Amazing New Adventures

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Menter Iontach Nua will design, develop and deliver a new university accredited programme designed to meet the needs of the Social Sectors in Ireland and Wales for training, mentoring and networking supports. No such accredited programme exists in either region. In the current environment, the sector needs to reduce its dependence on State support and focus more on initiatives to earn income and create employment opportunities. A programme designed to improve the innovation and entrepreneurial skills of the leaders of social enterprises will be of great assistance in this regard. It is through the systematic use of innovation techniques that entrepreneurs learn to harness their ideas and develop better, sustainable enterprise models. Menter Iontach Nua will: • Achieve DCU accreditation for a Masters Degree in Innovation for Social Enterprise within the project timeframe. • Incorporate flexible entry and exit points in the programme to facilitate maximum participation by the sector. • Deliver the programme over a 3 year period, with participants commencing the Certificate programme in year 1, the Diploma in year 2 and the Masters degree in year 3. • Facilitate greater participation rates by enabling the programme to be completed by participants through a combination of online and block release modules, taking advantage of the online Blackboard Academic Suite available in Bangor University. • Recruit the best lecturers and trainers to develop and deliver the Certificate and Diploma modules. The use of volunteers with relevant experience and expertise will add significantly to the experience for participants. • Ensure that the programme is relevant to the needs of the sector by forming a joint Ireland Wales Steering Committee of key stakeholders from the community and voluntary sector, state agencies, corporates, professionals and special interest groups. • Ensure that the programme incorporates the latest international creativity and innovation ideas, tools and techniques. • Ensure that participants are suitably qualified and can progress the aims of their social enterprises and their own careers through participation on the programme. Participants should be in a position to influence the transformation of an existing social enterprise or the creation of a new one. • Ensure that the project adheres to the highest standards of quality and complies with the project's policies in relation to equal opportunities and sustainable development. • Ensure that the project is well publicised so that beneficiaries and the general public are made aware of the project and that it has been part- funded by the European Regional Development Fund.

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