There are three key areas which have the power to lift children and young people up and out of poverty. By focusing our efforts in these carefully selected, game-changing pillars, we can arm marginalised young people with the tools they need to make their way in the world and ensure they have a bright future to look forward to.
From grassroots projects to local organisations, homework clubs and national charities: all the programmes we support are proven and evidence-based and have been carefully chosen on their ability to deliver real change where it’s needed, in innovative and exciting ways.
The gateway to strong personal development, stable employment and a good life. We can help at least 7,000 children negotiate the shift from primary to secondary and strengthen their engagement with education.
Skills and support to ensure positive mental, emotional and physical wellbeing. We can reach 8,000 children and young people and support their safe and healthy transition from childhood to adulthood.
The training and skills needed to secure employment and reach full potential. We can reach 5,000 young people who are neither earning or learning and help make a positive transition to work, further education or training.
Education
37 young people
Clare
Flagship Grassroots Fund 2025
The Shannon Family Resource Centre is a community based organisation which supports individuals, families, and groups in the Shannon area through inclusive programmes that promote wellbeing, education, and social inclusion. Its aim is to strengthen community connections and empower people to reach their full potential in a supportive environment.The project supports the educational development of young people through two programmes. The iScoil Programme offers a flexible, accredited alternative learning pathway for young people disengaged from mainstream education, providing one-to-one support to build confidence, skills, and qualifications. The Afterschool Programme supports local primary school children with homework and learning in a welcoming environment, helping them strengthen academic skills, improve language ability, and feel more included in school and community life.
Education
60 young people
Limerick
Flagship Grassroots Fund 2025
MMCN are a collaborative network that promotes community integration through shared projects, education, and social activities; connects migrants to contribute their skills and expertise to the local community; delivers training and intercultural awareness for professionals; and supports public bodies with specialist knowledge, research-based advice, and intercultural expertise on migrant integration.
The project aims to empower and support young people in schools through storytelling as a tool for connection, empathy, and communication. Using the story exchange method, students learn to share and listen to personal stories, helping to dispel myths, challenge stereotypes, and build understanding across differences. Storytelling strengthens communication skills, promotes respect, community spirit, and democratic values, and provides young people with a lifelong skill that supports both personal development and future education or employment.
Education
25 young people
Clare, Tipperary
Flagship Grassroots Fund 2025
Killaloe/Ballina Community & Family Resource Centre (KBFRC) is a not-for-profit organisation supporting individuals, families, and young people across East Clare and North Tipperary.
KBFRC is delivering a Spring Education and Development Programme for young adults aged 18–25 years. This initiative demonstrates the transformative impact of providing a safe, structured, and supportive environment for young people who have disengaged from education or who are struggling with social isolation, low confidence, or mental health challenges. A central feature of the programme is wraparound support, combining one to one mentoring with group activities to build resilience, confidence, and peer relationships. The programme will also connect participants with further education, training, and employment pathways available in the wider region, ensuring that each young person has the opportunity to progress in a direction that suits their individual needs and aspirations.
Education
6 young people
Dublin
Flagship Grassroots Fund 2025
The FYRC has been providing youth work programmes, informal education and opportunities for young people for over 20 years.
FYRC have partnered with the National Adult Literacy Agency (NALA) to use their online learning platform to provide young Travellers in the Finglas Community who are not in employment or education to return to training and learning at their pace. Young people can access QQi level 2 and 3 modules and put them in a position to access further education and training. Young people are collected from the sites and dropped home following their session. The project works closely with a youth employability worker to ensure that young people are clear about the progression routes they can access.
Education
1,000 young people
Dublin
Flagship Grassroots Fund 2025
Core Youth service is an independent community-based youth service based in Inchicore, whose mission is to support and assist young people achieve their full potential. Expanding on previous work, this project involves the development of a series of Escape Rooms, designed to educate young people on popular drugs in youth culture. Young people have to read, explore and examine information in each room to solve clues and unlock codes in order to progress to the next room. Some drugs covered in previous iterations of the rooms include cannabis, alcohol, vaping and nitrous oxide.
