STAND Ideas Collective Social Entrepreneurs Ireland (SEI)

Social Entrepreneurs Ireland (SEI) is an Irish not-for-profit organisation that supports people with new solutions to Ireland’s biggest social problems. SEI helps these individuals to increase their impact by providing significant funding alongside in-depth technical and practical support.

Over the last 14 years, SEI has supported 264 social entrepreneurs, and this year’s funding will bring the total support to over €7 million, in addition to providing significant additional support. These projects have in turn directly impacted 1.7 million people all over Ireland, creating over 1,345 employment opportunities in the process.

Social Entrepreneurs Ireland (SEI) is an Irish not-for-profit organisation that supports people with new solutions to Ireland’s biggest social problems. SEI helps social entrepreneurs to increase their impact by providing funding alongside technical and practical support. If you are an aspiring social entrepreneur go to socialentrepreneurs.ie for more information.

Gobnait Ní Néill The Grassroots Guild

Postgraduate Certificate in Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship

2022

What is the business about?

The Grassroots Guild is a not for profit social enterprise. Our aim is to share the skills that allow people, groups and businesses to take an active role in restoring nature where they live and work. We take nature conservation principles and shrink them down to a domestic scale, so that gardens and green spaces can become miniature national parks, supporting wildlife in all its forms. We do this in three ways: by providing practical tutorials and workshops, nature walks and talks and DI-Wilding project kits.

Where did the idea come from?

Like many people who find themselves with a garden to look after, I knew I wanted to do something for pollinators and perhaps birds too. But starting with little or no practical knowledge, I found it difficult to figure out what to do, and how to do it. Much of the advice I found was either unsuitable for the Irish climate, or not specific enough that I could just get going.

Quickly it became clear that I wasn't the only one with lots of motivation but no clear plan as to what to do. As I began to figure out how to make nature restoration projects work in my own garden, I shared them with my local environmental groups and neighbours

Over the next year, the idea for a social enterprise that could deliver effective projects directly to communities started to form.

Did you know?

What external support did you receive?

With the support of Dublin South City Partnership, I was accepted on to Social Entrepreneurs Ireland's Ideas Academy programme and was lucky enough to receive a Dublin City Social Enterprise Award. I was recently honoured to have been selected as one of the projects put forward for the Circular Economy Hotspot Legacy Award. There's a real sense of camaraderie and support with the social enterprise sphere, and lots of support from across the public sector. Top Tip(s) to budding entrepreneurs.

• If you have an idea that won't go away, go for it

• Don't worry about getting everything right, done is better than perfect

• Hold your ideas loosely, and be prepared to change your mind and the direction of the business if there's good reason to do so

• Take a good look at your own skill set, and make the most of it, whatever it is. Then identify the gaps in your skills and find people to fill them. No one expects you to know it all.

Website: www.thegrassrootsguild.org

- Global Entrepreneurship Monitor report 2022