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Open Doors Pre-Budget Submission 2024
The Open Doors Initiative creates equitable pathways to employment, further education, and entrepreneurship for marginalised communities. ODI works with corporate business, supporting partners, public bodies, and government departments to deliver impactful programmes that lead out in the area of equity and inclusion.
The work that is carried out by ODI is informed by lived experience and research. It is under-pinned by the business case for diversity and inclusion. Research has shown a more diverse team is better for business and is in line with the SDGs in reducing poverty and exclusion.
Despite the business case for diversity and inclusion being well researched, those seeking employment or engaging with further education are experiencing barriers to access and supports.
Supporting measures that remove barriers to employment, entrepreneurship and further education should be a crucial element in the Government’s budget for 2024.
Key Recommendations
- Extend the Accommodation Recognition Payment (Financial Contribution for Hosting Temporary Protection Beneficiaries Scheme) to all households who are hosting a refugee, from any country
- Amalgamate existing employment supports for a person with a disability in to one accessible grant, modelled on the UK’s Access to Work Scheme
- Further investment into supports for students who choose to study part-time, as recommended in the National Access strategy
- Develop more Entrepreneurship training for marginalised groups such as those carried out in TUD for people with disabilities and refugees, asylum seekers and migrants, where we have run three courses to date
- Multi-annual funding for an information service to support employers in hiring and retaining employees who have a criminal history
- Continued supports for remote and hybrid working with further investment into accessible remote working spaces, such as The Impact Hub@Crann Centre, Co. Cork