Health & Wellbeing
1,600 young people
Donegal
Vhi Health
The Shona Project has a mission to educate, empower, and inspire today’s girls in Ireland to become tomorrow’s strong, confident, and curious young women. Their long-term vision is an Ireland where girls – and the women they will become – are happier, more fulfilled, and play an active role in all sectors of the economy and society. The Vhi grant will be used to support the team to deliver The Shona Project’s school workshops to 16 DÉIS secondary schools in Donegal, an area where young people often miss out on opportunities due to rural isolation and limited funding.
Health & Wellbeing
74 young people
Cork
Vhi Health
Wellsprings offers short to medium term residential placements for young women aged between 16-23 years, with the possibility of lifelong support through a dedicated outreach aftercare service. This funding will support the 'Wellness Matters' group, a 12-week holistic health, education, and wellbeing programme which will build the participants’ capacity and capability to self-resource and develop resilience and positive habits and schedules, reducing anxiety, and facilitating a more positive reengagement in society. The funding will also support initiatives for Wellsprings staff, the initiatives will increase knowledge around trauma informed practice.
Health & Wellbeing
15-18 young people
Kilkenny
Vhi Health
Droichead Family Resource Centre's objectives are to provide a broad and diverse range of community based support services for individuals and their families, which are pro -active and enhance participation in the wider community. This funding will support their "From Scratch"project - a series of workshops where young people get to experience aspects of music they have never previously been exposed to, culminating in a community performance to showcase their new skills.
Health & Wellbeing
80 young people
Kilkenny
Vhi Health
Aiseiri provides residential and community based addiction treatment to young people aged 15 - 21. This funding will used for “Ride the Wind”, a therapeutic programme using equine-assisted learning and sailing to help young people experiencing substance misuse issues to build resilience and develop effective tools for managing anxiety.
Health & Wellbeing
20-25 young people
Galway
Vhi Health
ARD Family Resource Centre was established in 2010 to cater for the growing needs of the local community. The community is characterised by a large minority ethnic population and young families. This funding will support the facilitation of wellness workshops, as well as a creative wellness residential, for young people aged 13 - 18 who are currently exploring global and social justice issues and taking steps towards actions for change.
Health & Wellbeing
50 young people
Limerick
Vhi Health
GOSHH (Gender, Orientation, Sexual Health and HIV) is the only dedicated LGBTI+ support charity serving Limerick, Clare, and North Tipperary.This funding will enhance to weekly working hours for a Youth Worker to expand their LGBTI+ youth support services. The role will facilitate weekly youth group sessions for young people aged 14–25, deliver resilience-building workshops, and provide one-to-one support as needed.
Health & Wellbeing
15 young people
Dublin
Vhi Health
Just ASK is an afterschool club, focused on transforming their community through education and support for inner city children. They endeavour to walk beside the young people they support on their educational journey to advise and offer guidance and support. This funding will support the expansion of the V.I.B.E.S programme (a programme developed through previous Vhi funding). A new key element is working with a dedicated youth group of 15+ boys aged 12 to 15, who face significant life challenges and exhibit behaviour's such as vaping, school exclusions, and aggression. By employing the VIBES framework, the aim is to redirect their energy towards positive outcomes, helpingthem to build resilience and find healthier ways of interacting with their peers and community.
Health & Wellbeing
50-80 young people
Dublin
Vhi Health
The Irish Refugee Council provides services and support for people seeking international protection and people recognised as refugees in Ireland. This funding will support a project called 'Community Connections' - a wellbeing project for young people aged 16 to 25 who are in the international protection process. The focus of the work will be on reducing stress and anxiety for young people in the international protection process by providing consistency and connection, both of which are often challenging to find for this cohort.
Health & Wellbeing
50 young people
Dublin
Vhi Health
Finglas Youth Resource Centre has been providing youth work programmes, informal education and opportunities for young people in the local community since 2004. This funding will support the delivery of age-appropriate workshops for young people from the Traveller community in Finglas, aged 12-18. with the aim of strengthening resilience and supporting the management of anxiety and stress. These social and emotional learning workshops are designed to help participants build self-confidence and self-awareness through a range of fun, creative and educational group based activities, games and challenges.
