• This funding will make a real difference to families’ lives and to the organisations providing important services” – Minister O’Gorman T.D.

Minister Roderic O’Gorman T.D., today announced a new funding measure to support training in organisations working with children, young people and their families, bringing the funding awarded in 2021 under the What Works initiative to over €1million this year.

The grantee organisations address a range of service needs, including family support, parenting support, domestic, sexual and gender based violence services, and supporting those with a disability.

The funding is provided through the following:

  • What Works Training Fund: A total of €100,000 will be provided through the new What Works Training Fund, supporting nonprofit community and voluntary organisations who provide direct services to children, young people and families to meet training needs. It will fund organisations who are members of Tusla Child and
  • Family Support Networks (CFSNs) to engage in accredited evidence-informed or evidence-based training programmes to train staff to improve their services for children, young people and their families. Specifically, it will fund the thematic areas of parenting, non-violent resistance, and trauma-informed practice, as well as inclusiveness and diversity.
  • Learning Together Fund: Having previously announced 20 projects funded, the Department is now extending the Learning Together Fund to cover an additional ten projects, with funding of over €120,000. This announcement takes the total value of the fund to over €320,000, with thirty projects supported.
  • Children and Youth Digital Solutions Fund: This one year fund, created by Rethink Ireland through an allocation from What Works of €600,000, provides awardees with a cash grant of up to a maximum of €50,000 and a place on a comprehensive six-month Accelerator Programme, which will focus on equipping the projects to scale, so they can reach more people in need of their work.

Minister O’Gorman said

I am delighted to award over €1m million funding to a range of promising projects, all working in the area of prevention and early intervention. This is funding that will make a real difference to families’ lives and to the organisations providing these important services. The services being supported play a vital role in supporting vulnerable children and young people across Ireland.

I want us to go even further to support these projects, so funding is available for as many interventions as possible for the benefit of vulnerable children and families. We must ensure services are equipped to help those who need it, particularly disadvantaged young people. Through What Works, my Department is helping in a coordinated way, and ultimately improving the lives of children, families and communities.

Full details of the Training Fund, including how to apply, are available on the What Works website. Applicants should note that this fund will be open for two weeks only, and funding will be issued on a once-off basis.


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