Mayo native is among Ireland’s newest wave of changemakers

Social Entrepreneurs Ireland (SEI) has announced The Impact Programme 2025 and the five outstanding social entrepreneurs who have been awarded a place on the programme – one of whom is a native of Mayo.

These changemakers are tackling some of Ireland’s most pressing social and environmental challenges.

Each organisation will receive a share of €100,000 in direct, unrestricted funding alongside €100,000 to €150,000 worth of pro-bono supports, helping them to scale their impact and drive lasting social change.

The Impact Programme is SEI’s nine-month accelerator designed to help social entrepreneurs strengthen their leadership, build organisational capacity, and identify their route to scale for long-term impact.

Participants benefit from tailored coaching, consultancy, mentoring, and peer support, alongside unrestricted funding. Beyond direct financial support, they also receive structured pro-bono expertise valued at an additional €100,000 to €150,000, giving them access to world-class legal, strategic, and business advice.

The impact of this support is significant. In the past year alone, organisations on the Impact Programme reported an 88% average income growth, collectively reached almost 5,000 beneficiaries, and 100% launched or piloted new services or expanded geographically.

Ciara Mangan from Mayo is one of the five Impact Programme 2025 awardees. Ciara is founder of Beyond Surviving – a survivor-led organisation providing post-crisis support and community connection for survivors of sexual violence and domestic abuse, filling a critical gap in Ireland’s support services.

The other awardees are as follows: Matthew McCann, founder of Access Earth – a smart, inclusive parking system using real-time enforcement technology and data insights to combat misuse of accessible parking bays and improve infrastructure for people with disabilities; Sarah Naylor McNamee, founder of Beauty Business in a box – a practical training programme empowering women and girls with accredited beauty skills, business tools, and confidence-building supports to move from disadvantage to financial independence; Gareth Conlon, founder of Síolta Chroí – an environmental cooperative restoring Ireland’s ecosystems through regenerative agriculture training for farmers, fostering sustainable food systems and community resilience; and Cormac Noonan, co-founder of Wolf Academy – delivering holistic wellbeing solutions to schools across Ireland, blending modern psychology and ancient practices to help young people, teacher and parents build emotional resilience and mental health.

Reacting to her selection, Ciara said: “I’m beyond ecstatic to have been selected as one of this year’s awardees on the SEI Impact Programme. This award goes so much further than the €20,000 funding, which Beyond Surviving is incredibly thrilled to receive.

“What I feel most privileged to avail of is the support, community, networks and opportunities this programme is known to bring about. That type of support is simply immeasurable.

“It’s going to be an incredible journey, and it’s an absolute honour to experience this alongside such inspiring, mission-driven fellow awardees. Stay tuned!”

Jo Sachs-Eldridge, programme manager at SEI, said: “These five awardees represent the courage and creativity of Ireland’s social entrepreneurs. From tackling accessibility and gender inequality to supporting survivors, regenerating our environment, and building resilience in young people, their work shows the vital role social entrepreneurs play in addressing challenges that affect us all. At SEI, our role is to back these changemakers with the funding, expertise and networks they need to thrive.”

PIPELINE OF INNOVATION

SEI’s greatest strength lies in finding and backing social entrepreneurs at the earliest stage, then bringing them on a development journey.

On average, it takes three years for a project to grow from ideation to becoming an impactful organisation, and SEI is often the first supporter on that path.

Research shows that once social entrepreneurs reach this later stage, their survival rates increase by 50% compared to organisations that do not access SEI’s programmes.

The Ideas Academy 2025 represents that vital first step, supporting people at the ideation stage to move from idea to action. Over 12 weeks, participants will refine their solutions, plan their pilots, and build confidence in storytelling and pitching. At the end of the programme, they can apply for part of a €20,000 seed fund to take their ideas to the next stage.

Since 2004, SEI has been empowering social entrepreneurs to tackle Ireland’s most pressing issues and drive meaningful, lasting social change. SEI takes a people-centred approach, backing the individual behind the idea regardless of the legal structure of their organisation. This flexibility ensures that innovative solutions can grow and thrive without being held back by structural barriers.

Social enterprises also play a critical role in Ireland’s economy and society, employing 3.7% of the total workforce (84,382 people), many from vulnerable populations. By investing in people with bold ideas, SEI contributes not only to tackling social challenges, but also to strengthening the resilience and inclusivity of Ireland’s workforce.