Training Links Programme

Training Links new logo 2026

Training Links funds and supports networks of community and voluntary organisations to undertake training together.  

Since 2005 The Wheel’s Training Links Programme has supported the training and development needs of nonprofit workers across Ireland. This includes volunteers and employees of charities, community and voluntary organisations and social enterprises. 

2026 - 2028 Programme 

This year, we are delighted to announce we have awarded the total fund of €240,000 to 9 Training Networks. This year's grant awardees are made up of a total of 118 charities, community and voluntary organisations and social enterprises from all over the country. 

Meet Our Training Networks: 

The Circular Threads Training Network brings together community organisations across Dublin and Wexford to build practical skills in clothing repair, textile reuse, upcycling and community-led climate action. Led by Change Clothes, the network will provide hands-on workshops, peer learning opportunities and ongoing support to staff and volunteers working in local communities. 

Participants will gain the skills, confidence and resources needed to deliver their own repair, reuse and sustainability initiatives, helping to reduce textile waste while creating opportunities for learning, creativity and social connection. The network aims to embed lasting skills within organisations and strengthen community-based responses to environmental challenges. 

Network Organisations:  

  1. Change Clothes CLG (Lead Organisation)   

  2. Artane Coolock Family Resource Centre   

  3. Latina Women Against Violence   

  4. Swords Tidy Towns   

  5. Connecting Cabra   

  6. Walkinstown Sister Shed   

  7. Women’s Collective Ireland – Wexford   

  8. Phibsboro Village Tidy Towns   

  9. Circular Stoneybatter / Cosybatter SEC

  10. Dun Laoghaire Tidy Towns.

The Inclusive Diverse Founders Entrepreneurship & Innovation Network is a collaborative learning network led by Phase Innovate CLG that supports entrepreneurs from diverse and underrepresented communities across Dublin and the North-East Region. The network will provide practical training, mentoring, peer learning, and networking opportunities focused on digital transformation, AI adoption, sustainable business practices, leadership, and innovation. 

Through a blended programme of workshops, webinars, mentoring clinics, and showcase events, participants will strengthen their skills, improve business resilience, access new growth opportunities, and build meaningful collaborations. The network aims to empower founders to create sustainable enterprises, increase economic participation, and contribute positively to their communities. 

Network Organisations:  

  1. Phase Innovate CLG (Lead Organisation)   
  2. Balbriggan Women’s Development Group 
  3. HANDS 4 UNITY 
  4. African Parent's Network 
  5. Fingal Africa 
  6. Women Intercultural Network WIN InSpo. 
  7. THE UNFORGETTABLE WOMENS NETWORK 
  8. Threads of Culture 
  9. Migrant Integration and Social Inclusion Platform 
  10. Cairde 
  11. Sierra Leone Ireland Partnership 
  12. Joyful Tribe.

The Community Therapy Ireland - Training Links Network is a collaborative initiative designed to meet member training requirements and strengthen the capacity, quality, and sustainability of community therapy service provision. This in turn will enable members to respond to the increasingly complex therapy needs right across the country and the rising demand for mental health services within communities. 

By pooling resources and providing shared access to high-quality training, this initiative will enable Community Therapy Ireland’s national membership to enhance practitioner skills, improve clinical governance, and continue to deliver safe, professional, trauma-informed, rights-based, person-centered, culturally competent care, to individuals, children and families right in their communities. 

Network Organisations:  

