The funds will support innovative projects designed to empower marginalised individuals and communities with the necessary workforce skills.

In collaboration with Deloitte Ireland and the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Rethink Ireland has launched the new €1.5m Skills for Tomorrow Fund. 

Skills for Tomorrow will support up to nine organisations over two-and-a-half years, offering cash grants ranging from €137,500 to €200,000. The aim of the initiative is to support innovative projects helping marginalised individuals and communities develop the skills they need to succeed in the future world of work. 

Deirdre Mortell, the CEO of Rethink Ireland, said: “As the world of work continues to evolve, we need to ensure that people and communities already experiencing marginalisation are not further excluded from future opportunities. The Skills for Tomorrow Fund is about creating practical and inclusive pathways into employment, education and lifelong learning.”

Amid a period of shifting labour markets and mass technological change, the fund also aims to support successful applicants as they strengthen their impact through the practical and responsible use of artificial intelligence. 

“The fund comes at a time of shifting labour markets and rapid technological change,” read a press release about the fund, “with increasing concern that individuals and communities already experiencing marginalisation risk being left further behind due to barriers to accessing education, training, digital literacy and employment opportunities.”

The fund is encouraging applications from projects focused on improving outcomes for marginalised groups such as young people not in education, employment or training, long-term unemployed individuals, people with disabilities, minority ethnic communities, lone parents and those experiencing educational disadvantages. 

Lorraine Griffin, the chair of Deloitte Ireland, said: “At Deloitte, we are proud to support this multi-year fund with Rethink Ireland. We understand that Ireland’s future innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders will need new skills to meet tomorrow. 

“As technology expands opportunity for those with access and skills, it can also reinforce barriers for those without. With the right support, more people can participate in and benefit from the future economy. Organisations serving communities are also facing rising demand and equipped with the right technology, they can do more and reach further.”

The Skills for Tomorrow Fund is now accepting applications from organisations providing support for young people and adults, with applications closing on 29 June. Projects supported through the fund should demonstrate innovative and evidence-based approaches to future skills development, digital inclusion and workforce participation.

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