This year’s local election saw not only a doubling of the number of migrant candidates running than in 2019, but now also double the amount of migrant candidates getting elected to city and county councils across the country, with 21 candidates of a migrant background elected.

National charity Ruhama supported 30 per cent more women impacted by prostitution and human trafficking for sexual exploitation last year than in the previous year and saw a 29 per cent increase in new victims of human trafficking for sexual exploitation.

Merchants Quay Ireland (MQI) has seen a further increase on the number of people accessing its homeless and addiction services, a trend that has continued for over a decade. 13,516 individuals sought support from the charity in 2023, compared to 12,764 the previous year.

Dublin Simon Community urges Government to prioritise homelessness on return to Dáil Éireann, amidst demand for services growing by 11% in 2023. Dublin Simon Community Annual Impact Report shows over 6,000 people supported by its services in 2023.

Equality proposals to combat poverty and end polarisation in communities enjoy public support and should be considered for Budget 2025, according to Community Foundation Ireland.

A community mental health nurse who overcame breast cancer returned from France at the weekend after completing a self-funded, 750 km charity cycle over six days from Paris to Nice.

CEANN Comhairle, Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaill & Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann, Senator Jerry Buttimer illuminated the Kildare Street façade of Leinster House on Monday, 9 September to mark World Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Awareness Day 2024.

This report, launched in July, offers an in-depth exploration of the Irish domestic adoption process over seven decades, capturing experiences from both voluntary and professional perspectives.

Material deprivation – the share of individuals in households unable to afford two or more items from a list of ten essentials – rose from 17.7% in 2022 to 20.1% in 2023 for those aged under 18. This means 230,000 children are currently estimated to experience material deprivation: an increase of almost 30,000 since 2022. The rise comes amidst a 3% real (inflation-adjusted) decline in the average disposable income of households with children.

Left To Their Own Devices is our new Annual Trends and Usage Report. It provides a detailed overview of data collected in the 2023-24 academic year from over 7,000 children (aged 8-14) across Ireland. It provides a valuable insight into how children spend their time online, levels of access, and children's experiences, both positive and negative.

Focus Ireland launched its Annual Report, showing a 12.5% rise in the number of people it supported in 2023 (18,000 people) compared to 2022 (16,000). The report also showed Focus Ireland helped 1,757 households to either keep their home (657 households) or support their exit from homelessness (1,100) households), an increase of nearly 10% on the previous year (1,598).

Parents have been urged to ensure that their children’s eyesight is classroom ready – as families gear up for the full return to school and homework this week. Optometrists have warned that poor eyesight can affect learning and lead to behavioural difficulties in the classroom.

The Volunteer Ireland Awards are the major annual initiative to celebrate volunteers in Ireland. The awards shine a light on the remarkable achievements of volunteers around the country by honouring them at a national level. Nominate a volunteer (or many!) today.

We are excited to announce that Stand Up Awareness Week 2024 will take place 4-8 November 2024. This is the 15th year of our annual anti-bullying campaign - a time for post-primary schools, youth services and Youthreach centres in Ireland to join us and take a stand against homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying.

Time to Talk: Tomorrow Starts Today is a campaign by Irish Hospice Foundation which aims to normalise conversations about dying and grieving. Death and grief affect us all. It’s important that we explore and think about our end-of-life wishes, and that we discuss them with our loved ones.

The Ombudsman for Children’s Office (OCO) commissioned Tomorrow Starts with Us, a survey carried out with Amárach Research to mark the OCO’s 20th Anniversary. The cost of living, mental health services and future housing needs are the top three concerns for over 1,000 secondary school students who took part in the survey.

The latest snapshot of senior recruitment activity in the Irish nonprofit sector shows a notable increase in the number of senior management opportunities being advertised. There was a total of 284 senior level roles identified by 2into3’s analysis of the market in Q2 2024, which is an increase of approximately 30% from 219 roles in Q2 2023.