  1. Community Therapy Ireland (Lead Organisation)   

  2. Southwest Counselling Centre   

  3. St. Brigid’s Family and Community Centre   

  4. Limerick Social Service Center Ltd   

  5. Curragh Family Resource Centre   

  6. Fatima Family Resource Centre (FGU)   

  7. Baldoyle Family Resource Service CLG   

  8. Croom Family Resource Centre CLG   

  9. Northside Counselling Service   

  10. Tallaght Counselling & Therapy Centre t/a Village Counselling Service  

  11. Genesis Psychotherapy & Family Therapy Service   

  12. Curam Clainne Ltd t/a The Family Centre    

  13. The Beacon of Light Counselling Centre  

  14. Ballincollig Family Resource Centre 

  15. Kerry Adolescent Counselling Service    

  16. Cork Counselling Services   

  17. Knock Counselling Centre   

  18. Fingal Counselling Service   

  19. Boyle Family Resource Centre   

  20. Vita House Family Centre   

  21. TARGET CLG  

  22. Teach Oscail Counselling and Therapy Centre   

  23. Dún Dealgan FRC, Community Therapy   

  24. Limerick Youth Service   

  25. Knockanrawley Resource Centre    

  26. Pro-Consult   

  27. Traveller Counselling Service    

  28. An Cosán   

  29. Candle Community Trust.

The AONTAS Community Education Network (CEN) was founded in 2007 to support independent, local community education providers committed to equality and social change. The Training Links programme will bring together 30 CEN organisations to form a smaller network for targeted training and peer learning. Building on past collaboration and shared expertise, the Community Education Network Training Links will offer a flexible programme that addresses sector priorities such as staff wellbeing, trauma-informed practice, global and local impacts, leadership, digital skills, and support for programme design and accreditation. 

Network Organisations: 

  1. AONTAS (Lead Organisation)   

  2. Belmayne Community Group 

  3. Doras Buí 

  4. Welcome English Language Centre Project 

  5. Limerick Community Education Network 

  6. Dublin 8 Community Education Centre 

  7. Inishowen Development Partnership 

  8. South Westmeath Employment, Education & Training Services CLG 

  9. Roscommon Women's Network (RWN) 

  10. Longford Women's Link CLG 

  11. Cork City Partnership 

  12. Dublin Adult Learning Centre 

  13. Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed (INOU) 

  14. Women's Collective Ireland 

  15. The Matt Talbot Community Trust 

  16. BRILL Family Resource Centre 

  17. National Print Museum 

  18. An Cosan 

  19. Social and Health Education Project (SHEP) 

  20. Irish Wheelchair Association 

  21. Coolock Development Council.

  22. Exchange House Ireland National Travellers Service 

  23. Connections Arts Centre 

  24. Cranmore Community Co-operative Society Limited 

  25. The Rediscovery Centre 

  26. Alternatives to Violence Project Ireland 

  27. The Countrywomen's Trust CLG 

  28. Wexford Local Development 

  29. Dublinia 

  30. Dublin Northwest Partnership 

  31. Cherish Company Limited by Guarantee / One Family 

The Galway Community Leadership Network aims to promote learning and collaboration amongst not-for profit groups in Galway City and County through the sourcing of tailored, accessible and relevant training, not only to build skills but also to facilitate greater cross communication between organisations working in disparate sub-sectors that share common challenges e.g. lack of sufficient resources, over-subscription to services. The overall impact of the network will be the building of greater cohesion and effectiveness of the not-for-profit sector in Galway City and County. 

Network Organisations: 

  1. Galway Volunteer Centre (Lead Organisation)   

  2. Westside Resource Centre CLG 

  3. Galway City Community Network 

  4. Galway City Partnership 

  5. COPE Galway 

  6. Hand in Hand CLG 

  7. Link Galway 

  8. Umbrella Le Cheile 

  9. Galway Regional Youth Federation CLG trading as Youth Work Ireland Galway 

  10. Climate Action Westside 

  11. Westside Arts Festival 

  12. SCCUL Enterprises.

The Independent Youth Work Projects Dublin Collective is a collaborative training network bringing together independent youth work organisations to strengthen leadership, governance, strategic planning and organisational development. Through a blended programme of facilitated workshops, peer learning and shared practice, the network will build the capacity of member organisations to respond to emerging challenges while enhancing collaboration across the sector. By combining external expertise with the significant knowledge that already exists within the Collective, the programme will create a sustainable learning network that supports innovation, improves organisational resilience and ultimately strengthens outcomes for young people and communities across Dublin. 

