strategic plan 2017-2020 promoting local development and ... · dsv house, swords business park...

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Fingal Leader PartnershipDSV House, Swords Business ParkSwords, Co. Dublin, Ireland, K67 K8Y2

Promoting local developmentand social inclusion across

County Fingal north of the N2,and in the rest of Rural Dublin

STRATEGIC PLAN 2017-2020

Fingal LEADER Partnership | Strategic plan 2017-2020 |

Introduction

It is a great privilege to be the chairperson of Fingal LEADER Partnership during a time

of significant change for the company. This Strategic Plan is a blueprint for this change,

a change that is necessary to ensure that our organisation remains relevant to our

stakeholders and fit for purpose as we face the challenges of delivering much needed

local development programmes and initiatives over the coming years. The process of

change can be a very difficult one – however, I am confident that this Strategic Plan will

be embraced and delivered by the Board, and by the dedicated team of people in our

company who will be responsible for bringing this plan to life.

The key theme of the Strategic Plan is to broaden the capabilities of the company to

deliver new and innovative programmes that are relevant and meaningful while at the

same time ensuring that we continue to implement our existing programmes and

initiatives with a high degree of professionalism, integrity and openness.

Finally, I wish to take this opportunity to sincerely thank the team for their hard work and

effort in preparing the Strategic Plan for the company and wish them every success in

implementing and delivering its key goals and objectives.

Chris HarmonChairperson, Fingal LEADER Partnership Board

| Fingal LEADER Partnership | Strategic plan 2017-2020

The challenges to be addressed by Fingal LEADER Partnership in the coming years

continue to be critically important. Those challenges continue to evolve in nature, and

we must therefore shape our plans accordingly.

In rural Dublin, the ongoing march of urbanisation poses a threat to community

cohesion and heritage. This makes it even more important for the LEADER Programme

to help equip the communities affected to strengthen their cohesion and identity, and

to respond successfully to changes.

While the broader economy has thankfully been in recovery in recent years, and we

have seen a significant drop in unemployment, issues of social exclusion and cohesion

nonetheless remain.

There has continued to be a growth in the number of people from ethnic minorities

across Fingal, and further efforts are needed to help facilitate their participation in

society and the economy to the best of their potential.

As the numbers on the live register drop, we must redouble our efforts in working

with the still large number of people that remain, whose barriers to participation are

often complex. People with disabilities, older people living in isolation, and younger

people facing barriers to progressing their careers, are among those whom we are

there to support.

This Strategic Plan considers all of these challenges, and sets out how Fingal LEADER

Partnership can build on its strong heritage of local development and social inclusion

to make the most effective possible contribution to meeting them over the next

three years, drawing on its own resources and also collaborating with a range of other

organisations who share our objectives.

While we are fully committed to pursuing the priorities identified in this document,

we remain open to new ideas and possibilities for collaboration in the way that we

pursue them.

Chris O’MalleyCEO, Fingal LEADER Partnership

Message from the CEO


1. Statement of Purpose/Mission/Values

1.1. PurposeFingal LEADER Partnership exists in order to promote local

development and social inclusion in Fingal County north of the N2,

and in the rural parts of South County Dublin and Dun Laoghaire

Rathdown.

1.2. MissionThe Mission of FLP is to:

• Support individuals and groups to develop skills, resources,

and opportunities that help to create equal and inclusive

communities, and to

• Strengthen the rural economy and promoting the preservation

of unique landscapes and culture.

We do this by:

• Supporting community-led approaches and encouraging people

to work collectively to address their needs,

• By promoting coordination between communities and statutory

agencies, and by

• Facilitating network building, community consultation and the

sharing of information.

1.3. ValuesThe values which inform the approach to all of our work are:

• Inclusiveness

• Dedication to Empowerment

• Quality service

• Equality, diversity

• Care, compassion and confidentiality

• Transparency, integrity

• Respect, dignity

• Achievement, results and dedication.


Map 1. Fingal Leader Partnership Operational Area (see page 10 for LEADER Operational Area)


2. Priority Challenges

This Strategic Plan begins with an overview of the major challenges being faced by the communities that the Company exists to serve. The Company is there to serve the community of Fingal north of the N2 as a whole, but also through the LEADER programme serves rural areas of South County Dublin and Dun Laoghaire Rathdown.

2.1 Fingal: general profile & issuesFingal is the County with the fastest growing population in Ireland,

having doubled from just over 150,000 in 1991 to nearly 300,000

in 2016. Of this population, 63%, or nearly 190,000, live north

of the N2, the area the Company was established to serve (see

map below). The rapid rate of population growth has resulted in

weaknesses of the social service infrastructure needed to meet

the needs of the community.

