From Inclusion to Opportunity

Saturday, 10 October 2026 | 10:00–17:30

The Mill Enterprise Hub, Drogheda

Part of Louth Social Inclusion Wee

From Inclusion to Opportunity.

📅 Saturday, 10 October 2026

🕙 Registration from 10:00

📍 The Mill Enterprise Hub

Newtown Link Road, Drogheda, Co. Louth, A92 CD3D

Organised by New Life Integration & Wellbeing Network CLG as part of Louth Social Inclusion Week 2026.

📩 Questions or partnership enquiries:

info@newlifeintegration.ie

THE SOCIAL INCLUSION BUSINESS FORUM 2026

We do not want the Forum to finish with just “thank you and goodbye”.

We want every participant to think about one question:

WHAT IS YOUR NEXT STEP?

At the end of the Forum, participants who would like further contact and support will be able to choose one of three pathways:

I NEED SUPPORT

I HAVE A BUSINESS IDEA

I HAVE A SOCIAL ENTERPRISE IDEA

Participants can leave their contact details if they would like us to follow up with them after the Forum and help connect them with relevant opportunities and organisations.

Why attend?

Because sometimes the biggest barrier is not a lack of skills or ideas.

It is simply not knowing where to start or who to ask.

How can I turn my skills and experience into opportunities?

The second part moves from support systems to real people and real experience.

We will invite entrepreneurs with migrant and refugee backgrounds who have already started or developed businesses and professional projects in Ireland.

We want to hear the real story — not only the success.

Our speakers will explore:

How did I start?

What was my biggest barrier?

Who helped me?

What mistakes did I make?

What would I recommend to someone starting today?

We will also explore social entrepreneurship and how professional skills, volunteering, community involvement and leadership can become first steps towards creating your own project, career or social enterprise.

PROGRAMME:

10:00–11:00 — REGISTRATION & NETWORKING

Welcome, registration and an opportunity to meet other participants.

Come early, have a coffee and start making connections.

SUPPORT & CONNECTION 11:00–13:00 — BLOCK 1

From Inclusion to Opportunity

Meet the Experts 13:00–14:00 — LUNCH & CONNECTION

INSPIRATION & OPPORTUNITIES 14:00–17:00 — BLOCK 2

Who can help me and where do I start?

The first part of the Forum will introduce participants to organisations and services that support business development, social enterprise, employment and economic participation in Ireland.

Instead of complicated presentations, we will ask participating organisations to answer three practical questions:

What support do you offer?

Who can access it?

What should a migrant or refugee do to get started?

Our goal is simple: after this session, participants should have a much clearer understanding of where to go and who to contact for the support they need.

FROM IDEA TO ACTION17:00–17:30 — CLOSING

Lunch is also part of the networking experience.

Representatives of participating organisations will remain available, giving participants an opportunity to ask questions, introduce their ideas and make direct connections.

Saturday, 10 October 2026 | 10:00–17:30

The Mill Enterprise Hub, Drogheda

Part of Louth Social Inclusion Week

Many migrants and refugees living in Ireland already have valuable professional experience, education, practical skills, creativity and ideas.

But starting again in a new country can be difficult.

Where do I start?

Who can help me?

Can I turn my skills into a business?

What support is available?

What is a social enterprise?

How did other migrants build their businesses in Ireland?

The Social Inclusion Business Forum 2026 has been created to help answer these questions.

The Forum aims to make entrepreneurship and social enterprise more accessible, understandable and achievable for migrants, refugees and asylum seekers.

We want to connect people directly with organisations that can support them and with entrepreneurs who can share their real experience of starting and developing a business in Ireland.

This is not only a day of presentations. It is a space to ask questions, make connections, explore opportunities and decide what your next step could be.

Who is this Forum for?

The Forum is for migrants, refugees and asylum seekers who:

have a business or social enterprise idea;

would like to become self-employed;

want to understand how business works in Ireland;

already have a business and want to develop it;

have professional skills but are not sure how to use them in Ireland;

are interested in social enterprise or community initiatives;

are looking for support, mentoring, information or useful connections.

You do not need to already have a business or a completed business plan.

An idea, a skill or simply an interest in exploring your opportunities is enough.

Description supplied by the event organiser.