About us / FAQ

Leading the change from waste to resource through Reuse, Redesign, Research and Education

1. Prevent waste going to landfill
2. Provide employment and training
3. Inspire sustainable living

The original idea for the Rediscovery Centre came from the community consultation process for the regeneration in Ballymun. One of the key ideas arising from the consultation process was to develop a recycling centre in the area that could create jobs and training opportunities locally, for example by housing workshops that reused or recycled materials on site. From this idea the Rediscovery Centre concept was developed originally by Global Action Plan and Ballymun Regeneration Ltd.

In 2005 a dedicated manager and project officer were hired by Ballymun Regeneration Ltd to develop the Rediscovery Centre and a number of pilot projects were implemented to explore the potential of the original concept.

The Rediscovery Centre is funded by a number of sources. Ballymun Regeneration Ltd currently funds the Rediscovery Centre to provide a number of services in Ballymun including for example community training and organizing events. The Rediscovery Centre has also been supported over the last few years with funding and other supports from The Arthur Guinness Fund, FAS, Forfas, Social Entrepreneurs Ireland, the Vodafone Nature Fund and Local Agenda 21. We also raise income through the sales of Rediscovery Centre products and services.

There are currently twenty employees working at the Rediscovery Centre. This is a mix of full time staff, part time staff, community employment workers and TUS workers.

There are ten trainees at present who are seconded from a local Community Employment Scheme partner, Poppintree Environmental Project. We also currently have two trainees on the TUS programme.

Rediscover Fashion, Rediscover Furniture, Rediscover Paint and Recycabike are reuse projects where we take in items that would otherwise be sent to landfill or incinerated, and through the processes of reuse, redesign and restoration we remake these items into new high quality products.

Rediscover Waste and Rediscover Business are educational and business support projects.

Please see the individual project pages for more info.

The Ecostore is the Rediscovery Centre shop which is based in Ballymun (Click here for Google Map) and which sells all the Rediscovery Centre products.

The Rediscovery Centre provides training and education in a number of ways:

• We employ people who have been long term unemployed through Community Employment and offer the chance for people to re-skill and undertake personal development training.
  
  
• All our staff learn practical workplace skills in furniture restoration, upholstery, woodwork, fashion design, sewing skills, IT/Computer skills, reuse and recycling skills and more.
  
  
• We also run public courses and workshops for a variety of skill levels in furniture restoration and fashion skills.
  
  
• We run primary and secondary level educational workshops.
  
  
• We also work with Third level research institutions on research projects, and in providing internships and structured work placement.

From time to time we may have volunteering opportunities. We don’t have any volunteering opportunities just at the minute but if you are interested in volunteering with us please contact us at info@rediscoverycentre.ie or call into our workshops or Ecostore and have a chat.

All our vacancies are normally advertised through media advertising (e.g. Irish Times) and online advertising (e.g. Activelink). Also keep an eye on our blog on our home page for vacancies information.