Applications for the TikTok Digital Future Fund are open until Friday 22 September. Organisations supporting young people’s skills development are invited to apply.
Non-profit organisation Rethink Ireland has paired up with TikTok to create a new fund to support organisations that equip young people with digital skills. The fund will be added to some of Rethink Ireland’s existing efforts to support non-profits around the country.
The new TikTok Digital Future Fund is being administered by Rethink Ireland. The group is to receive a €750,000 donation from the Chinese video-sharing giant which will be followed by a further €250,000 in TikTok advertising support. Non-profit organisations in Ireland that provide training and support for young people aged between 15 and 24 to develop their digital skills are being invited to apply for grants. The closing date for applications is 22 September at 1pm. Application forms can be found on Rethink Ireland’s website.
In particular, there will be an emphasis on organisations supporting marginalised young people to help them prepare for employment and build confidence. “At TikTok we are committed to supporting projects that offer inclusive economic opportunities for all. We are extremely proud that the Digital Future Fund will work to enhance the lives of young people in Ireland who are unemployed, underemployed or wish to upskill,” said Cormac Keenan, head of trust and safety at TikTok.
Áine Kerr, chair of Rethink Ireland, said the group was delighted to partner with TikTok. “COVID-19 amplified our country’s existing digital divide, highlighting an urgent need for investment into education which is critical to creating equal opportunities for young people in Ireland, regardless of their background,” she said, adding that she hoped the fund would help to close this digital divide.
To date, Rethink Ireland has invested €34.2m in education as part of its wider efforts to invest in groups attempting to solve a variety of societal challenges in Ireland. In 2021, its education fund provided a grant of €450,000 to a project by Maynooth University and Microsoft Education Ireland that worked to improve the digital skills of school children.
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