BNest incubator six month peer programme helps Live out Loud to grow

Live Out Loud pictured at the BNest Social Enterprise Incubator Showcase 2018 – 2019 at Nexus Innovation Centre, UL. Picture: Conor Owens/ilovelimerick.

BNest incubator six month peer programme helps Live out Loud to grow

Live Out Loud, founded by Susan Kaup and Elsabé De Villiers provides services to surrounding areas and throughout Ireland while raising awareness of intellectual disability, providing education, training and consultation. They provide support and intervention for children, teenagers and young adults living with mild to moderate intellectual disability and their families.

Elsabé De Villiers (left) and Susan Kaup (right) pictured at the BNest Social Enterprise Incubator Showcase 2018 – 2019 at Nexus Innovation Centre, UL. Picture: Orla McLaughlin/ilovelimerick.

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Live Out Loud recently took part in the BNest incubator programme, the first dedicated Social Enterprise Incubator Programme in Ireland, which caters to all types of organisations from non-profits to community enterprises to businesses with a social conscience. BNest offers a six-month peer programme at no cost to participating organisations and is dedicated to helping businesses that want to make a social impact.

BNest provided Live out Loud with sufficient support, knowledge, and care and they continued supporting them after the programme was completed.

Live Out Loud’s support and intervention services are built on the team’s in-depth understanding of and significant experience in the world of intellectual disabilities. The strength-based, person-centred and holistic approach, aligned to the individual’s abilities, strengths, interests, talents, gifts, and needs, allows young people to feel accepted, included and to live out loud wherever they find themselves.

The Live Out Loud team consists of professional consultants, such as speech and language therapists, social workers, child-care specialists and psychologists who listen, work from their hearts and know what makes for good support. They share eleven years of working together within a team format.

Parents whose children (aged 8+) are living with an intellectual disability connect with Live Out Loud to journey through the various stages of the young person’s life via a person-centered, holistic and strength-based approach to support and intervention.

Elsabé De Villiers said, “Throughout Ireland, there is a significant lack of services for children, teens and young adults living with an intellectual disability in the age bracket 8 – 25+ as well as support for these families. Service provision, mainly provided and well-resourced during the early years in a one to one therapy format, tends to decrease as children grow older and their natural rate of development slows. With the lack of services, parents often feel overwhelmed, isolated, and frustrated.”

By tapping into the abilities, strengths, interests, talents, and gifts of children, teens and young adults, Live Out Loud designs tailor-made customised programmes and workshops. A suite of programmes is offered to develop and enhance social, communication, and community skills while facilitating understanding of relationships and sexuality, independence, confidence, and esteem.

Pictured at the BNest Social Enterprise Incubator Showcase 2018 – 2019 at Nexus Innovation Centre, UL. Picture: Orla McLaughlin/ilovelimerick.

Live Out Loud creates a space for parents and carers to feel understood, supported, and enriched by gathering together through walking groups and various nurturing parent activities. The impact of Live Out Loud’s work is evident for children, teens, young adults, and their parents or carers.

Live Out Loud were able to develop their organisation with the help of BNest, the first dedicated Social Enterprise Incubator Programme in Ireland.

Susan Kaup spoke about how taking part in the BNest incubator helped their organisation, “BNest is a blessing to us and came into our lives at a pre-destined time. BNest met us where we were at, allowed us to grow at our own pace and on our own terms. The most refreshing aspect of BNest is the authentic, concise, multi-sensory and simplistic way of teaching business concepts. We were able to connect with Eamon, Kasia and Pauline in an authentic, open and honest manner and are very grateful for all they have taught us about social enterprise.”

Elsabé De Villiers added, “Our ultimate goal with Live Out Loud is for young people to experience love, acceptance, inclusion, success, and independence. We want them to grow in happiness and confidence; to take risks and experience success in all life settings. We want all families to experience an enhanced level of wellness, enhanced relationships, acceptance, and inclusion.”

                                                     For more information about BNest go here
                                                 For more information about Live Out Loud visit
                                                             For more stories on BNest go here