2.1.1. IntegrationA notable feature of the population growth in north and east

Fingal has been the growth of migrant communities living in the

area. In 2011 the area had a total population of 34,500 of ethnic

minority background. Nationally, by 2016 the ethnic minority

population had grown by a further 19% since 2011. In Balbriggan,

the migrant community now represents over 30% of the

population, for example.

The migrant communities play an active role in the economic

and social development of the area. However, there remain

some challenges to ensuring that all have an adequate

opportunity to do so. For example, according to the 2011

Census, an estimated 5,000 immigrants in this part of Fingal

cannot speak English well, which represents an obvious barrier

to many forms of employment, even in cases where they are

otherwise well qualified.

In Balbriggan there is a network of NGOs who represent and work

with migrant communities, on the Balbriggan Integration Forum,

hosted by Cáirde Balbriggan. In the Swords area, which is a home

to a comparably sized migrant community, there is a significantly

weaker level of community organisation.

Map 2. Highest concentrations of ethnic minorities


2.1.2. Social DisadvantageAccording to the 2011 Census, there were over 16,000 people in

Fingal north of the N2 excluded from the labour market as a result

of unemployment, illness or disability. While the population has

continued to rise by 8% since then, there has been a significant fall

of 38% in the total number on the live register in the local Welfare

Offices. While the number on the live register in the Swords area

has fallen by 43% since 2011, in Balbriggan the fall has been less, at

33%. Nonetheless, there is still a total number of adults excluded

from the labour market in north and east Fingal in 2017 that is still

in excess of 10,000.

The 2011 Census pointed to the most severe concentrations of

unemployment as being in Balbriggan and west of the airport, but a

significant level also in the most rural areas.

There are other notable indicators of risk of social exclusion

that must be recognised. Over 18,000 people in the area were

recorded in the 2011 Census as having a disability.

Map 3. Concentrations of Unemployment

Map 4. Concentrations of people with disabilities

As can be seen from the map above, people with disabilities make

up a particularly high proportion of the population in some of the

most rural areas of Fingal.

There is also a significant part of the population living in single

parent families, a group that is recognised as being at significantly

higher risk of social exclusion, with over 21,000 people reported as

living in such households in the area in the 2011 Census.

Concentrations of unemployment

Concentrations of people with disabilities

2.1.3. SkillsWhile Fingal shows a larger proportion of the workforce than the

national average who have a higher education, there remain large

number of the work force who have low skills. According to the

2011 Census, there were 25,000 adults between the ages of 18

and 65 whose highest educational attainment was a junior cert

or less.

Map 5. Concentrations of low-skilled workers

As can be seen from this map, the strongest concentrations

of low-skilled workers is in the biggest towns of Swords and

Balbriggan, but also in the area south of St. Margarets.

It remains the case that, while there are a number of

programmes, including the TÚS programme, which are designed

to help unemployed people gain skills, work experience and

employment, there is still a lack of strategy to encourage the

existing workforce to increase its skills with a view to taking on

higher value employment.

An area which is particularly lacking in service provision in Fingal

is that of Further Education. Whereas counties such as Louth

or Meath each have two Further Education Colleges, Fingal,

which has a larger population than the two counties combined,

has none. The only Higher Education institution in Fingal is the

Institute of Technology Blanchardstown, while the closest

institution to north and east Fingal is Dublin City University.

2.1.4. SummaryThe economy of Fingal north of the N2 has great strengths.

It includes, or is located close to, the most important transport

infrastucture in the country. It is home to a powerful aviation

services cluster around Dublin Airport, and has attracted

investment from a large number of high value firms. The area

is also home to a very important agriculture sector, especially

in horticulture, which has been active in moving into higher

value areas, while the heritage, coast and countryside of the

area provide it with great potential for further growing its

tourism industry.

However, weaknesses and threats to social inclusion remain, as

evidenced by the number of people unemployed, with disabilities,

or low skills. The large size of the migrant community make it

particularly important that steps are taken to help its members

engage as positively as possible with the original Irish community

in developing the economy and society of the area.

In North and East Fingal, the national Social Inclusion programme

(SICAP) is delivered by Blanchardstown Area Partnership.

However, the national allocation of resources to Fingal has

been lower than the scale of need, as measured by the number

of people excluded from the labour market. Fingal as a whole

represents 5% of national need, but has received only3% of

national funding for the programme. Within Fingal, the area of

north of the N2 represents 58% of the County’s need, but only

33% of the delivery of the programme is in that area. This means

that, with 3% of national need, only 1% of SICAP resources are

being devoted to serving the area.

