INOU

Name

INOU

Legal name

Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed

Website

https://inou.ie

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Non-profit Advocacy and Workforce Development Services

NAICS

Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAAAOAA

Public Workforce Development Programs (WIOA/One-Stop Career Centers)

Education/Adult & Continuing Education/Workforce Development Initiatives

SECONDARYBPAIAKAB

Unemployment Insurance & Employment Support Benefits

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Social Security, Benefits & Welfare Administration

SECONDARYBPAAAIAB

Benefits Administration & Enrollment Support

Business & Public Services/Administrative & Support Services (BPO, Call Centers, Back Office)/HR Operations Outsourcing (Onboarding, Benefits, HR Admin)

Keywords

• Welfare rights advocacy
• Unemployment support services
• QQI accredited training
• Community employment programmes
• Social welfare information

Headquarters

HQ city

Dublin

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: Annual affiliation fees from organisational members: €110 for most organisations, €330 for regional services such as Citizens Information Services and Money Advice and Budgeting Services. Individual membership for unemployed persons is free.
2. Training course fees: Fees charged for training programmes including Welfare Rights QQI (€550), Welfare to Work (€220-€264), Information Advice & Advocacy QQI (€550), Introduction to Social Welfare (€110-€132), and Bitesize Courses (€55-€70). Discounted rates for INOU member organisations.
3. Government funding: Core funding from SOLAS and the Department of Social Protection for publications like Working for Work. Additional funding support from Department of Rural and Community Development and Pobal through the Scheme to Support National Organisations for Discussion Forums. Building Futures and Shaping Futures programmes funded by City of Dublin Education and Training Board (CDETB).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

INOU is a national non-profit federation that delivers welfare rights information, advocacy, and QQI-accredited training programmes to unemployed people and the frontline workers who support them across Ireland. Its core outputs include the annual "Working for Work" handbook (32nd edition in 2026, distributed to up to 18,000 recipients), free confidential welfare rights helpline and information services, JobsWatch vacancy tracking, full-time Local Training Initiatives (Building Futures QQI Level 5 and Shaping Futures QQI Level 4), and paid short courses for information workers.

Product overview

INOU (Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed) is a non-profit advocacy organization offering a portfolio of information, training, and membership services for unemployed people and those working with them. The core offerings include: the 'Working for Work' publication (a comprehensive welfare rights handbook now in its 32nd edition); a free Welfare Rights Information Service providing confidential advice on social welfare entitlements; and the JobsWatch service tracking employment opportunities nationwide. INOU's training arm delivers QQI-accredited programmes including the Building Futures (Level 5 Community Development) and Shaping Futures (Level 4 Employment Skills) full-time programmes, plus professional development courses such as Welfare Rights QQI Level 6, Information Advice & Advocacy QQI Level 6, Welfare to Work, and Introduction to Social Welfare. Shorter Bitesize Training modules cover specific topics like Housing, Budget Updates, and Pensions. Membership services include an E-Bulletin newsletter, Regional Discussion Forums, and advocacy support including Social Welfare Appeals assistance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Working for Work publication Annual comprehensive handbook bringing together information on welfare rights, training, education, and job-seeking options for unemployed people; the only publication of its kind in Ireland.
• Welfare Rights Information Service Free, confidential and impartial telephone and email service providing advice and information on social welfare payments, back-to-work supports, and entitlements for unemployed individuals.
• JobsWatch Online job announcement tracking service listing employment opportunities across all Irish counties, filterable by date, county and job category.
• Building Futures Programme QQI Level 5 full-time accredited programme in Community Development delivered as a Local Training Initiative, including eight core modules, volunteer work and an eight-week work placement, designed for participants pursuing careers in community work.
• Shaping Futures Programme QQI Level 4 full-time accredited programme in Employment Skills delivered as a Local Training Initiative, including nine modules, volunteer work and an eight-week workplace internship, aimed at long-term unemployed participants progressing into employment or further education.
• Welfare Rights QQI Level 6 Training QQI Level 6 accredited online course for information workers supporting unemployed people, delivered via Zoom over two half-days per week for eight weeks; covers welfare system, housing, health services, tax and employment rights.
• Information, Advice and Advocacy QQI Level 6 Training QQI Level 6 online course delivered over eight weeks equipping learners with skills to operate as autonomous information and advocacy workers.
• Welfare to Work Training Online training programme delivered over four half-days designed for frontline staff assisting unemployed people to return to work; covers welfare payments when working, labour market integration programmes and taxation effects.
• Introduction to Social Welfare Training Two half-day online programme preparing information workers to assist people dealing with the Irish Social Welfare system; covers history, payments, appeals process and information provision skills.
• Bitesize Training Courses Series of two to two-and-a-half hour online training modules covering Housing and Social Welfare, Navigating the Social Welfare System, Migrant Supports, Budget Updates, and Pensions.
• Social Welfare Appeals Assistance Service helping people navigate the social welfare appeals process when claims are denied or disputed.
• Advocacy Services Advocacy support services for unemployed people to help them understand and access their rights and entitlements.
• INOU Membership Tiered membership programme offering free Individual Membership for unemployed persons, Solidarity Membership for employed/self-employed/retired supporters, and paid Organisation Membership for community organisations, NGOs, trade unions and statutory agencies.
• Regional Discussion Forums Six annual regional events (three in spring, three in autumn) bringing together staff from member organisations for INOU presentations on employment and unemployment topics and discussion.
• INOU E-Bulletin Free email newsletter issued every six to eight weeks highlighting INOU work, affiliate activities, policy developments and unemployment-related issues.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 18,000 copies of Working for Work distributed annually across the country
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, notable and minor.

