NOW Group, the all-Ireland based social enterprise supporting people with intellectual disabilities and Autism into jobs with a future, welcomed Lord Mayor of Dublin, Daithí de Róiste, to its base at Loaf Café, Kilmainham yesterday.
During the visit, Lord Mayor, Daithí de Róiste, received an update from NOW Group’s senior leadership team on the range of services they provide, and met with Amy Dowley and Giuditta Muffolini, local programme participants who are completing their placements at Loaf Café.
Speaking at the event, Lord Mayor Daithí de Róiste said: “I have heard great things about NOW Group and their fantastic JAM Card, so it was a pleasure to be able to visit their vibrant Café in Kilmainham and learn more about their training and employment services. I’m really impressed by the work they do and by the organisation’s ambitious plans to transform the lives of many people living with Autism and intellectual disabilities in Dublin and across Ireland.
“I am committed to making Dublin the world’s first Autism friendly city and organisations like NOW Group will be instrumental in helping us to achieve that goal. I look forward to working with the team in the near future and meeting more inspirational people like Amy and Giuditta.”
NOW Group works alongside participants and local businesses to establish employment academies which offer training and support to those with Autism and other intellectual disabilities. The employment academies cover a plethora of sectors including hospitality, retail business, hairdressing, catering and ICT to name a few. The organisation is currently delivering digital and catering employment academies in Dublin and has plans to increase this to 25 employment academies within the next five years, aiming to enhance skills for over 1,000 participants.
Maeve Monaghan, NOW Group CEO welcomed the Lord Mayor to Loaf Café and detailed their ambitions for the future in Dublin. She added “It was a privilege to host Lord Mayor, Daithí de Róiste, today and show the impact our services and training academies can have for people with intellectual disabilities, Autism and neurodiverse conditions. At NOW Group, we believe that everyone, regardless of their condition, deserves to have sustainable employment opportunities and with the right support and guidance, that’s exactly what we aim to achieve.
“We’re striving to build on the successful foundations we have here in Kilmainham and soon hope to open another site, as well as a new headquarters in the city. It’s an exciting time to join NOW Group, and I would encourage anyone who thinks they may benefit from our services or who want to join our movement, to get in touch.”
For more information on the work of NOW Group visit: www.nowgroup.org or follow us on all social media platforms.