The 2023 Working Holiday campaign launched in gteic@ CarraigAirt, by Donegal County Council in collaboration with the wide network of world-class digital remote working hubs located across the county and Healthy Ireland.
This campaign will run until the end of October and will aim to provide opportunities for people to enjoy everything that Donegal has to offer, spend more time with family and friends whilst also availing of the chance to experience the dynamic and inclusive communities within the digital hubs in Donegal without compromising their time or their work.
Along with a FREE day pass to work in a participating hub, participants will also have the opportunity to engage with Healthy Irelands ‘Civic Dollars’ initiative which aims to improve the mental and physical health of participants, assist them in integrating with their communities and supporting local business.
In total, there are 12 digital hubs across the county who are participating in the campaign covering all corners of the county, from Carndonagh and Buncrana in the North East, to Bundoran in the South West and every region in between.
Speaking at the launch of the campaign at gteic @ CarraigAirt, Cathaoirleach of the Letterkenny-Milford Municipal District Cllr. Dónal Kelly explained the importance of remote working to Donegal, “as remote working surged in popularity, Donegal became a pioneer in this field. We’ve transformed the landscape to meet the needs of remote workers and employers. Donegal has an expanding network of innovation and digital co-working hubs across the county. Donegal is also one of the only counties in Ireland whose extensive hub network consistently collaborates and shares knowledge to ensure that Donegal as a region is successful. This culture of working together along with the superb quality of life offering means that Donegal is well placed to attract and retain talent in the region.”
Garry Martin, Director of Economic Development with Donegal County Council detailed the success of the previous campaign and the impact on it had for hubs and communities across the county for attracting talent, “the Working Holiday campaign was a key element of promoting the unique and world-class offering that Donegal has to offer to a global audience as an ideal location for remote workers. The success of the 2022 campaign is a strong testament to this as well as the extensive work done across the county by development partners to facilitate the infrastructure which enables high speed connectivity to every community in the county.”
Anne Marie Conlon, Head of Economic Development in Donegal County Council detailed the focuses for the campaign in relation to remote workers “alongside our Diaspora, this campaign aims to attract and encourage digital nomads to experience working from and holidaying in Donegal. Today’s tourist can be become tomorrow’s worker and a future investor.”
Margaret Fitzgerald, Healthy Ireland Coordinator for Donegal County Council detailed the ‘Civic Dollars’ initiative which launched in May, 2023 and will run to November 2023, “a healthy population is essential to allow people to live their lives to their full potential, to create the right environment to sustain jobs and to look after the most vulnerable people in society. The Civic Dollars initiative aims to provide people with an incentive and support to improve their mental health, increase their physical activity levels, and encourage engagement with local community groups and support for the local business community.”
The Donegal Working Holiday Campaign is also supported through remote working advocates including Donegal Digital, Údarás na Gaeltachta, Connected Hubs, Western Development Commission and Grow Remote. Follow the campaign on social media by using the hashtags #WorkHolDL & #SaoireOibreDNG.
Source: Donegal County Council