• City of Dublin Education and Training Board (CDETB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDETB collaborates with INOU on the Building Futures (QQI Level 5 in Community Development) and Shaping Futures (QQI Level 4 in Employment Skills) programmes. Both programmes are delivered through the INOU Learning Hub with CDETB validation and quality assurance. CDETB provides funding and certification for these Local Training Initiatives.
• Sail Training IrelandnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerINOU has been collaborating with Sail Training Ireland since 2018 as a nominating organisation for the NEIC Sail Training Programme. INOU nominates trainees from their Building Futures Programme to participate in sail training voyages. The partnership received the Perpetual Asgard II Award in 2020 for outstanding contribution to sail training.
• Cross-Border Partnership for Employment ServicesnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerINOU partnered with Cross-Border Partnership for Employment Services for their Cross-Border Living and Working online events series, focusing on providing accurate information on cross-border working and employment issues.
• Belfast Unemployed Resource CentrenotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerINOU partnered with Belfast Unemployed Resource Centre for Cross-Border Living and Working events. The centre, run by Aisling Cartmill, provides important services to unemployed people in Northern Ireland.
• Advice NInotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerINOU partnered with Advice NI for Cross-Border Living and Working events. Advice NI provides advice services through a network of centres across Northern Ireland, with Kevin Higgins as Head of Policy presenting on emerging issues.
• North Connacht and Ulster MABSnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerINOU partnered with North Connacht and Ulster Money Advice and Budgeting Service for cross-border events focusing on Managing Debt. Karl Cronin, Regional Manager, presented on MABS services available through their network of Centres.
• North Connacht and Ulster Citizens Information ServicenotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerINOU partnered with North Connacht and Ulster Citizens Information Service for cross-border events. Sharon Dillon, Regional Manager, presented on the work and geographical reach of Citizen Information Centres in Ulster and North Connacht.
• Border People Project (Centre for Cross Border Studies)notableStrategic or Co-development PartnerINOU partnered with the Border People Project (Centre for Cross Border Studies) for cross-border events. Annmarie O'Kane, Manager, presented on cross-border concerns for workers living in one jurisdiction and working in the other.
• Community PlatformnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerINOU participates in the Community Platform, a network of thirty-two national organisations working to address poverty, social exclusion and inequality in Ireland.
• Community and Voluntary Pillar (CVP)notableStrategic or Co-development PartnerINOU participates in the Community and Voluntary Pillar (CVP), a network of seventeen organisations through which they engage in bilateral and thematic meetings with various Government Departments including Finance, Social Protection, and Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.
• National Economic and Social Council (NESC)notableStrategic or Co-development PartnerINOU is one of the three Community and Voluntary Pillar representatives on NESC, which meets quarterly and uses a Working Group approach to address issues such as Low Work Intensity Households and Welfare & Employment.
• Better Europe AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerINOU participates in the Better Europe Alliance, a network of national community and voluntary sector organisations, SIPTU and the Environmental Pillar, focusing on the European semester process and its implications for Ireland's policy making.
• Energy Poverty NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerINOU is part of the Energy Poverty Network, a coalition of 11 environmental, social justice, and voluntary organisations calling for targeted measures to provide immediate support and lasting relief for households facing energy poverty.
• Labour Market Advisory CouncilnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerINOU participates on the Labour Market Advisory Council which provides advice to the Minister and Government on efficient operation of the labour market, with focus on increasing participation rates, minimising unemployment levels, and reducing average unemployment durations. INOU has also participated on the LMAC's Evaluation Sub-group.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Focus Ireland: National homelessness and housing charity with welfare rights and advocacy services for people experiencing homelessness, many of whom overlap with INOU's unemployed cohort. Comparable as a frontline information and advocacy provider but with a housing-led mandate.
• Department of Social Protection (Intreo): State agency responsible for welfare payments and employment services in Ireland. Functions partly as funder and partly as comparator: Intreo offices are a primary distribution channel for INOU's Working for Work, but they also provide overlapping welfare rights information online.
• Society of Saint Vincent de Paul (SVP): Large Irish social support charity providing material and welfare assistance to people in need, including the unemployed. Operates from Ozanam House where INOU also has a CE participant; comparable in mission scope around social welfare navigation though broader in remit.

