In this fast-paced world full of cares, Gill always takes a moment to work with a sense of joy. You walk into the lab and she is nearly always beaming while filling our castile soap bottles.
It's true - you could go to your local supermarket and buy cheap hand wash, but that's not supporting anybody. We also know that the people behind these products are not likely to be in conditions that would make anyone smile.
This world is a better place when we choose to support ethical causes - the support of everyone here has allowed Gill to work with us.
Thank you all for making that choice!
#InclusiveEmployment #socialenterprise #shoplocal #handmade #visionimpaired #pobal #ethicallymade
What is braille, and how do we use it in our business?
Put simply, braille is a tactile form of written language that people can read with their fingertips. It is composed of small raised dots that are embossed into the paper from below, in this case by the use of a brailler.
Here, Noel is typing out prices which will be cut out and attached to price tags for our handmade mohair scarves. One side of the tag will be written, and the other side will be brailled.
Interesting and practical!
Video Description: a pair of hands using a brailler to type and read, filmed from above.
Here's a little product upgrade for the new year.
Our castile soaps are now available in beautiful (reuseable, recyclable...) glass jars. At no extra cost.
We've changed things up so that our products can be easily refilled and re-loved over and over. It's better for the planet and encourages sustainability at home.
As per usual, they're handmade by people affected by sight loss and blindness and we only use natural carrier and essential oils - the good stuff!
Summer is here and so is our cosmetics workshop series.
Join us on Friday the 29th of May or Saturday the 6th of June for fun and practical hand cream making workshops.
Each session will be an informative mix of scent blending and formulation, and you'll leave with your own natural hand cream with a scent of your choosing.
Love the idea but not free on these days? We've got you covered - fill out our form and we'll be in touch as we release more dates.
Links to the form and more information can be found on our website and on our story.
#workshops #whatsonindublin #socialenterprise #visionimpaired #pobal
As a social enterprise with a focus on sustainability, we actively try to avoid plastics.
Using glass and aluminium containers which can easily be refilled, we're dabbling in selling in larger quantities of our products that make the best use of the materials we have. It's also an affordable solution for our customers in what can be expensive times!
We are now reusing some of our deionised water containers for building up our stock, but we have more than we need - would anyone in our community have a good use for them?
They are 25l, perfectly clean and we have six of them that are looking for homes. We will hang onto them until they are claimed with purpose.
Alternatively, if you know someone who would like to buy 25l of soap at a time, put us in touch!
#sustainability #community #socialenterprise #visionimpairment #pobal
Meet hark.
One of our newer retailers, @harkhomegoods is a beautiful, curated shop in Dalkey where you walk in the door and just know that every product was properly considered.
You'll find all sorts of elegant yet simple products - glassware and ceramics, wooden kitchen implements, enamelware and stationary to name a few.
If you're interested in what we do and like to see people with disabilities in the workforce - support our retailers! Follow their pages or have a mooch in their shops. Consider them for gifts.
It's a lovely thing to be able to support each other.
#shoplocal #madelocal #socialenterprise #pobal #inclusiveemployment
Well! Here's an update on our bubble wrap's new home...
Peter from @greenbubble.ie collects all sorts of perfectly good packaging, engages with a local community employment recycling centre to sort it then sells it to conscious customers at a fraction of the price they would have to pay for it new.
These things are only "waste" if we choose for them to be. To the many fantastic people who reached out about our last post - check out Peter's website. You'll be doing good for the environment and for the people sorting it.
So nice to meet you Peter! Looking forward to linking in about our next batch of recycled goods.
#socialenterprise #reducereuserecycle #greenbubble #pobal #movingkits
🌿 Help us out! 🌿
Does anyone know any small businesses, schools or house movers who might find use for this packaging?
As a small business focused on doing good for people and the environment, we 🚫 NEVER 🚫 buy in plastic bags, bubble wrap, filler etc. Unfortunately it can be sent to us when we order in bulky goods. We reuse it as much as we can but we need to clear out.
As you'll see, we also have 378 (!!!) plastic bottles that were mistakenly sent to us when we ordered in aluminium ones, and they couldn't be returned.
Drop us a message if you'd like to take parts or all! We can definitely find people in our community who will reuse for a better planet 🌍 Thanks!
#smallbusiness #socialenterprise #reducereuserecycle #pobal #visionimpairment
As a proud inclusive employer of neurodivergent staff, we believe in creating a space where everyone thrives.
On International Autism Awareness Day, we would like to highlight three ways we can all exercise acceptance and inclusivity:
1️⃣ Clear Communication – It’s more than just the words we use, it means listening actively to our team, using understandable language and being open to different ways of expressing thoughts and feelings. Clear communication helps break down barriers, reduces misunderstandings, and ensures that everyone's needs and perspectives are met on the team.
2️⃣Patience – True patience means giving people the time and space they need to express themselves and engage at their own pace. It's about understanding that everyone learns at a different rate, and showing kindness and support throughout the journey which helps build trust and confidence.
3️⃣ Supporting those who support others - when you support social enterprises like ours, you are doing a lot more than simply buying a product. You are helping create meaningful opportunities and resources that empower visually impaired neurodivergent people in your local community and promote a more inclusive society.
Together, we can make a lasting impact.
#AutismAwareness #InclusiveFuture #SocialImpact #inclusiveemployment #socialenterprise #pobal #madelocal
Had a wonderful visit to Child Vision!☺️ A special place where care, education and community come together. It’s a vital service for so many children and families, and it must be fully accessible to everyone who needs it. There’s a real sense of warmth and possibility here, from the classrooms to the outdoor spaces.
Spaces like this need continued support and proper funding so they can keep doing what they do best 🙌🏼
Brighter days feel like they might finally be here. Having natural soaps in your home is a small but beautiful way to feel connected to the changing of the seasons - bright florals for spring, citruses for summer and darker cedars for the autumn.
We're experimenting with stamping our soap bars - Robbie from TU Dublin Tallaght helped some of his students design stamps that are easy for our low vision staff to use. Such a lovely thing to do!
It would be a really nice design touch to have readable braille printed on our bars. Something to think about for the summer. Watch this space...
#socialenterprise #madelocal #dcci #pobal #visionimpaired
Amanda, Sophie, Jasmine, Orlaith and Gill.
At CanDo, we proudly have a female-majority team who have dedicated their work to disability advocacy and inclusion. It may be International Women's Day today, but for us the promotion of equality for all is every day of the year.
If you'd like to support our work, consider our products for ethical gifting, social procurement or just your next bar of soap.
#SocialEnterprise #InternationalWomensDay #Equality #InclusiveEmployment #Pobal