Health & Wellbeing
20 young people
Limerick
Vhi Health
The Learning Hub supports young people in disadvantaged communities by building resilience, selfbelief and self-esteem and nurturing an innate love of learning and a desire to stay in education to break the cycle of early school leaving. This funding will support a project called 'Creative Aftercare Limerick'. This project aims to provide young people with care experience the opportunity to explore their creative and cultural interests in a safe, supportive and inclusive environment. The project will work with young people (17 – 23 years) transitioning from care or already in aftercare to collectively identify and offer opportunities to engage in creative opportunities to enhance overall wellbeing.
Health & Wellbeing
500 young people
Galway, Limerick, Mayo, Roscommon
Flagship Grassroots Fund 2025
Venture Out Wilderness Project aims to inspire personal growth & development by designing, prescribing and delivering a range of experiential, outdoor based therapeutic, youth work and personal development focused programs, primarily to people living in disadvantaged and marginalised communities, experiencing adversity and difficult challenges in their lives. Venture Out offers a range of creative and innovative nature based programmes and interventions such as wilderness based expeditions, youth urban adventure projects, 1-to-1 youth and family support focused adventure therapy service and health and wellbeing retreat based programmes for schools.
Health & Wellbeing
18 young people
National
Flagship Grassroots Fund 2025
By providing services and essential support to enrich and enhance the lives of those in Ireland who are living with Spina Bifida and/or Hydrocephalus, and the lives of their families and wider circle, SBHI aim to foster an environment in which every person living with Spina Bifida and/or Hydrocephalus can lead a fulfilled life. The Wheelchair Skills Workshop will be hosted during Easter Mid-Term Break in 2026 for young people living with Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus and their siblings and parents. The training and support is not just for the young wheelchair users, but for their families too. The workshops not only give family members a unique first hand perspective on some of the challenges a young wheelchair user may face, but an opportunity to participate in games and activities as a whole family, on a level playing field.
Health & Wellbeing
15 young people
Cork
Flagship Grassroots Fund 2025
Cork Simon Community is a leading provider of homeless services, working to provide relief for people who are experiencing homelessness or are at risk of becoming homeless. The Youth Homeless Drug Prevention Programme supports young people (18–25) through early intervention, harm reduction, and personalised key working.The C.A.L.M. (Connect – Accept – Learn – Move) project aims to enhance the Youth Homeless Drug Prevention Programme by supporting the wellbeing and anxiety resilience of young people aged 18–25 who are at risk of or experiencing homelessness. Using voluntary, nonclinical, and co-designed activities such as acupuncture, tai chi, boxing, and outdoor experiences, the project provides early intervention supports to reduce anxiety and build resilience. Delivered through a trauma-informed, person-centred approach and supported by one-to-one key working and strong interagency collaboration, the project addresses a critical service gap by engaging young people in crisis and improving their long-term wellbeing and outcomes.
Health & Wellbeing
500 young people
Dublin
Flagship Grassroots Fund 2025
The Wellbeing Horticulture Project supports teenagers to learn the skills of planting, growing, and maintaining garden spaces, igniting a passion for sustainability and looking after the community around us. These targeted students will be timetabled for horticulture for the academic year to complete this project. The young people will create calm zones, wildflower patches and reflective spaces in the school, as well as growing plants and maintaining a polytunnel.
Health & Wellbeing
3,000 young people
Cork, Donegal, Dublin, Galway, Kildare, Kilkenny, Limerick, Louth, Meath, Tipperary, Wexford, Wicklow
Flagship Grassroots Fund 2025
Hygiene Hub Ireland is a national social enterprise tackling hygiene poverty by providing essential hygiene and personal care products to people in need.
In 2024, Hygiene Hub piloted an initiative in Tipperary after a Home School Liaison Officer reached out about children with chronic non-attendance and families struggling to engage with education services. Families were identified where the absence of basic hygiene and cleaning products had become a major barrier to participation. Over six months, each family received a bag of household and personal care products every two weeks. The impact on school attendance and parental involvement was incredible. Building on this success, this funding supports the extension of the programme through ten new pilot sites in 2025.
