Community loan for Inspired Ability

Often the best ideas and initiatives emerge directly from the ground up as communities identify opportunity or needs in their midst and respond accordingly.

 

Such is the story of Tralee-based Inspired Ability, a project designed to address educational and skills disadvantage among young adults with intellectual disabilities.

 

Fearing that such shortfalls might limit the opportunities available to the young adults in the area in terms of education, employment and more fulfilled lives, a group of determined local parents decided to act.

 

Inspired Ability - or Inspired - sprang to life in 2014 and targeted a range of educational activities at learners aged 15 and upwards, across the Kerry and West Limerick region. The learners engage in a planned programme of training, work placement, life skills, creative/the arts, social and community activities.

 

Such services are generally not available to young adults with intellectual disabilities.

 

So great was the dedication of those involved that, for the first three years of its existence, Inspired operated on a voluntary basis and was wholly reliant on local fundraising activities.

 

In recent years, a more secure funding platform was established by way of funding from Pobal and the HSE.

This in turn allowed the team behind Inspired to look at longer-term strategies, in particular the development of local enterprises and greater job opportunities across the region.

 

The result was a dedicated Enterprise Centre for people with intellectual disabilities, the first of its kind in Ireland.

Located in Tralee, the centre planned to deliver an expanded range of services in areas such as; social enterprise, a culinary centre, technology, science and engineering and performing arts.

 

The team behind Inspired approached Clann Credo for assistance in developing the Centre and, given the very strong social dividend attached to the work, we were delighted to support the initiative!