Minister Joe O’Brien hosts National Showcase event for targeted community work

• Over 100 delegates attended the event in Athlone.
• Showcase focussed on programmes that support marginalised communities.
• Delegates presented on the great work that is being accomplished on the ground in communities across the country.

Minister of State for Community Development, Integration and Charities, Joe O’Brien, TD, today (Monday 23rd September, 2024) hosted the joint showcase of the Community Development Programme (CDP) and the Empowering Community Programme (ECP) in Athlone.

Project workers, Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs) and Local Development Companies (LDCs) from across Ireland gathered to showcase the great work they are doing.

The purpose of the event was to provide opportunities for project workers, LCDCs and LDCs to showcase the fantastic and invaluable work that is being undertaken through both the ECP and the CDP and focus attention on how these programmes support marginalised communities.

The event provided an opportunity to highlight the importance of sharing ideas and working together to find solutions that address social exclusion and poverty. This event also promoted networking, knowledge sharing, understanding and appreciation of the variety of community based initiatives being delivered.

Speaking in the Shamrock Lodge Hotel in Athlone, Minister O’Brien said:

Empowering Communities Programme (ECP)

• The Empowering Communities Programme (ECP) aims to enhance community access to key services, and empower local communities to craft their own response to area based poverty, social exclusion and the resulting consequences, with the support of the relevant Local Community Development Committee (LCDC).
• The ECP was launched by Minister O’Brien in June 2022, the programme commenced work in earnest in 2023. A budget of €2 million was approved for funding the 14 small areas.
• The programme focused on 14 small areas experiencing significant disadvantage, identified using the Pobal HP deprivation index and with regard to geographic spread.
• The ECP targets area-based deprivation through a community development approach.
• The ECP aims to empower local communities to craft their own response to area based poverty, social exclusion and the resulting consequences, with the support of the relevant Local Community Development Committee (LCDC).
• The ECP takes a community development approach towards tackling area-based disadvantage in small geographic areas, building on the learning from other programmes such as RAPID and DNEIC, while prioritising the use of existing resources.
• The ECP initially focussed on 14 small areas identified using the Pobal HP deprivation index, which are experiencing significant disadvantage. The areas selected provided a broad geographic spread and the ECP will focus on these small areas as the target population for the intervention.
• In 2023, additional funding of €150,000 was approved for the expansion of the programme to the Cherry Orchard area.
• In 2024, 2 additional areas were approved for the expansion of the programme to Tallaght/Jobstown and Castlereagh, Roscommon.

The 17 ECP small areas is delivered within the following Local Authorities areas:

• Dublin City (5 areas)
• South Dublin (2 areas)
• Limerick City and County
• Westmeath
• Kildare
• Longford
• Galway County
• Cork City
• Mayo
• Roscommon
• Wexford
• Donegal

Community Development Programme (CDP)

The (CDP aims to trial community led interventions that address poverty, social exclusion and inequality and promote human rights.

The programme was launched on 4th March 2021 and seven projects were successful and it is expected that the programme will continue for three years.

The seven original projects are:

• Clare Traveller CDP
• Cultúr Migrant CDP
• Donegal Intercultural Platform
• Independent Living Movement Ireland (ILMI) (VOICE)
• Inner City Organisations Network (ICON)
• Kilkenny Community Traveller Movement (KTCM)
• Longford Roma and New Communities CDP

In 2023, additional funding was made available and the programme was expanded to include three new projects. These projects are detailed below:

Amal Women Ireland (Muslim theme) Dublin:

Amal are a not-for-profit organisation operating in the community and voluntary sector to provide culturally specific services for women and children from Muslim and non-Muslim backgrounds in Ireland. Where all women, particularly Muslim women can access the services they need and fully participate in society free from the threat of violence, from poverty, racism, discrimination and stigma.

AMACH! LGBT+ Galway:

AMACH! aims to reflect equally the diversity within the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community by encouraging positive participation from the community. They actively advocate to achieve a solid and safe support structure for the LGBT+ community in Galway. They also aim to provide awareness, educational and training events and workshops, and endeavour to support and promote a socially inclusive society.

Limerick Traveller Network (LTN):

Limerick Traveller Network is an emerging Traveller group, which addresses a clear need. Exchange House Ireland (EHI), which is a national organisation, will act as a host for this project.

Limerick Traveller Network (LTN) is a network of eight Traveller sites and housing areas in Limerick city, representing a total of 114 families. They operate under the principles of Community Development and its priority is to strengthen its present grassroots structure to provide a constant flow of participation and information between the community and its representatives.

They aim to give Travellers in Limerick a voice, build up Travellers capacity to advocate and work towards improving; accommodation, education, mental health and discrimination and to build up working relations with existing structures, services and agencies.

Exchange House Ireland (EHI)

Exchange House Ireland (EHI), which is a national organisation, will act as a host for this project. They have experience in acting as a host organisation for other groups and in supporting the development of independent resources for Travellers.