Who Are We?

Children’s Hope (CHY 15032) is a registered charity founded by Alison McNamara in 1999, born from the need to develop technology to assist children who are blind or visually impaired avail of the Internet. From this need came www.fun4allkids.com a website which was the first of its kind and endorsed by the World Blind Union. Children’s Hope was honoured that same year to be endorsed by Mrs Eunice Kennedy Shriver.

During the promotion of the fun4allkids website we were asked if we could assist in providing a project that would benefit children in an after school setting. For the last six years Children’s Hope developed education based projects that allowed children of all abilities learn through fun. The huge variety of subjects that we have introduced to children has allowed children discover their talent giving them confidence, experience and new skills, which they now carry into other areas of their lives. Our projects have allowed older children to realise their potential and have encouraged them to stay in school or pursue forms of education outside formal schooling.

Children’s Hope runs along the school term and we work directly with Community Groups, Youth Services & Schools to deliver the projects to children. We have developed excellent working relationships with many agencies and organizations that help us bring projects to the schools & after school groups in disadvantaged areas.

We began with one after school group and we are now lucky enough to have rolled out our projects and are currently working with 14 different Communities & Schools in the Dublin Area. Our groups have had great success in many areas including winning in the primary section of the BT Young Scientist of the year 2008.

Children’s Hope has built a reputation of introducing innovative projects not provided by government or private sector. Our development and approach is well researched and using the knowledge, experience and expertise of our Board, Patrons, Youth Development Officers, Agencies and Organisations we are continuously evaluating, learning and introducing projects that are of benefit to the children.

Children’s Hope (CHY 15032) to date has worked with small grants and volunteers and we are at the stage where we have requests to bring our projects into new areas and new schools. Our success rate is such that we often fill the gap that mainstream school leaves and it is for this reason that we have been asked to expand our projects to allow more participate.

Since its foundation Children’s Hope has assisted nearly 26,000 children in 19 countries.

We have worked with the Ambassadors and High Commissioners in the Embassies of Canada, Grenada, Kenya, Uganda, Denmark and India. Visit them on our multimedia gallery at our D Village Project (An Enterprise Project for Teens)

We have and continue to work with up to 150 organisations locally, nationally and internationally including United Nations (UNESCO), Prince’s Trust, European Science Foundation, World Blind Union, Foras na Gaeilge, Science to Life, Birdwatch, RNLI, OPW, Library Services and others.

We provide projects for children from the age of 7 years to 18 years old. During their time with us the children have developed new skills & confidence that has allowed them excel in school, instilled belief in them that has encouraged them to finish their education and continue onto college. To hear some stories please visit our multimedia Gallery.

Our projects include Science & Engineering, Irish, History & Heritage, Media & Technology, and Business & Enterprise. We deliver these projects through the Schools, Youth & Community Leaders and Outreach Agencies. We follow the school year which is from September to June during which time we provide the weekly practical workshops, day trips and guest speakers.

Children’s Hope always delivers the projects in partnership with professionals and organisations best recognised for their expertise in each field. As a result of this successful delivery we are constantly called upon by schools & groups to develop and provide projects in subjects and in areas that they are so badly needed.