Overall, the service infrastructure that is in place to address

issues of social inclusion and development in north and east

Fingal shows significant weaknesses compared to other areas

of the country. For example, there is no Family Resource Centre,

there are no special status CE programmes, there is no direct

Youth Service provision, there are major gaps in mental health

service provision, and there are no Further Education Colleges.

This pattern of relative neglect in the area of the population

at risk of social exclusion by national funding decisions has in

large part been driven by a perception that the area overall is an

affluent one.



N3

N4

M50

M50

M1

M1

N81

N7

M11

M50

M4

M2

M3

N11

N2

N11

Garristown

Naul

OldtownBallyboughal

Lusk

Loughshinny

Rush

PortraneDonabate

St. Margarets

DublinCity Centre

Irish Sea

SaggartRathcoole

Newcastle

Balbriggan Rural

Clonmethan

Balscadden

Dubber

Hollywood Holmpatrick

Kilsallaghan

Bohernabreena

BallinascorneyKiltiernan

Tibradden

GlencullenBrittas

Rural areas eligible

Rural villages/towns eligible

Map 6. Dublin Rural LEADER operational area (marked in dark green)The total population of the LEADER operational area is 67,000, of which 44,000 live in Fingal.


2.2.1. UrbanisationThe population of the Dublin LEADER operational area has

declined by nearly one third in the current programme relative to

the previous one, as a result of the ongoing march of urbanisation

in the Dublin area and its impact on the population density criteria

for a LEADER operational area.

As a result of this, a number of areas that were part of the 2007-13

programme have had to be excluded from the current one. These

include the towns of Balbriggan, Skerries, and Portmarnock, as well

as all of the area around Lucan.

This is a concrete manifestation of the challenges to rural areas

facing being taken over by urbanisation and new populations,

with the threat that this poses to heritage, environment and

community cohesion. The most dramatic current example of

this is in Saggart, which has been found by the 2016 Census to

be the fastest growing town in Ireland. Given the “peri-urban”

nature of the Dublin LEADER operational area, one key task of the

programme is to help equip communities concerned to adapt and

prosper when faced with the growth of urbanisation.

2.2.2. IntegrationWhile ethnic minorities are not surprisingly more strongly

concentrated in urban areas, there has nonetheless also been

a significant growth of migrant communities in the rural parts of

Dublin, with 14% of the population of the LEADER operational area

belonging to ethnic minorities (compared to 22% for Dublin as a

whole). This means that the challenge of promoting successful

integration is relevant for this area also.

There were 383 Travellers recorded by the 2011 Census as living

in the Dublin LEADER area, while the 2016 Census has indicated

a rise of 5% in the total number of Travellers nationally since then.

The largest number of Travellers live in the Balbriggan Rural area,

while in Balscadden and Ballinascorney they represent the highest

proportion of the local population, at 4%.

2.2.3. SkillsThe skills profile of rural Dublin is less strong than for the Dublin

region as a whole, with 26% having achieved a tertiary education

qualification compared to 31% for the Dublin as a whole. In areas

such as Garristown and Ballinascorney, the proportions fall to 17%

and 14%.

In the three local authority areas in which the LEADER area is

situated, on average 20.1% of people over 15 have not progressed

their education beyond junior cert level. In rural areas of Dublin

such as Hollywood, Clonmethan, Kilsallaghan and Ballyboghil, that

proportion rises to 29.6%.

2.2.4. Social DisadvantageFive electoral divisions scored on the national Deprivation Index

as being more disadvantaged than the national average, these

being Ballinascorney and Bohernabreena in South Dublin, and

Balscadden, Garristown and Kilsallaghan in Fingal.

Unemployment in the LEADER area is only marginally below that

of Dublin as a whole, with the 2011 Census showing a rate of 15%

as opposed to 17% for all of Dublin.

In the 2011 Census, 7,741 people in the rural Dublin area were

recorded as having a disability. 12% of population in the LEADER

area were recorded as having a disability, compared to 8% for

Dublin as a whole.

2.2.5. EconomyThe Commission for the Economic Development of Rural Areas

(CEDRA), which was established by Government and reported

in 2015, highlighted that in rural areas tourism is key to driving

local economic activity, preserving heritage and facilitating

diversification from agriculture, which has been losing employment

over decades due to an increasingly intensive use of technology.

Arts & Crafts are also an increasing source of employment,

particularly linked to tourism.

