Greetings from Community Enterprise Association Ireland 😊

Over the last year CEAI has initiated a number of exciting and challenging projects including the successful rebrand of NACEC to Community Enterprise Association Ireland (the organisation remains registered as NACEC clg) to include the development of a new logo, new website and updated social media platforms.

A key initiative was the establishment of a National Steering Group to oversee the development of QHubs – the new National Quality Standard for Ireland’s enterprise hub, co-working and remote working sector.  This important step was a precursor to the research, development and launch of QHubs – Phase 1 in November of last year.

We also started work with the project partners of Sustainable Futures for Enterprise Centres – a project funded by Erasmus Plus which offers us the opportunity to collaborate with several organisations across the EU to develop new learning models which will support enterprise centre and hub managers and their tenant businesses to adopt and develop sustainable business practices. This project aligns with our strategic pillar that focuses on sustainable business practices for centres in their local communities.

CEAI has also been awarded a number of significant grants over the last 12 months including the RETS Scheme and the ARISE Scheme

• The RETS Scheme targeted regional initiatives previously supported under the Regional Enterprise Development Fund and focused on improving the capability and competitiveness of regional enterprises. As a recipient of REDF3 NACEC clg bid for and successfully secured funding to support a number of projects in the area of cross border internationalisation for centres’ tenants and also for the development of a sustainability blueprint to support centre mangers progress their work in this area

• The ARISE (Awareness Raising Initiative for Social Enterprise) Scheme was launched to increase awareness of social enterprises and their potential across communities. NACEC clg successfully secured funding to support a series of events across the regions – in the form of hackathons – to be hosted by enterprise centres and hubs and addressing societal challenges in their local communities.  Planning for these events will begin in early February and anybody interested in getting involved should contact me directly to get involved,

From my own perspective, I joined CEAI in early January 2021 (funded under Enterprise Ireland’s third Regional Enterprise Development Fund) and now have just over 12 months behind me.

It has been an incredible 12 months of development and growth for the organisation – and for me also! Working collaboratively with so many organisations, getting to know the members and the many stakeholders and partners, and developing opportunities for CEAI, I feel very lucky to be in a role where I get such fulfilment every single day and I’m really looking forward to what 2022 brings!

Best wishes,

Siobhán.