Disability Participation and Awareness Fund 4.0
Leading urgent change for people with disabilities
The Disability Participation and Awareness Fund 4.0 is a €3.5 million, eighteen-month fund from the Department of Children, Disability and Equality (DCDE) managed by Rethink Ireland.
The fund supports 19 innovative projects and organisations working to enhance the lives of people with disabilities over 18 months.
This includes social, cultural, arts and sports participation, as well as dismantling barriers, promoting understanding and competence, and leveraging innovative strategies to address the evolving needs of the disability community.
The goals of the Disability Participation and Awareness Fund 4.0 are to support innovative projects or organisations across Ireland to:
- Enhance access to and participation in community life, including sports, recreation and social activities, promoting a sense of belonging and inclusion.
- Foster creativity, representation and public understanding of disability through arts and cultural engagement.
- Increase employment and training opportunities for people with disabilities through social enterprise, apprenticeships, and inclusive workplace innovation.
- Strengthen the organisational capacity and leadership of community and non-profit organisations working with and for people with disabilities.
- Increase public awareness and understanding of the rights, contributions, and lived experiences of disabled people, fostering a more inclusive society.
On behalf of:
Awardees
Spinal Injuries Ireland
This investment will enable Spinal Active to create sustainable pathways into community participation for people living with spinal cord injury through inclusive exercise and peer connection. The project will train gym instructors across five community gym sites and support weekly group exercise classes, increasing confidence, social connection and participation for people with SCI.
Happenings CLG
Neuroconvergence is a neurodivergent-led platform that brings organisations, advocates, and communities together through structured forums and inclusive cultural programming. This investment will allow the project to scale its impact by strengthening engagement with existing communities through regular NeuroConvene gatherings. It will expand nationally through events in Cork, Limerick, and Galway, directly responding to participant demand for activity beyond Dublin.
Centre for Independent Living T/A Independent Living Movement Ireland (ILMI)
Governance 4 Change is a disabled person organisation which equips people with disabilities with the knowledge, confidence and skills to take on leadership and board roles. This investment will enable Governance 4 Change to equip more Disabled People with the knowledge, confidence and skills to take on leadership and governance roles locally and nationally. Through governance training, peer support and accessible resources, participants will be supported to pursue board and committee positions and influence decision making within their communities.
Irish Amateur Swimming Association CLG T/A Swim Ireland
Swim Access is a disability led initiative that improves accessibility in swimming pools through a structured audit process designed and delivered by people with lived experience of disability. Using a digital audit tool, trained disabled auditors assess facilities and provide evidence-based reports to pool operators, identifying practical improvements and supporting more inclusive environments. Funding will enable the project to expand accessibility audits nationally, strengthen data on pool accessibility and support facility operators to make informed improvements.
St John of God Community Services-Kerry Services and Dublin South-East (DSE) Services
Not Just Present, But Participating: Flip the Script is a person-centred programme that supports adults with disabilities to strengthen decision making skills, build confidence and engage directly with community opportunities. This investment will enable Flip the Script to train additional facilitators and co facilitators, supporting adults with intellectual disabilities to build confidence, decision making skills and meaningful community participation.
Corlann
Assistive technology allows individuals to control their environment, improve communication and access education and employment. Unlike traditional AT libraries that rely on clinical prescription pathways, the Corlann DAT Library empowers individuals with a user-led trial and lending model, enabling informed decision-making and reducing service abandonment. This investment will allow the project to further strengthen and scale.
Anne Sullivan Centre
Braille Instruction for Deafblind Adults provides specialist, person centred Braille training tailored to the needs of deafblind learners, delivered at a pace that reflects individual learning goals and circumstances. Through weekly instruction, ongoing practice and access to assistive technology, participants develop Braille literacy skills that support communication, access to information and greater independence. Funding will enable the project to reduce the waiting list and provide specialist Braille instruction to adults who are deafblind and at risk of losing access to written information through declining vision. The project will increase confidence, reduce social isolation and support long term wellbeing by enabling participants to use Braille as a practical and empowering tool in everyday life.
The Peter Bradley Foundation T/A Acquired Brain Injury Ireland
This project aims to give brain injury survivors independence and an enhanced quality of life in their daily environments by delivering tailored assistive technology (AT) interventions, training, and support to survivors and their support networks.
Sing Ireland
This project will deliver monthly singing sessions across five partner locations and establish an Artistic Committee to involve participants in shaping the programme. Local singer-songwriters will support participants to create original songs, including a shared gathering where all groups will come together to develop and share their ideas.
Firkin Crane CLG
Inclusive Dance Cork delivers a person-centred training programme that supports individual needs from first contact through to programme completion. The project will scale through a partnership with the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance at the University of Limerick. It will develop an accredited elective module in inclusive dance through in-person workshops, with planned enrolment from September 2027.
Connections Art Centre CLG
Accessible Creative Admin Apprenticeship responds to barriers faced by people with intellectual disabilities and neurodivergence in accessing training, progression and employment. This apprenticeship addresses that gap by creating structured, progression-focused opportunities. It supports people with disabilities to build professional skills, gain work meaningful experience and access sustainable employment in the creative sector.
Galway Community Circus CLG
Galway Community Circus provides long-term, fully accessible circus training based on its principles of inclusion. This gives young people the time, space and support to develop their skills and take part alongside their peers. The programme aims to deepen engagement for existing trainees and involve a new group of neurodiverse participants, supported by weekly classes, monthly family sessions, training for support workers, performances, workshops, and a national presentation.
Ready Let's Go!
Let’s Go! is a structured, person-centered employment pathway that supports adults with Down syndrome into meaningful work. Through personalised plans, skills-based training, work simulations and job carving with employers, participants develop employability, independence and life skills. This award will enable Ready Let’s Go to support a group of new trainees through the full training cycle and into work placements.
Spraoi agus Sport
The Spraoi Inclusive Apprenticeship Programme will provide training and paid work placements across its four social enterprises in Inishowen: horticulture, retail, childcare, and their digital hub.
The Down Syndrome Centre
Together Academy is a training and employment initiative aimed at providing young adults with Down syndrome specialised and individually tailored training. Young adults are provided with both certified and vocational training, practical work experience, employment opportunities and a critical social and support network. Funding will support Together Academy to expand its employment pathways within the community.
St. John of Gods Community Services
This project delivers a peer-support model, supporting inclusive digital participation while creating paid roles that enable people with disabilities to contribute as leaders, coaches, and digital inclusion champions. Funding will allow the programme to scale across five charity partners and increase the number of participants supported.
Autism Assistance Dogs Ireland (AADI)
Autism Assistance Dogs Ireland’s School Support Dogs provide emotional and practical support for autistic and neurodiverse children by placing specifically trained assistance dogs in schools to reduce stress, foster positive interactions, and create inclusive environments. Funding will AADI to further scale the programme by progressing an additional group of dogs through training and placement preparations, with the goal of placing dogs in new schools during the funding period.
Cherry Orchard Equine Centre (COEC)
Cherry Orchard Equine Centre will deliver a weekly structured equine-assisted activity programme tailored to the needs of children with disabilities, providing opportunities for physical activity, social connection and emotional wellbeing. Sessions will combine interactive yard-based activities with therapeutic riding on the centre’s outdoor sensory trail.
Irish Dogs for the Disabled CLG
Irish Dogs for the Disabled (IDD) breed and train task dogs to support with everyday tasks. Each dog is individually trained to meet the specific needs of their user, helping to break down barriers and enhance independence, confidence and wellbeing. Funding will enable Irish Dogs for the Disabled to expand its reach by training and placing a group of new task dogs by the end of the funding period.
