Training Links Programme
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:
Change Clothes CLG (Lead Organisation)
Artane Coolock Family Resource Centre
Latina Women Against Violence
Swords Tidy Towns
Connecting Cabra
Walkinstown Sister Shed
Women’s Collective Ireland – Wexford
Phibsboro Village Tidy Towns
Circular Stoneybatter / Cosybatter SEC
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:
- Phase Innovate CLG (Lead Organisation)
- Balbriggan Women’s Development Group
- HANDS 4 UNITY
- African Parent's Network
- Fingal Africa
- Women Intercultural Network WIN InSpo.
- THE UNFORGETTABLE WOMENS NETWORK
- Threads of Culture
- Migrant Integration and Social Inclusion Platform
- Cairde
- Sierra Leone Ireland Partnership
- 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:
Community Therapy Ireland (Lead Organisation)
Southwest Counselling Centre
St. Brigid’s Family and Community Centre
Limerick Social Service Center Ltd
Curragh Family Resource Centre
Fatima Family Resource Centre (FGU)
Baldoyle Family Resource Service CLG
Croom Family Resource Centre CLG
Northside Counselling Service
Tallaght Counselling & Therapy Centre t/a Village Counselling Service
Genesis Psychotherapy & Family Therapy Service
Curam Clainne Ltd t/a The Family Centre
The Beacon of Light Counselling Centre
Ballincollig Family Resource Centre
Kerry Adolescent Counselling Service
Cork Counselling Services
Knock Counselling Centre
Fingal Counselling Service
Boyle Family Resource Centre
Vita House Family Centre
TARGET CLG
Teach Oscail Counselling and Therapy Centre
Dún Dealgan FRC, Community Therapy
Limerick Youth Service
Knockanrawley Resource Centre
Pro-Consult
Traveller Counselling Service
An Cosán
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:
AONTAS (Lead Organisation)
Belmayne Community Group
Doras Buí
Welcome English Language Centre Project
Limerick Community Education Network
Dublin 8 Community Education Centre
Inishowen Development Partnership
South Westmeath Employment, Education & Training Services CLG
Roscommon Women's Network (RWN)
Longford Women's Link CLG
Cork City Partnership
Dublin Adult Learning Centre
Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed (INOU)
Women's Collective Ireland
The Matt Talbot Community Trust
BRILL Family Resource Centre
National Print Museum
An Cosan
Social and Health Education Project (SHEP)
Irish Wheelchair Association
Coolock Development Council.
Exchange House Ireland National Travellers Service
Connections Arts Centre
Cranmore Community Co-operative Society Limited
The Rediscovery Centre
Alternatives to Violence Project Ireland
The Countrywomen's Trust CLG
Wexford Local Development
Dublinia
Dublin Northwest Partnership
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:
Galway Volunteer Centre (Lead Organisation)
Westside Resource Centre CLG
Galway City Community Network
Galway City Partnership
COPE Galway
Hand in Hand CLG
Link Galway
Umbrella Le Cheile
Galway Regional Youth Federation CLG trading as Youth Work Ireland Galway
Climate Action Westside
Westside Arts Festival
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:
Brú Youth Service (Lead Organisation)
Rialto Youth project - Rialto Development Association
Cabra for Youth CLG
Kilmore West Youth Project
Canal Communities Regional Youth Service- Bluebell Youth Project
Core Youth Project
Cherry Orchard Equine Centre
South West Inner City Network
Solas Project
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:
DEA (Lead Organisation)
Tearfund
Development Perspectives
Financial Justice Ireland
Suas Educational Development T/A STAND
Comhlámh
ECO-UNESCO
Trócaire
NYCI
Self-help Africa
Friends of the Earth Ireland
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
2024 - 2026
Programme
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