Kare and Killashee Hotel Launch Inclusive Project Pathways Traineeship

Through Project Pathways, trainees rotate across key hotel departments, building skills, confidence and experience in a workplace setting.

The programme is part of Kare's 'Stepping Stones to Employment' project, which provides young adults who have intellectual disabilities with the skills to gain and maintain paid employment, through a mixture of immersed work placements and appropriate further education.

Killashee Hotel, part of FBD Hotels & Resorts, currently supports four participants on the programme. To support awareness and integration across the wider team, the hotel has installed signage in staff areas introducing the programme and its participants to colleagues.

Emmett, one of the Project Pathways participants, said: “I like working in Killashee because I am growing more independent each day and gaining knowledge for my future in employment.”

This traineeship is the latest development in an ongoing partnership between Kare and Killashee. Last year, the hotel provided the venue for the Beyond Barriers service user conference, demonstrating their commitment to supporting Kare’s mission.

Killashee Hotel General Manager, Ger Alley, said: “We are proud to partner with Kare on the Project Pathways initiative, which reflects our commitment to fostering an inclusive and supportive workplace. It has been incredibly rewarding to see participants grow in confidence and develop valuable skills across our teams. We believe programmes like this not only create meaningful opportunities for individuals, but also enrich our workplace culture.”

Kare CEO, Margaret O'Neill, said: "We're delighted to be partnering with Killashee Hotel and really value their commitment to creating an inclusive, supportive environment where people can learn and grow. Project Pathways demonstrates the power of good partnerships, giving these young adults the opportunity to build the skills they need to gain paid employment in the future, while bringing real benefits to the workplaces that they are part of."

Kare looks forward to building on this partnership and supporting more young adults to access meaningful, community-based work experience in the years ahead.

Stepping Stones to Employment is co-funded by the Government of Ireland, through the Department of Social Protection, and the European Union as part of the WorkAbility: Inclusive Pathways to Employment Programme.