Network Organisations: 

  1. Brú Youth Service (Lead Organisation)   

  2. Rialto Youth project - Rialto Development Association  

  3. Cabra for Youth CLG  

  4. Kilmore West Youth Project  

  5. Canal Communities Regional Youth Service- Bluebell Youth Project  

  6. Core Youth Project   

  7. Cherry Orchard Equine Centre  

  8. South West Inner City Network  

  9. Solas Project  

  10. Rutland Youth Service.

It is hoped that the Training Network led by IDEA will result in a competent network of ‘impact measurers’ that can share their skills with others in their organisations, in the Global Citizenship Education (GCE) sector and more broadly.  By the end of the training, participants will be able to:   

  • Understand impact measurement theory, components, and processes.   

  • Apply learning to master the Theory of Impact tool's interface and input data.    

  • Use the data visualisation outputs of the Tool to articulate GCE’s value in the policy, advocacy and promotion of their education programmes.  

Network Organisations:  

  1. DEA (Lead Organisation)   

  2. Tearfund 

  3. Development Perspectives 

  4. Financial Justice Ireland 

  5. Suas Educational Development T/A STAND 

  6. Comhlámh 

  7. ECO-UNESCO

  8. Trócaire 

  9. NYCI 

  10. Self-help Africa 

  11. Friends of the Earth Ireland 

  12. GOAL Global.

Our training plan supports a coordinated, trauma-informed and sustainable approach to keeping children SAFE and PROTECTED across Cork city and county. The plan begins with a county-wide launch and shared learning event to establish a common framework and language for responding to harm, followed by a series of targeted workshops addressing priority safeguarding themes, including consent, digital abuse, Childhood Domestic Violence, and teenage dating abuse. 

The training deepens into specialist and advanced areas, including intercultural dialogue and Non-Violent Resistance (NVR), reflecting the increasing complexity of practice contexts. The final phases prioritise practitioner sustainability and inclusion, with a focus on vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue and working with migrant communities. 

Network Organisations: 

  • Barnardos, Cork (Lead Organisation)   

  • Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (ISPCC) 

  • West Cork Women Against Violence (t/a West Cork Beacon) 

  • Cloyne Diocesan Youth Service 

  • Domestic Violence Information Resource Centre (Trading as OSS Cork) 

  • European Congregation of Christian Brothers (t/a Sundays Well Life Centre) 

  • Accompany Support Services for Children (ASSC) 

  • Nasc the Migrant and Refugee Rights Centre 

  • Midleton Community Forum (t/a Midelton Family Resource Centre) 

  • Cork Migrant Centre South Presentation Sisters CL Nano Nagle 

  • Le Cheile FRC 

  • Cork City Partnership.

Queer Sheds is a community-based skill sharing initiative aimed at creating a new type of an inclusive, non-judgmental, and safe environment where LGBTQ+ people can share skills, connect, engage, co-create and support each other. The Queer Sheds Training Network is a 20-month national training programme supporting organisers across ten Queer Sheds in Ireland. Developed through two years of co-design with the organising sheds, the network equips sheds with training tailored to their context. Through 20 monthly online workshops, a winter residential, and a structured peer mentoring strand, the programme builds skills in facilitation, governance, transformative conflict, fundraising, and project planning. 

Network Organisations: 

  • Common Knowledge Centre for Sustainable Living CLG (Lead Organisation)   

  • Queer Shed Clare  

  • Queer Shed Kilkenny   

  • Queer Shed Mayo   

  • Queer Shed Cork   

  • Queer Shed Sligo   

  • Queer Shed Galway City / Meitheal Aerach Chathair na Gaillimhe   

  • Queer Shed North Wicklow   

  • Queer Shed North Tipperary   

  • Queer Shed Kerry   

  • Queer Sheds Midlands.

Expression of Interest 

Any questions about the programme? Have a look at the Any questions about the programme? Have a look at the Training Links 2026-2028 Programme Overview. 

If you are interested in forming a Training Networking or have any questions about the programme feel free to get in touch with the Training Links Team on traininglinks@wheel.ie. 

2025 - 2026 
Programme

Learn More

2024 - 2026
Programme

Learn More


Case Studies

Learn more

Training Links
Videos

learn more

Department Logo
Gov of Ireland Image
TL26 logo