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Sensational Kids is an award-winning social enterprise, that has already changed the lives of over 10,000 children, saving their families over €2.5 million in therapy fees. They provide vital front-line therapeutic supports for children with additional needs, ensuring that they have access to vital supports. Today, 1 in 4 children in Ireland has a special educational need. This means that there are 420,000 children in Ireland who have additional needs, such as down syndrome, adhd, dyslexia, dyspraxia and many other developmental delays.   In this episode, Eilís speaks to Karen Leigh about her personal journey founding Sensational Kids. She describes the range of services they provide and the greater impact of their services. Karen also looks ahead to discuss Sensational Kids’ ambitious plans for the future. For more information on Sensational Kids, visit: https://www.sensationalkids.ie/.

The Irish Men’s Sheds Association was formed in 2011. A men’s shed is a community based project, where men can come together to learn, share skills and make long-lasting friendships together. Ireland has become one of the leading nations for men’s sheds in recent years, with Ireland having the most sheds per capita. Currently, there are over 450 sheds in Ireland, with at least 10,000 men visiting a shed every week.   In this episode, Eilis speaks to John Evoy about his journey founding the Irish Men’s Shed Association. From the initial idea, to the expansion of the Irish Men’s Shed Association and stepping away from his position. John outlines his current role with Grow Remote and plans for the future.   For more information on Irish Men’s Shed Association, visit here. For more information on Grow Remote, visit here. Brought to you by 2into3, www.2into3.com.

In the latest Census data, there was an increase in those identifying as having ‘no religion’, with a decline in those identifying as ‘catholic’. This reflects the secularisation of the Irish population. However, as stated in Episode 1, people are still continuing to give large sums of money to religious organisations. The types of religious organisations that we see in Ireland are also changing and evolving away from Catholicism and towards newer incentives, as the ‘New Irish’ emerge.   Join Dennis O’Connor and Niamh Carruthers in this episode to discuss the history of Ireland, religion, and trying to unwrap if Ireland is as secularised as we think.   If you’re interested in taking a deeper dive into the funding of religious organisations, read ‘The Economics of Faith’ report here: https://2into3.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/The-Economics-of-Faith-06.09-FINAL.pdf   If you have a social impact story you’d like to share, contact [email protected].

Typically, we associate religious organisations with churches and other places of worship. However, the scale of religious organisations in Ireland is much greater than we initially think. The funding and income generated in religious organisations is also a significant part of our economy. In our very first episode, we delve into the current findings on religious giving in Ireland. We discuss the scale of religion in Ireland, including: emerging religions, religious income and progression of religious organisations.   In this episode, we are joined by Niamh Carruthers and Dennis O’Connor. Niamh is a funding expert and PhD Researcher who focuses on charitable giving, and has recently authored ‘The Economics of Faith’ report, which provides insights into the funding landscape in Ireland. Our second guest, Dennis O’Connor, has over 20 years’ experience in the nonprofit sector and is the CEO of 2into3, which focuses on transformative social impact. Both Niamh and Dennis have made significant contributions towards social impact in Ireland.   Niamh’s recent work on ‘The Economics of Faith’ report informs organisations on relevant issues facing the social economy. To read ‘The Economics of Faith’ report, visit: https://2into3.com/research/sector-reports/   If you have a positive social impact story and would like to feature on Ireland’s Social Impact Podcast, contact [email protected].

Social impact refers to the effects on society resulting from actions, policies, or projects led by individuals, government bodies or organisations. Oftentimes, this collective effort can go unnoticed. In this podcast, we chat to guests who have created a positive social impact and provide a platform to discuss their work, aspirations and personal stories.