Health & Wellbeing
40 young people
Leitrim
Flagship Grassroots Fund 2025
Sligo-Leitrim Home Youth Liaison Service (HYLS) provides an empathetic, confidential, non-judgemental and personal support to young people and their families, with the objective of enhancing the young person's future personal and social development and wellbeing. The Summer Programme promotes the health and wellbeing of young people as they develop into young adults. Through this programme young people will be introduced to cooking and meal preparation skills that will enable them to become more independent as they progress into adulthood, alongside this, young people will learn about food budgeting, benefitting the families of young people that are currently battling food poverty due to the increasing cost of living and other social factors. The programme will also offer meditation and yoga, cultural and arts activities.
Health & Wellbeing
100 young people
Dublin
Flagship Grassroots Fund 2025
Butterflies and Volcanoes is a child-centred psycho-educational evidence-informed group programme based on play therapy principles designed for children aged 6-12. It focuses on developing emotional skills, including emotional awareness, self-regulation, and coping strategies. It aims to equip children with tools that build resilience and support their emotional wellbeing from childhood into adulthood. The programme encourages children to reflect on their experiences, identify the issues they are facing, and express their concerns. Through guided support they learn how to manage difficulties more effectively, helping them build lifelong strategies for emotional resilience. The programme works closely with parents and schools, meeting with parents to support their children at home, and with teachers to identify and implement strategies that support participating children who may be facing challenges in the classroom. This collaborative approach ensures consistency between the home, school and programme environments, maximising the benefits for each child.
Health & Wellbeing
3,000 young people
National
Flagship Grassroots Fund 2025
The Shona Project has a mission to educate, empower, and inspire today’s girls in Ireland to become tomorrow’s strong, confident, and curious young women. This funding will support the delivery of the second year of ‘The Perfect Storm’, a national, youth-led research initiative that hopes to become Ireland’s leading benchmark on the wellbeing of young people. The research will include both girls and boys, exploring mental health, school culture, life preparedness, social media, and experiences of misogyny and sexism.
Health & Wellbeing
450 young people
Dublin
Flagship Grassroots Fund 2025
The Solas Project provides long term support to children and young people from the age of 5 up to 25 through a wide range of diverse youth work interventions.
The Solas at School programme works with young people in 5th & 6th Class and 1st Year. The aim of the Schools based work is to promote wellbeing for young people, giving them the tools to navigate their emotions and difficult circumstances in life, as well as promoting education by supporting young people transition successfully in to secondary school and remain engaged in school, whilst proactively exploring options for their future. The Futures programme works in collaboration with local universities to start the conversation around further education and career options with 6th Class pupils. Whilst the Wellness programme currently being piloted in secondary schools, aims to help young people fully engage with their education through increasing their emotional literacy. The programme equips them with tools to look after their wellbeing when challenges inevitably arise and provides resources and signposting on where to turn to if they need extra support.
Skills & Employability
1,200 young people
Dublin
Coca-Cola Fund
South Dublin County Partnership is a local development company in South Dublin County, who develop and deliver projects to tackle poverty and social exclusion in the area. This funding will support their 'Aspire' project, which aims to support young people in the area to explore their aspirations and discover the pathways they can take to achieve them. Aspire connects the community through the coordination of free and accessible programmes for young people, with this project focusing on the young people's desired futures through university visits, career talks, workshops and pre-apprenticeship programmes.
Skills & Employability
1,440 young people
National
Coca-Cola Fund
Her Sport is a social enterprise closing the gender gap in sport by tackling the systemic barriers that limit girls’ and women’s access, visibility and opportunity. This grant will support the delivery of 32 community-based educational workshops across Ireland, targeting young women aged 16–25 from disadvantaged areas. These workshops will create safe, supportive spaces to explore challenges young women face around participation in sport, such as body confidence, self-esteem, societal expectations, and access.
Skills & Employability
25 young people
National
Coca-Cola Fund
Generation is an Irish charity dedicated to supporting diverse individuals facing barriers to employment into life-changing careers that would otherwise be inaccessible. This project will support at least 25 young people (aged 18-25) facing employment barriers through education-to-employment bootcamps, with participants enrolling across four programmes: Data Analytics, IT Support with Cybersecurity, AWS Cloud Engineering, and Solar Installation. Participants will receive wraparound support, with regular 1:1 mentorship and pastoral care, employment preparation and supported job placement.
