Project supporting Traveller community in Carlow awarded share of over €1.3 million in funding

A Carlow-based social project which helps support members of the Traveller community gain and retain employment has been awarded a share of Rethink Ireland's €1.37 million Breaking Barriers Fund.

Business in the Community Ireland (BITCI), based in Carlow, was announced on Monday as one of the five organisations to be awarded the share of the Breaking Barriers Fund for this year.

This investment from Rethink Ireland and State Street supports people from marginalised communities into sustainable employment, work placements, education, or internships while tackling discrimination, prejudice and inequality.

Business in the Community Ireland runs the Traveller Employment Programme (TEP) which provides tailored support for members of the Traveller community looking to access the labour market and works with employers to create diverse and inclusive workplaces.

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Each awardee organisation will receive support in the form of a grant, a place on Rethink Ireland’s Accelerator Programme, and tailored business supports to strengthen their operations, increase their social impact and ensure organisational sustainability.

The other organisations across the country awarded a share of the fund on Monday include Change Please Ireland, Open Doors Initiative, Saoirse Ethnic Hands and Way2Work Ireland (Cruthu Foundation).

Funded in partnership with the State Street Foundation and the Department of Rural and Community Development through the Dormant Accounts Fund, the Breaking Barriers Fund combines private philanthropy with public support to drive systemic inclusion.

This fund aims to create pathways to meaningful employment and expand access for members of the Traveller community, people of colour, migrants, and refugees in Ireland, bringing local change to communities across the country.

Awarded projects span from barista training for migrants and inclusive catering social enterprises, to structured school-to-work supports for young migrants and a Traveller-focused employment programme. All five organisations are working to bridge long-standing gaps in opportunity by directly addressing the structural inequalities in Ireland’s labour market and education system.

Commenting on today's announcement, Lyndsey O'Neill, TEP Co-Ordinator at Business in the Community Ireland said: "This funding will allow us support Irish Travellers in Carlow to gain and sustain meaningful employment.

"With targeted mentoring, CV support, and employer engagement, we’ll help Travellers build sustainable career pathways whilst ensuring recruitment processes and workplaces are inclusive environments where diversity thrives. It’s not just about jobs — it’s about dignity, inclusion, and breaking cycles of exclusion in our local communities."