Support for social enterprise

A new project designed to better support social entrepreneurship post-Covid is currently underway on Leeside.

Spearheaded by Cork City Council, the EU-funded FOSO POCO project aims to aid social enterprises that tackle social problems and try to improve communities in Cork on a daily basis.

As part of the project, the council will be working with relevant support services and stakeholders to create a better understanding of the current local environment and potential of social enterprise, as well as identifying and address existing gaps in supports and to highlight best practice.

The project also seeks to assist new social enterprises to pilot, pitch and internationalise their product or services through the networks of the EU project partners and to establish local supports to assist social enterprises in a post-Covid economy.

Particular attention will be given to those social enterprises providing a service or product aimed at supporting those in greater need because of the pandemic.

Commenting on the project, Lord Mayor of Cork Cllr Joe Kavanagh said: “There is phenomenal work being done by social enterprises in this city. It is a wonderful sector to engage with as there is such a sense of purpose in what they do – that real sense of making a difference.”