Our Focus
We help children, families, and communities in Dublin's inner city break the cycle of poverty by empowering people of all ages to dream, aspire and achieve.
€3 million+
Money Raised
1,500
Projects Funded
100,000 +
People Helped
1
Community Served
Education
Sport & Recreation
Community
How we have helped
Here are some of the people and groups that the IFSC Inner City Trust have helped. Each and every year, we assist more than a dozen groups in Dublin's Innercity, involving people of every age, interest and need.
Featured Story
Homework Club
During the Academic year 2018-19, the IFSC Inner City Trust funded a Homework Club for children aged between 8-12 from St. Joseph’s Co-ed Primary School, in East Wall. The Club was organised by Willie Dwyer and took place in the Sean O’Casey Community Centre in East Wall. It was extremely well received, being fully taken up by 12 children within a few days. The children were helped with their homework by Willie and his able assistant Chloe. As well as being guided in their homework, the children had the opportunity to play various sports in the Community Centre before they went home. The initiative was greatly appreciated by the Principal of St. Joseph's, Niall Heneghen. Below you will find some of the feedback provided by the parents of the children who attended.
Here's what some of the parents said:
Lexie loves going to the homework club because it really helps her be more confident at her work in school. I got great feedback from her teacher. Thank you.
Cerys likes the homework club because it is easier to concentrate and get her homework done as there are many distractions at home. Chloe is very helpful if you have a problem that you cannot understand.
The homework club is great for Leah. Her homework has come on fantastic. Chloe and Willy are doing a great job. Looks forward to going every day.
I’d just like to say that Lara and Addison really enjoy the homework club. They get their work done without any interruptions and they find it better than at home. Keep up the good work.
I hope the Homework Club continues. Sophie bounces home from school each day, looking forward to meeting her friends at the centre. It has also taken the pressure off me, there are certainly less drama’s at our house since the homework club started. Long may it last.
My daughter truly benefitted from the Homework Club this term as I have a really busy house with four children and it is very hard to find some quiet time to do her homework. Hopefully the Homework Club can continue.
I think the Homework Club is a great asset to the Community. Tori enjoys going every day as she gets to do her homework with her friends, making homework and learning enjoyable.
Ella is really benefitting from the homework club. She is really enjoying it and homework is not becoming a bad thing since she goes. It gives us more quality time to spend together when I get home from work as homework is fully completed. I really hope it can continue.
Featured Story
St. Audeon’s School
Saint Audoen’s National School was established in 1756 and is firmly rooted in one of Ireland’s oldest communities, The Liberties in Dublin City. The school sits in the shadow of the old city walls on Cook Street and has witnessed and been impacted by the changing character of the inner city of Dublin over the years.
The neighbourhood around the school, from where all of its pupils come from, has suffered for many years from disadvantage and related economic and social deprivation. While there has been some recent regeneration in the area as well as repopulation, there remain many of the problems associated with disadvantage.
However, any visitor walking in the front door of Saint Audoen’s National School will immediately sense a happy and progressive environment intended to support the boys and girls to prepare for life and to succeed. Led by Principal Eilish Meagher, the team of teachers, special needs assistants, support staff and volunteers have created a friendly place which strongly promotes and encourages the education and social development of its pupils.
Over and above the standard services expected at any national school, Saint Audoen’s also provides a breakfast and after school club enabling pupils to be in the school environment from 8:15am to 5pm. They also provide the children with breakfast, lunch and the option of dinner for those pupils attending the Afterschool, ensuring good nutrition for all. Reflecting the challenges faced by some of the pupils, Saint Audoen’s currently has eight Special Needs Assistants as well as three sensory rooms where children can go to de-stress from the demands of the day.
While primarily funded by the Department of Education, the school must also work hard to secure additional funding in order to provide important non-standard services.
The IFSC Inner City Trust has been able to support Saint Audoen’s on several occasions over the years, helping for example with the fitting out of sensory rooms for those children with special needs. The next big project for Saint Audoen’s will be the upgrade of their kitchen, which is currently akin to a large domestic kitchen, in order to better deliver its meal services.
More information about Saint Audoen’s can be found at www.staudoens.ie.
There are many similar examples of such schools in Dublin’s Inner City where dedicated teachers and staff are working hard to make life better and to create opportunities for their pupils. Additional funding is needed to allow them to provide those extra services that make a big difference including getting special needs assessments carried out, purchasing new books and equipment, running homework clubs and providing grinds for exam students. The IFSC Inner City Trust uses the funds it raises to support such important activities.
Featured Story
Project Fun Direction
Ciaran Duffy (pictured left with Padraig Rushe) started Project Fun Direction in August 2014 to tackle the exclusion of young girls aged 5-10 from sporting opportunities in their own community of north inner city Dublin. A relatively small amount of advance funding was crucial to establishing the activity and demonstrating the concept could work to better engage young local girls in sport and put them on a pathway towards better opportunities in life. Not many funders are willing to support ideas on paper but the IFSC Inner City Trust were the first organisation to have the vision to see the need for Project Fun Direction and recognise the potential for it to succeed. Four years later, 250 girls have enjoyed the project's activities with 130 now on average attending our weekly activities in 8 venues. We wouldn't be able to reach that many girls in north inner city Dublin without the backing of the IFSC Inner City Trust each year.
Featured Story
St Vincent’s Girls National School
The IFSC Inner City trust helped St Vincent’s Girls National School, North William Street to establish an after school drama club.
Pictured here are Barry Murray and David MacNeice presenting a cheque to Margaret O’Connor, Principal of St Vincent’s Girls National School