
Hello, my name is Pierce Dargan and I am a social entrepreneur from Ireland. I have worked on a number of projects that I am passionate about. I am from a country background having grown up on a horse farm so improving equine welfare was something very important to me. Also having gone to college in Dublin while it was, and still is, in the middle of a homelessness crisis I thought I needed to do something to help in anyway I could. For my projects I was recently named in Ireland’s Top 30 under 30 business people.
I am the founder and CEO of Equine MediRecord, the first and only platform to promote and allow horse owners and trainers to comply with horse welfare and anti-doping regulations in the equine industry. We currently have been approved by government agencies to replace the paper system, which is easy to manipulate and forge, in Ireland, UK and France and are currently launching into the US. We have been endorsed by organisations such as the Arabian Racing Organisation, Irish Trainers Association and Irish Thoroughbred Breeders Association. Our company was recently endorsed by Champion British Arabian Trainer, James Owen and we did a video about this in partnership with Dubai Racing Tv that you can see below.
I am also the co-founder and non-executive Chairman of the non-profit Secret Street Tours, a non-profit Dublin walking tour company, where tours are run by people who have been effected by homelessness. Our aim is to show Dublin through the eyes and experiences of someone who has been affected by homelessness, while our goal is to empower our guides with skills and confidence to take the next step toward independent living.
As you can imagine, COVID-19 has been a big challenge for the vulnerable people living in Dublin’s Homeless Community. RTE’s article about Secret Street Tours moving its tours online has given us a massive boost in recent days. You can see the video that appeared in the news in Ireland about our Social Enterprise below. It would be great to connect with people to help me with both my enterprises as we look to make an impact outside of the British and Irish Isles :)
It is interesting, how you decided to work with them? Is there any special story behind this enterprise?
I am working with homeless people, I love so much this scene.
Welcome @Pierce Dargan to the forum. I enjoyed a lot watching these two videos. Specially the second one about empowering homeless people was very inspiring. You are doing a great job.Wish you good luck ! :)
Hi Pierce, Welcome to the forum! Your non-profit Secret Street Tours blows my mind. Awareness, new skills, empowerment, confidence, it doesn’t get better. What kind of outreach/follow up is conducted after the tour? Do you partner with halfway homes who are transitioning people into permanent living? Equine MediRecord-excellent Looking forward to seeing its continued development.
Welcome to the Forum Pierce. :) Both initiative sounds very interesting. Years ago my students in Budapest established an award winning company called Beyond Budapest with a similar concept: https://beyondbudapest.hu/ They sold the company but it seems the new owners are still running it. They had very interesting tours with a lot of social elements.
Hello Pierce and welcome! :)