About

Ireland · started 2026

Social Capital is a directory of working people who have agreed to answer questions from students and recent school leavers about their job, how they got it, and what they would do differently.

Why it exists

Some of the people I met in my first job already had everything planned out. They had laid out the groundwork, with law firm trainee contracts waiting for them; these sons and daughters of solicitors knew exactly what to do to get a traineeship at a big firm (and it probably helped that they knew a few people inside those firms too). I had supportive parents, but in this job market it isn't only about wanting it. It helps to know someone who'll give you that first chance. Social Capital is for people who don't have the same phonebook.

— Jack, founder, Social Capital

Careers advice is not really the scarce thing. What is scarce is knowing somebody. Which exams actually matter, whether a course is worth the points, who will read your CV, whether an apprenticeship pays — that information travels through families and contacts, and it reaches some students and not others.

None of that is about ability. It is about who happened to be at the table.

What we actually do

Three things, and deliberately not much more.

We explain the routes — apprenticeships, PLCs, the CAO, studying in Europe, and the grants nobody mentions. Public, no login, useful to anyone.
We give schools a directory — registered schools browse profiles of professionals who volunteered, and we arrange talks and introductions.
We stay useful after school — once a former student is over 18 they get their own account and can contact mentors directly, which is when an internship or a first job is actually at stake.

What we don't do

We don't let cost keep a school out. The first ten schools are founding schools and stay free permanently. After that it is €200 a year — and free to any school where the money is genuinely the obstacle. You only have to say so.
We don't hold data about children. Students browse through their school. Nobody under 18 has an account here.
We don't hand out mentors' personal details to students. Their private contact record is not readable by this website at all. Adults over 18 see only what a mentor chose to share.
We don't invent people. Every profile is somebody who said yes. If the directory looks short, it is short.

Where we are

Early. The routes-into-work guides are written and open to everyone. The mentor directory is being built by asking people, one at a time, and it will look thin before it looks useful. We would rather say that than pad it out.

We are in the process of incorporating as a Company Limited by Guarantee and applying for charitable status. Registered name, address and company number will appear here once that is complete, along with our directors and our child safeguarding statement.

Who is behind it

Founded by Jack, working in Dublin. Directors and advisers will be listed here as the company is formed.

If you have governance, education, youth work or child protection experience and this interests you, the board is being formed now — get in touch.

Getting involved

You have a job — put your name forward. An hour a term is genuinely enough.
You teach — register your school.
You run a company — list staff or fund a term of talks.
You left school and you are over 18 — get an account.

Contact

Schools, mentors and general enquiries: [email protected]
Companies and partnerships: [email protected]