Clare Social Enterprises
Empowering Rural Communities and Businesses in County Clare Through LEADER 2023–2027
About CLDC, LEADER, SICAP & Social Enterprises
The Clare Social Enterprise Network was launched in January 2023 to support social enterprises across the county. Through LEADER and Social Inclusion & Community Activation Programme (SICAP), Clare Local Development Company (CLDC) has partnered with local enterprises to foster collaboration and growth.
The main goal of the network is to provide social enterprises in Clare with a platform to connect with like-minded individuals, share ideas, experiences, and challenges, and explore opportunities for collaboration.
In 2020, CLDC commissioned the development of a social enterprise strategy for County Clare, covering the period 2023-2027. The network aims to address key recommendations from this strategy, focusing on capacity building, training, networking, and collaboration.
This training and mentoring program is offered by Clare Local Development Company and is funded under LEADER 23-27. LEADER, is an EU-wide rural development program, supporting the growth of rural communities, businesses, and environmental sustainability.
Training Events
Podcasting Made Simple: Share Your Story, Grow Your Impact
Venue: Clare County Council, Áras Waterpark Campus, Drumbiggle
Date: 13th Oct 2025
Time: 10am – 4.30pm
Facilitated by: Lily de Sylva – RCB
A practical, hands-on workshop guiding social enterprises through every stage of podcasting—planning, scripting, recording, and editing—using simple, low-cost tools.
Learning outcome:
Participants will gain the confidence and skills to produce their own podcast episodes, leaving with a drafted segment, editing practice, and a clear workflow for ongoing content creation.
Improving Communication Between Management & the Board
Venue: Online via Zoom
Date: 17th Oct 2025
Time: 10am – 12pm
Facilitated by: Agnes O’Shaughnessy
Strong communication between boards and management is the foundation of effective governance. This interactive training is designed for social enterprises who want to strengthen trust, reduce conflict, and ensure that decisions are clear, timely, and impact-driven. Participants will be provided with clear, practical approach to building trust and clarity between their board and management team
Who Should Attend
- Social enterprise managers & coordinators
- Board members seeking better collaboration
- Anyone involved in board–management communication
From Activity to Outcome: Measuring What Matters
Venue: Online via Zoom
Date: 21st Jan 2026
Time: 10am – 12noon
Facilitated by: Sandra Velthuis
An introduction to impact management that helps not-for-profits understand, measure, and communicate the real difference their work makes.
Learning outcome:
Participants will learn practical ways to plan for, measure, and improve impact, gaining tools to demonstrate value and strengthen future outcomes.
Building Resilience: Wellness in Social Enterprises and Community Groups
Venue: Clare County Council, Áras Waterpark Campus, Drumbiggle
Date: 17th Feb 2026
Time: 10am – 1pm
Facilitated by: Dolores Andrews
An interactive workshop exploring self-care and resilience strategies to help social entrepreneurs and community leaders sustain well-being and long-term impact.
Learning outcome:
Participants will leave with practical tools to manage stress, strengthen mental resilience, and embed self-care into daily life for lasting personal and professional success.
Unlock the Power of AI Tools
Venue: Online
Date: 18th Sept 2025
Time: 10am – 12noon
Facilitated by: Eilis Kerins – Cramden Tech
This two-hour Zoom workshop is designed for board members, managers, staff and volunteers of social enterprises.
Learning outcome:
At the end of the workshop, participants will be able to understand how best to use a range of AI tools in their organisations. The tools covered in the workshop include Chat GPT, Microsoft Copilot, Google Gemini, Leonardo, Runway, Synthesia.
Completed Trainings 2025
Storytelling Magic: Crafting Emotional Connections & Unleashing Your Brand’s Story
Venue: Online
Date: 18/06/2025
Time: 10am – 1pm
In this session Sinead, will show how stories can create powerful emotional connections in marketing and communication. Learn how to craft epic brand stories, discover techniques to craft compelling brand stories, and master the art of weaving storytelling into your brand.
Pitch, Fix, and Mix: A Power Networking Session
Venue: The Burren Centre Craft Shop, Kilfenora, Co. Clare V95 W523
Date: 21/05/2025
Time: 2pm – 5pm
This will be a participant-led session designed to help you to tackle challenges including often being time and cash poor. Participants will share and discuss common business pain points, exchange practical solutions for overcoming resource constraints, and collaborate through speed networking.
HR and Legal Must-Knows for Board Members and Managers
Venue: Online
Date: 09/04/2025
Time: 10am – 1pm
At the end of the workshop, the participants will be able to identify the distinct stages of the employee lifecycle, identify the list of ‘must-have’ employment policies and procedures, and identify steps organisations can take to update policies and procedures where necessary.
Laying Strong Foundations for Long Term Success
Venue: Clare County Council, Áras Waterpark Campus, Drumbiggle
Date: 12/02/2025
Time: 10am – 1pm
This session is designed to help you lay the groundwork for sustained growth, impact, and success. Whether you’re looking to strengthen your skills, expand your network, or secure the funding you need, this is your opportunity to build a solid foundation for your social enterprise.
Pathways to a Sustainable Social Enterprise
Venue: Clare County Council, Áras Waterpark Campus, Drumbiggle
Date: 13/03/2025
Time: 10am – 1pm
This session will help you to sharpen your vision and mission to drive your organisation or project forward. You will learn how to own your value proposition, set bold, clear objectives with actionable steps, master the art of measuring outputs and tracking performance, and demystify charitable status.
Evelyn Cormican
Blueprint Coaching & training
evelyn@evelyncormican.com
087 6083846
Visit evelyncormican.com
Aisling De Klerk
Clare Local Development
adeklerk@cldc.ie
(065) 686 6800 or 087 9718866
Visit cldc.ie
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