Who We Are

The Open Doors Initiative provides opportunities to some of the marginalised members of our society. We create pathways to work through training, education, employment and entrepreneurship.
 
Some of the people we work with include refugees, asylum seekers and migrants, people with disabilities and disadvantaged youth, those from a Traveller or Roma background, LGBTIQ+, people with a criminal past, and any intersectionality between the groups.

In Ireland today, these groups face higher barriers to employment than most others. Many are cut out of work, even during the recent times of nearly full employment.

Purpose 
To create pathways to education, employment and entrepreneurship for marginalised people.
 
Values

• Demonstrate commitment to the rights and needs of marginalised people in terms of employment, education and economic development, based on the relevant UN Sustainable Development Goals
• Consult with the people we work with when appropriate and facilitate the active participation of member organisations in the development and implementation of our objectives and policies
• Foster positive and collaborative working relationships with other organisations in the pursuit of our aims and objectives
• Ensure openness and transparency
• Enable timely monitoring and evaluation of our work
• Have an ambitious and flexible responses to changes in the situation regarding employment and marginalised people

Did you know?

• The European Commission country Report for Ireland 2019 showed that Ireland had one of the lowest employment rates for people with disabilities in the EU (26.2% compared to 48.1 % in the EU). In Ireland, people with disabilities are more than twice as likely to be unemployed.
• Since the summer of 2018 many of our refugees and asylum seekers have been given the right to work but have been unable to access training and experience.
• The unemployment rate among our long-term unemployed under 25s is twice the national average.

The benefits of what we are doing will be two-fold – we will open up the labour market to some of those who have been unable to access it; and in doing so we will attract and retain our future inclusive workforces. 

In September 2018, 14 Irish employers came together with a plan to address these issues and support people from these groups in Irish society into employment. 

Our numbers continue to grow and if you want to join us on this journey please get in touch.

The Government are fully supportive of the Open Doors Initiative, especially the Tánaiste, Leo Varadkar TD and David Stanton TD along with many government departments.