Google.org provides funding to three Irish NGOs to support jobs and upskilling

Three Irish NGOs that support small businesses, job seekers and skills training will receive a share of €500,000 funding from Google.org to help them respond to the repercussions of the pandemic. The funding from the philanthropic arm of Google is the second tranche of the €1 million grant funding announced in April.

The funding was dedicated in two tranches, the first of which was provided to help NGOs and non-profits providing vital services to the most vulnerable in our communities during the initial Covid crisis, followed by a second tranche dedicated to economic recovery.

This second tranche of grants will be shared among NGOs that focus on upskilling, mentoring and supporting job seekers to help them gain the skills, knowledge and qualifications they need for roles in the tech sector. The projects to be funded by each of the grantees are:

• Jobcare delivers virtual, 7-week training programmes to job seekers in Dublin. Its goal is to support 500 participants and to help with this, they’re building a new platform for participants to use which will help them engage with the course material, other participants, and the trainers.

• Ringsend Community Services Forum (RCSF) provides mentorship, job training, and train-the-trainer programmes to 50 community leaders in Ringsend and Pearse Street. This will provide an opportunity for each of the leaders to deliver training to their own target groups. In partnership with St. Andrew’s and The Anchorage Project key support in digital skills and employment opportunities will be provided to job seekers in the wider communities of Pearse street and Ringsend.

• INCO provides virtual job and skills training to young people (18-35) who have been economically impacted by COVID-19, primarily in Cork, Galway, and Waterford (achieved through working with local partners). INCO focuses on developing tech skills amongst this group with a view to young people gaining vital experience that will help them get full-time roles in the tech sector.

Nick Leeder, Head of Google in Ireland said, “When we announced this funding back in April, we wanted to ensure that the second tranche would be dedicated to organisations that are providing support to job seekers and people needing to upskill from different backgrounds and locations around the country. Jobcare, INCO and RCSF provide these vital services that must not only continue amid the pandemic and public health guidelines but must also continue to adapt their services to meet evolving challenges. It’s also very important to us that we continue to support our neighbours in Ringsend and the surrounding areas as they navigate this extremely difficult time.”

Paul Mooney, Founder of Jobcare, one of the grantees to receive funding from Google.org said, “We are working tirelessly to support jobseekers, now including those who have unfortunately been economically impacted by COVID-19. It’s crucial that we continue our services during this extraordinarily difficult time, and the Google.org grant will help us expand our reach and adapt our platforms so that we continue to provide vital support.”

The first tranche of the €1 million euro funding was shared among NGOs that address different aspects of the crisis in communities across Ireland, including FoodCloud, ALONE, A Lust for Life and the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, in addition to Google’s local community in Ringsend and Pearse Street.

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