Skills & Employability
100 young people
Donegal
Coca-Cola Fund
The BreakOut Project is a youth initiative supporting Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Questioning (LGBTQ+) young people aged 12–24 years across County Donegal. The project provides inclusive, empowering, and developmentally focused youth work opportunities through weekly drop-in services and residentials. BreakOut’s mission is “to work for an Ireland where LGBTQ+ young people are empowered to embrace their development and growth confidently, and to participate as agents of positive social change in their own environment.”
Skills & Employability
15 young people
Mayo
Coca-Cola Fund
South West Mayo Development Company is an organisation focused on rural community and economic development, social inclusion, health equality, wellbeing and social employment in South West Mayo. This funding will support the 'Social Farming' project, which offers young people the opportunity to spend time on a family farm in a healthy, supportive, and inclusive environment. The young person will participate in activities they may be interested in such as gardening, animal care or indoor activities such as baking bread or jam making. The project takes place in a safe and supportive environment taking into account an individual’s abilities, desires and interests and focuses on encouraging participants to socialise, gain confidence, and build relationships.
Skills & Employability
60 young people
Dublin
Coca-Cola Fund
The YMCA Dublin Local Champions Project is a youth leadership development project designed to empower 16-20-year-olds from three Dublin communities: City Centre, Belmayne and North Clondalkin. Participants engage in workshops on advocacy, negotiation, and action planning, fostering teamwork and personal growth. They will explore Ireland’s political system, youth participation opportunities, and community advocacy, equipping them with leadership skills, increased confidence, and promoting active citizenship. This project provides participants with the tools to create positive change in their communities while strengthening their engagement in society. During the project, they will prepare a community social action project that they will deliver on return to their community and evaluate, with support from YMCA Dublin.
Skills & Employability
20 young people
Galway
Coca-Cola Fund
ARD Family Resource Centre supports individuals and families in the culturally diverse community of Doughiska, Galway. ARD prioritises key issues effecting the community, including the lack of access to secure and affordable housing, and racial discrimination. This funding will support the 'Change Shapers' project, which supports young people who are commited to working to gether to bring about positive change on social justice issues. The group has developed a youthled resource to raise awareness of the lived experiences of young people seeking international protection in Ireland. This project will allow the young people to facilitate workshops in other youth work settings using the resource, and will support the development of a safe youth space for the young people to meet together regularly, explore issues they are passionate about and have opportunities to boost their mental wellbeing through targeted workshops.
Skills & Employability
260 young people
Tipperary
Coca-Cola Fund
Aiséirí provides residential and community based addiction treatment to young people aged 15 – 21 years in their Kilkenny centre. This funding will support their project 'Empowering Futures'. This project is focused on upskilling and training for young people in addiction support. Young people will participate in Repair Cafés, rescuing forgotten furniture from donations/ landfills, reviving each piece through meticulous restoration and upscale refurbishment. The young people will also have the opportunity to complete manual handling and barbering courses.
Skills & Employability
40 young people
Louth
Coca-Cola Fund
Footsteps is a personal youth development programme in Co Louth working with young people aged 16-25 who are not in employment, education or training. This funding will support The Community Connect project, which aims to foster social connections and create safe spaces within the community. Recognizing the challenges many individuals face in finding supportive environments, this project focuses on establishing inclusive gathering places where community members can engage, share experiences, and build meaningful relationships. Young people will engage in a series of workshops focusing on mental health awareness, conflict resolution, inclusion and active listening in an environment that encourages collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking.
Skills & Employability
60 young people
Antrim
Coca-Cola Fund
McDonald Centre is an independently run community centre building at St Vincent Street, Belfast. The centre is a shared space, facilitating and hosting programmes to improve social, health, education and employability outcomes in Lower North Belfast. This funding will support the 'Beyond the Pitch' project, which works with young people aged 16-19 in the local area involved in Crusaders Football Club, providing workshops in mental health, education and leadership. The project moves the young people's participation on the pitch, to much needed support beyond the pitch. The workshops are delivered through facilitators from community partners AWARE NI, Womens Aid, Action Mental Health and Young Enterprise NI. Alongside these workshops, the young people will develop their leadership skills, with wraparound support for the participants.
