SCOOP Foundation & Greyhound Recycling Launch Partnership

We’re thrilled to announce our new partnership with Ireland’s leading waste management provider, Greyhound Recycling. Through the delivery of our educational programmes and community support, the exciting partnership will build upon SCOOP’s mission of empowering marginalised people who primarily live in Direct Provision Centres and Displacement Camps, at home in Ireland and abroad. 

So far Greyhound’s support has enabled the continuation of  SCOOP Ed English and SCOOP Recruit, two initiatives providing displaced people with educational opportunities to support their personal, academic and professional development. Both were successfully delivered to individuals in Direct Provision Centres across Ireland with at least five more courses confirmed for 2023. 

The participants of SCOOP programmes come from an asylum seeker or refugee background who face many barriers, including accessing social services, education, the job market and integrating into society in their host countries. The isolated environment of Direct Provision Centres in Ireland and displacement camps around the globe has an extremely negative impact on individuals’ overall wellbeing and development.

SCOOP programmes include SCOOP Ed, our educational programme of English, IT, Music and Mindfulness (with Play Therapy in the works), SCOOP Art, SCOOP Recruit and SCOOP Kitchen. SCOOP Recruit is our most popular programme, offering pre-employment training for those living in Direct Provision through workshops in CV and cover letter writing, and interview skills. Recently, SCOOP Recruit participants attended a CV Clinic and recruitment workshop to finalise their education and integration journey to productive social inclusion. SCOOP sent 10 of their programme participants with 7 of the 10 gaining employment! 

Greyhound will support five phases of the SCOOP Recruit programme in 2023 which will have a huge impact on the lives of those participants.

Additional Support for SCOOP’s Ukraine Emergency Response Campaign

In response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, SCOOP’s Ukraine Emergency Fund was initiated in March 2022 with individual donors wanting to offer their support. SCOOP and Greyhound discussed how, together, they could make a big impact on the ground in Ukraine. 

Greyhound’s donations helped SCOOP to carry out an emergency supply drop of food and medical aid to Ukrainian families who were displaced as a result of attacks on Mariupol. This donation also funded 14 essential generators to families living in communities with no power. 

Greyhound Recycling’s Support for SCOOP Christmas Party

In December 2022, SCOOP hosted a Christmas party for all the participants of the programmes and their families. Fully funded by Greyhound, this was a generous gesture to share the magic of Christmas. It was a wonderful opportunity for people to get out of the centres and celebrate the holidays together. Santa brought presents for all the children. The food was provided by Our Table. 

Neill Ryan, CEO of Greyhound Recycling shares his thoughts on the partnership:

“Being generous is a value we hold dear at Greyhound Recycling. SCOOP is a charity we have admired for a long time. Their work in Ukraine as well as their support for people in direct provision in Ireland, has humbled us. 

SCOOP is already working with communities in our local area, Clondalkin, and giving back within our community is important for us. That is why this partnership works for us and we are proud to support them.”