Michael Ring TD, Minister for Rural and Community Development, today (14 October 2019) announced a Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme worth €100,000 over the next two years as part of the new National Social Enterprise Policy for Ireland. The Fellowship is being delivered in collaboration with the Irish Research Council.
The main purpose of the Postdoctoral ‘Impact’ Fellowship in Social Enterprise is to develop a methodology to measure the impact of social enterprise in Ireland in the context of the new Policy and international best practice.
Announcing the Postdoctoral Fellowship today, Minister Ring said:
The National Social Enterprise Policy, which I launched in July, sets out a series of 26 commitments on the part of Government for the development of social enterprise over the period 2019 to 2022.
A key theme which emerged during the development of the Policy was the need to establish a reliable evidence-base on social enterprise, and to develop a robust framework to understand its social, environmental or economic impact.
Social enterprises do fantastic work providing vital goods and services in communities throughout the country. In fact, they contribute significantly to the delivery of many Government policy objectives in a wide range of areas such as employment activation, affordable childcare, and the green economy. However up to now, we have not been able to accurately quantify their considerable impact in our society.
This Fellowship, which will be managed through the Irish Research Council, will lead to the development of a robust methodology to measure the impact of social enterprise in Ireland. The research will enable a greater understanding of social enterprise in all of its forms in the Irish context.
Commenting on the partnership, the Assistant Director of the Irish Research Council, Dr Eavan O’Brien, said:
The Irish Research Council is delighted to form this Strategic Funding Partnership with the Department of Rural and Community Development. Arising from this partnership, the DRCD Impact Fellowship in Social Enterprise is an excellent opportunity for postdoctoral researchers whose work relates to social enterprise in Ireland. This Fellowship is particularly timely in light of the new National Social Enterprise Policy.
Minister Ring added:
The implementation of the National Social Enterprise Policy will assist social enterprises in Ireland to grow and to make a positive impact on individuals and communities in both rural and urban areas. Last month, I announced details of a new Training and Mentoring Programme for social enterprises. Today’s announcement of the ‘Impact’ Fellowship in Social Enterprise is another important step in the implementation of the Policy.
The deadline for applications for the Fellowship is 20 November 2019.
Full details of the Social Enterprise Impact Fellowship, including application forms are available on the Irish Research Council website: http://research.ie/assets/uploads/2017/05/GOIPD-DRCD-Theme-Documentation-FINAL.pdf
Notes to Editors
Social Enterprises
Social enterprises are businesses whose core objective is to achieve a social, societal, or environmental impact. Like other businesses, social enterprises pursue their objectives by trading in goods and services on an ongoing basis. However, surpluses generated by social enterprises are re-invested into achieving the core social objectives.
They frequently work to support disadvantaged groups such as the long-term unemployed, people with disabilities, travellers, etc., or to address issues such as food poverty, social housing, or environmental matters.
Ireland’s first National Social Enterprise Policy was launched by the Department of Rural and Community Development on 18 July 2019, with the objective creating an enabling environment for social enterprise to grow and to contribute more fully to Ireland’s social and economic progress.
The Policy is focused on three main objectives:
Building Awareness of Social Enterprise
Growing and Strengthening Social Enterprise
Achieving Better Policy Alignment
These include commitments to improve our understanding of the scale of social enterprise in Ireland, and to measure its impact.
In Ireland, social enterprises take many forms across a wide spectrum from local community-based enterprises to larger enterprises, some of which trade internationally. Despite efforts to map the sector, there is a lack of comprehensive and reliable data about the size, reach and, in particular, impact of social enterprise.
About the Irish Research Council
The Council was formed in 2012 and operates under the aegis of the Higher Education Authority. The core function of the Council is to support excellent frontier research across all disciplines and all career stages. It places a particular focus on early-stage career researchers and promotes diverse career opportunities for researchers by partnering with employers. The Council also has a particular role in supporting research with a societal focus and has established partnerships across government and civic society. Further information: www.research.ie, @IrishResearch, #LoveIrishResearch.
About the Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme
The Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme is a prestigious and highly competitive process managed by the Irish Research Council.
The deadline for applications for the Fellowship is 20 November 2019. The funded project must start by 1 October 2020 and be completed in 24 months.