Skills & Employability
25 young people
Armagh
Coca-Cola Fund
Drumgor Detached Youth Work Project (DDYWP) is a youth-focused organisation dedicated to supporting young people, in the North Lurgan and Craigavon areas, with a particular focus on those who are at risk, vulnerable, or disengaged. This funding will support the EmpowerHER project, a six month life skills programme designed to empower young women with practical skills, confidence, and resilience. This initiative aims to equip participants with essential tools to navigate lifes challenges while fostering independence and self-worth. This programme will cover a number of areas, including self-defence, cooking skills and healthy eating, money management, conflict resolution, resilience training, health and wellbeing,and healthy and unhealthy relationships. As well as this, the young women will complete an OCN Level 2 in Personal Success and Well-being.
Skills & Employability
30 young people
Northern Ireland
Coca-Cola Fund
REACH Across is a cross-community youth project in the western region of N. Ireland. REACH Across aims to create and develop cross-community contact between young people, provide young people from recognised areas of disadvantage with personal development and qualification opportunities (that will increase their skills-base, employability, social awareness, active citizenship and self-confidence), and to provide support and guidance to vulnerable young people. This funding will support the PALS project, which will provide a programme of personal development, skills and social awareness training, along with team-building activities for the project's Junior Leaders. Participants will gain their OCN level 2 in Leadership, engage in skills based and social awareness workshops, and plan and deliver a social action project.
Skills & Employability
40 young people
Newtownabbey
Coca-Cola Fund
AdaptNI provides specialist employment and training support for people who are Deaf, have hearing loss, and/or tinnitus across Northern Ireland. This funding will support the Early Intervention and Transitions Programme for Deaf, Hearing Loss, and Tinnitus Youth across Northern Ireland, helping them transition into further education, training, or employment. Many young people in this group face barriers to career progression, including lack of accessible guidance, limited work experience opportunities, and communication challenges in the workplace. This project aims to remove these barriers, equipping participants with the skills, confidence, and support needed for a successful future. Participants will receive specialist career guidance through one-to-one support, workshops, and mentoring, as well as work readiness training, including CV writing, interview skills, workplace rights, and self-advocacy. The young people willl also participate in a NI-wide Work Experience Week, allowing them to gain real-world experience with full communication support (BSL/ISL interpreters, electronic note-takers, speech-to-text support, and hearing loop systems).
Health & Wellbeing
1,600 young people
Donegal
Coca-Cola Fund
The Shona Project has a mission to educate, empower, and inspire today’s girls in Ireland to become tomorrow’s strong, confident, and curious young women. Their long-term vision is an Ireland where girls – and the women they will become – are happier, more fulfilled, and play an active role in all sectors of the economy and society. The Vhi grant will be used to support the team to deliver The Shona Project’s school workshops to 16 DÉIS secondary schools in Donegal, an area where young people often miss out on opportunities due to rural isolation and limited funding.
Skills & Employability
17 young people
Leitrim
Flagship Grassroots Fund 2025
The Sum Gang project is an extension on the work done by Down Syndrome Leitrim through the Flagship Fund 2024. The project implements an accredited maths programme designed to support young people with Down syndrome. The young people are supported through practical learning resources as well as monthly teacher-led clinics for parents. The programme works to improve independent and accurate functional maths skills, enabling participants to manage everyday tasks such as timekeeping, travel planning, budgeting and cooking.
Skills & Employability
50 young people
Cork
Flagship Promising Programmes Fund 2025
Cobh Youth Service (CYS) is a community based service for marginalised children and young people aged between 5 and 23 years. This project is for young people attending the iScoil programme and other identified young people who are not education, training or employment in the community. The project provides personal development supports, ICDL courses, CV writing, interview preparation, as well as help to identify progress routes and information, and career guidance in order to support the young people to achieve their goals in relation to education and work.