Model© makes us unique. It stands for Understand, Unlock and Uplift and has been designed to empower people to determine their own mental health. Together we focus on their goals, work to unlock their strengths, build support networks, remove barriers and help them move forward in their lives.
Our role is to support people, no matter the setting or where they appear on the emotional health spectrum, by sharing our personal and professional knowledge and expertise to help them determine their own emotional health and wellbeing outcomes.
The NOW Group - Sean Hanna
The NOW Group provide a range of services that support people with learning difficulties and autism to realise their full potential
"Our services
We provide a range of services that support people with learning difficulties and autism to realise their full potential and change their lives for the better. Our services focus on supporting people into employment, training, transition and volunteering. We also offer a family service to support new and expectant parents with a learning difficulty or autism.
Our participants
The people we support have barriers to employment and learning, including all levels of learning difficulty and learning disability, autism and Autistic Spectrum Condition. They help us shape our work to meet their needs and keep us focused on making a difference.
Their futures
We prepare people with the tools they need to make informed decisions about their future. We provide quality, accredited training which helps our clients to prepare for independence and the world of work. We provide them with the support they need to identify their unique career path, find the job they want and keep it."
Orchardville - Joan McGinn
Orchardville, a registered charity and social enterprise, is committed to changing the lives of people with learning disability and autism.
They believe that with the right support, any individual with a learning disability or autism can reach their full potential and achieve their employment aspirations.
Providing services in the Belfast, South Eastern and Western Health & Social Care Trust areas, they support people with learning disability and/or autism aged 16-65 through a range of individualised services and programmes.
Social enterprises form a key part of their provision, allowing participants to experience work in a real business environment with on site support from vocational mentors.
The Ortus Group - Seamus O'Prey
The Ortus Group is a Belfast based Enterprise Agency providing unique business support programmes, affordable, high-quality commercial property and a wide range of complementary services to a diverse range of businesses. We specialise in working with all entrepreneurs from start-ups to long-established enterprises across all business sectors throughout Northern Ireland.
Ortus has a strong social ethos focused on social regeneration showcased through the work they do locally. The Ortus Group is a charity and a social enterprise.
Their key areas include:
Property Services – Over 360,000 sq ft of high quality and affordable business premise rental in Belfast.
Business Services – Quality business training, mentoring and consultancy.
Language Services – Professional translation, interpretation and language tuition services.
USEL - Bill Atkinson
Usel is Northern Ireland’s largest supporter of people with disabilities or health conditions into employment and operates a social enterprise business model. They exist solely to help people with disabilities and health-related conditions move into and sustain employment. Every year they employ, support and train over 1200 people with disabilities or health conditions across Northern Ireland. Their social enterprises are:
VIable - Annette Greer
VIable Corporate Services provide back-office services in Bookkeeping, HR, and Marketing. We exist to change business, and change lives, with 100% of our profits supporting young people in care and those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Across our 3 functional departments, we work in collaboration with your people to provide high-quality professional services. We’re people-focused, and we like to maintain an equal balance of approachability and professionalism in all that we do. We pride ourselves on our established relationships with longstanding partners, a tribute to the quality experience that our team offers.
Changing Business, Changing Lives.
At VIable, we provide professional and approachable business solutions. However, we also are constantly making a Social Impact in all that we do. As a Social Enterprise, 100% of our profits support our Social Mission, trying to create real change in society.
Inspire Wellbeing - John Conaghan
At Inspire we work together with people living with mental ill health, intellectual disability, autism and addictions to ensure they live with dignity and realise their full potential. To achieve this we want to develop a culture of compassion, creating a society free from stigma that focuses on people and their abilities.
We deliver mental health, learning/intellectual disability, autism, addiction, workplace and student wellbeing services across the island of Ireland.
We are Inclusive: we put the people who use our services first
We are Passionate: we believe in what we do
We are Determined: we find a way
We are Kind: we care about each other
We are Honest: we act with integrity
We are Innovative: we nurture new ideas
To find out more - https://www.inspirewellbeing.org/
Bolster Community - Jacinta Linden
We are a charity and social enterprise that offers practical support for individuals and families, helping them to get through and get ahead.
Our Family Support Service provides practical and therapeutic support and a range of training programmes for parents and children. As coordinator of the Newry and Mourne Family Support Hub, we help find solutions for families facing physical and mental health problems, family breakdown, parenting difficulties, financial problems and social and rural isolation.
Our Ability services are dedicated to connecting children and young adults of mixed ability to reach for the stars. We are especially proud of our Social Enterprise and online gift shop, a safe place for our volunteers to feel connected, valued and purposeful. Our Social Enterprise products are lovingly handcrafted and all profits go back into supporting our vital work.
Signposting and practical support to older members of the community are delivered through our Seniors services. Comfort Zone is a social group bringing seniors together to make new friends and enjoy some company. Home2Hospital, a driver service for those over 60 that live in rural Mournes and Slieve Gullion, is a lifeline to many.
What We Did In 2020:
1,859hours of support was provided for children and adults with disability
24,000
Engagements with participants
£39,000in Financial Support to benefit 366 families, older people and homeless
To find out more - https://bolstercommunity.org/
Studyseed - Jayne Hamilton
After four years of operating in the private tuition industry, we had grown increasingly uncomfortable with the disparity that exists between children of different socioeconomic backgrounds in their access to educational support.
One in five children in Northern Ireland lives in poverty, and less than 50% of children entitled to free school meals leave school with at least five good GCSE grades. We realised that operating as a private business did not align with our social values or research backgrounds and so, in 2017, we became a social enterprise.
- We've been around for a while
- We're on a social mission
- We work with inspiring people
- We are a women-led company
- We love research
To find out more - https://www.studyseed.co.uk/