Others

• The Wheel: National representative body for community and voluntary organisations in Ireland. Relevant as an ecosystem peer supporting the same nonprofit advocacy sector, with shared funding mechanisms (SSNO, Pobal) and government interfaces as INOU.
• Community Platform: Coalition of 32 Irish national organisations addressing poverty and social exclusion. INOU is a member; comparable as a peer advocacy body engaging with Government on social welfare and activation policy through the Community and Voluntary Pillar.

Emerging players

• National Adult Literacy Agency (NALA): Irish NGO providing adult literacy and numeracy support, often overlapping with long-term unemployed cohorts. Comparable as a federally structured NGO delivering accredited training, advocacy and policy submissions on adult learning and social inclusion.
• Threshold: Irish national housing charity providing advice, advocacy and policy input on housing and tenancy rights. Comparable in operating model as an advice-and-advocacy NGO sitting between citizens and the State, though focused on housing rather than unemployment.

Direct peers

• Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS): State-funded money advice service for people in financial difficulty, including many on social welfare. Operates similar affiliate-style networks, charges no fees to individual clients, and is a distribution partner for INOU publications and events.
• Citizens Information Service (CIS): Ireland's statutory information provider on social welfare entitlements, public services and employment supports. Directly comparable as a frontline information and advisory service for unemployed people; INOU distributes Working for Work through CIS offices and they co-serve overlapping beneficiary cohorts.
• Belfast Unemployed Resource Centre: Northern Ireland counterpart delivering welfare rights information, training and advocacy to unemployed people. Direct cross-border peer that INOU partners with on Cross-Border Living and Working events; INOU's chairperson also represents this organisation.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/inouireland
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/inouireland
• Facebookfacebook.com/The-Irish-National-Organisation-of-the-Unemployed-197274531407
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/inou
• Instagraminstagram.com/inou_ireland

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about INOU