Disability Participation and Awareness Fund 3.0
Creating lasting pathways for people with disabilities to participate fully in every aspect of life.
The Disability Participation and Awareness Fund 3.0 is an eight-month fund created in partnership with the Department of Children, Disability and Equality (DCDE). DPAF 3.0 funds 22 change-making non-profit organisations that focus on enhancing the lives of people with disabilities and supporting them to participate fully and equally in all aspects of life. 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 goal of the Disability Participation and Awareness Fund 3.0 is to support innovative projects or organisations across Ireland to:
- Enhance the community, social, cultural, arts and physical participation of people with disabilities in all aspects of community life.
- Promote disability understanding, competence, and awareness of disability issues and matters in the community.
- Support and empower neurodiverse people at the community level.
- Build the organisational capacity of impactful service providers in Ireland to expand their services and to support more people with disabilities.
- To increase awareness of disability issues and matters in the community.
Awardees
The four strands of this fund support projects or organisations working directly with people with disabilities.
Strand 1 - Supporting community, sports and physical participation.
Acquired Brain Injury Ireland
CreATe Assistive Technology
Acquired Brain Injury Ireland
The CreATe Assistive Technology project provides assistive technology assessments and training for brain injury survivors to support independence and quality of life.
An Mheitheal Comhshaol Cooperative
DIY Wheelchair Repair Project
An Mheitheal Comhshaol Cooperative
The DIY Wheelchair Repair Project provides wheelchair repair workshops and online resources, empowering users and mechanics through a community-focused, skills-sharing model.
Brothers of Charity Services Ireland
Digital and Accessible Technology (DAT) Library
Brothers of Charity Services Ireland
The DAT Library project expands an assistive technology lending library with user-led models to support greater independence for people with disabilities.
Canoeing Ireland
PaddleAble Educate
Canoeing Ireland
The PaddleAble Educate project delivers inclusive paddle sport workshops to train coaches in adapting activities for people with disabilities using co-designed methods and adaptive technology.
Cork Stroke Support
Exercise Programme for Stroke Survivors
Cork Stroke Support
This project delivers tailored physical rehabilitation programmes for stroke survivors to improve wellbeing and community reintegration.
Horizons (formerly COPE Foundation)
Mixed Ability Sport
Horizons (formerly COPE Foundation)
This project establishes mixed ability sports teams integrating disabled and non-disabled athletes to create inclusive sporting environments.
Sail Training Ireland for Youth Development
Sea Change for All
Sail Training Ireland for Youth Development
The Sea Change for All project offers Ireland’s first pan-disability sail training voyages, enabling young people with disabilities to build leadership, confidence, and teamwork aboard a tall ship.
Strand 2 - Supporting arts and cultural activites.
Carlow Arts Festival
Our Place
Carlow Arts Festival
The Our Place project empowers people with intellectual disabilities to co-design and lead inclusive sound art exhibitions and sectoral dialogues.
Disrupt Disability Arts Festival
Creative Access Development Programme
Disrupt Disability Arts Festival
The Creative Access Development Programme trains disabled arts workers in creative access practices to increase inclusion in the cultural sector.
Galway Community Circus
Circus is for EVERYBODY
Galway Community Circus
This project co-designs inclusive circus arts residencies with young disabled people and showcases work at a national festival.
Hawk's Well Theatre
Shine Drama, Music and Dance
Hawk's Well Theatre
This project delivers inclusive drama, dance and music workshops in the North-West, culminating in a performance by participants with intellectual disabilities.
Royal Irish Academy of Music
When Forests Sing: bio/Diverse Opera
Royal Irish Academy of Music
The When Forests Sing project creates an inclusive opera with disabled and non-disabled musicians using assistive music technology and forest soundscapes.
Sightless Cinema
Sightless Cinema
Sightless Cinema delivers audio theatre workshops and performances created by and for people with visual impairments, enhancing social inclusion and creative expression.
Strand 3 - Supporting social enterprise initiatives.
Bluestack Special Needs Foundation
Bluestack Special Needs Foundation
This project provides paid employment and QQI-accredited training for people with additional needs in a community café model.
Fionnathan Productions
From CAPCA to Abundance
Fionnathan Productions
This project supports adults with Down Syndrome in entrepreneurship and citizenship education through mentorship, training and business showcases.
Saint John of God Community Services
DigiCoaching - Advancing Digital Accessibility
Saint John of God Community Services
The DigiCoaching project disabled digital coaches to deliver accessible tech education in schools and communities.
See My Skills
See My Skills
See My Skills delivers employment readiness programmes to students and adults with disabilities, increasing access to meaningful work experience.
The Down Syndrome Centre
Together Academy - New Training Cafe
The Down Syndrome Centre
Through this funding, Together Academy is opening a new training cafe to provide work experience and employment to adults with Down Syndrome.
Strand 4 - Supporting projects or initiatives in the area of neurodiversity.
ADHD Ireland
ADHD Productivity Programme
ADHD Ireland
The ADHD Productivity Programme supports adults with ADHD through structured productivity workshops to improve task management and executive functioning.
Happenings
Neuroconvergence
Happenings
The Neuroconvergence project builds collaboration and advocacy within the neurodiversity sector through inclusive festivals and a digital platform.
My Canine Companion
MCC School Therapy Dog Programme
My Canine Companion
The School Therapy Dog Programme places therapy dogs in schools to support neurodiverse students’ emotional wellbeing and school attendance.
Thriving Autistic
Discovery Programme
Thriving Autistic
The Discovery Programme empowers autistic adults through self-advocacy and peer support, increasing social participation and wellbeing.