In agriculture and food, the key to the future is supporting the

move to higher value added production based on agricultural

products, as well as diversification. In addition to tourism, arts and

crafts, other forms of diversification which are important for rural

areas include more effective management of the environment,

the promotion of biodiversity, re-introducing animal and plant

species to habitats, and the development of renewable energy.

2.2 Rural Dublin: profile & issues

Fingal LEADER Partnership is responsible for Implementation of the LEADER programme for rural Dublin, which includes areas of three local authorities, as indicated in the map below. There is a detailed analysis of the socio-economic profile of the rural Dublin area in the Local Development Strategy which underpins the Programme. Key points from this analysis are highlighted here.


2.3.1. CommunitiesA consistent theme in discussions was the importance of

community organisation and the health of communities.

In Balbriggan in particular, the need was articulated for a single

platform that would bring the various community organisations

together. It was pointed out that such a platform has in fact begun

to be put together, through the formation of a new Community

Council, but that it will need more time and work to ensure that

it becomes fully effective in involving all organisations locally.

Any support that Fingal LEADER Partnership can provide to such

initiatives would be important. The example of collaboration

between local sports groups in securing funding and facilities is

one example that has shown the success of this approach.

Time-banking, as a methodology that has been applied in Wales,

was discussed at some meetings as a possible framework

that could be effective in promoting volunteering and more

active communities. While LEADER can provide capital fundin

for community groups and facilities, the need for current

funding to support administration in voluntary organisations

was also highlighted.

In rural areas, the availability of public transport is regarded as

an issue of huge importance. While LEADER is precluded from

funding vehicles, it is in a position to support initiatives in this area

in other ways.

Other examples of community-based projects raised include text

alert projects that mobilise local communities to monitor and

discourage criminal behaviour.

2.3.2. Integration of Migrant CommunitiesThe theme of integration of migrant communities was

consistently raised as a key priority, and questions were raised

as to how the Migrant Integration Fund managed by the

Department of Justice might be best used. The question was also

raised as to whether LEADER funding could be spent on minority

groups and integration.

It was generally reported that there is a shortage of English

language training capacity across the area, relative to need. The

Adult Education service was reported to be “swamped” by the

demand in this area. Education in this area was felt to be important

for more than language training: education on the challenges of

managing integration was believed to be important for all sides.

Some views were expressed that integration had “not been

easy” for the last few years, and there was some expectation

that we should be seeing a reduction in the level of community

segregation.

2.3.3. Young PeopleThe availability of facilities and activities for young people is still

seen as inadequate in many areas. One possibility raised, for

example, was a skating park in the Donabate/Portrane area.

For young people who do not successfully complete their

education, action to address this is seen as a major priority.

Another possibility that raised some interest was the

establishment of CoderDojo clubs in rural areas.

2.3.4. Older PeopleIn spite of the generally younger age profile of Fingal, it remains the

case that over 20,000 people across the County are over the age

of 65, and it was reported that problems of isolation for old people

are getting worse.

Great emphasis was placed on the importance of promoting

contact across generations, such as through paired reading

schemes in schools or libraries. The sharing of knowledge across

generations can go in both directions, with younger people helping

to introduce older people to using the internet, for example.

Helping older people to organise activities for themselves is very

important, and groups such as the Men’s Sheds are seen as playing

a very important role.

2.3 Consultation with Stakeholders

As part of the process of developing this strategic plan, a series of meetings were organised with the Company’s stakeholders, in order to find out from them what issues are most important to be addressed. In addition to meetings with key sponsors such as the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, the Department of Social Protection, Fingal County Council and other local authorities, and Pobal, meetings were also organised with stakeholders in the community, attended by a total of 74 stakeholders. This section summarises the main points to be raised across these meetings.


2.3.5. SkillsThe observation was made, in addition to the shortage of places

on English language courses, that Fingal lacks a Further Education

College, in spite of its large population. This absence was felt to

be particularly damaging in Balbriggan, where the distance to

alternative options is often prohibitive for the people affected.

2.3.6. LEADER ProgrammeOverall, there was great interest in the potential of the LEADER

programme to continue to support important local projects in

the community.

The need for match funding for LEADER projects was said to be

a big issue for many groups, especially in smaller communities,

where other activities compete for contributions. A number of

people also complained about the complexities of the application

process for LEADER funding, while acknowledging the assistance

provided the FLP team in helping to deal with these.

There was significant discussion about the areas now excluded

from LEADER funding, and the options open to the communities

affected by this.

There was also discussion about the importance of LEADER being

able to fund art and cultural events.

2.3.7. TÚS ProgrammeIn relation to the TÚS programme, the strongest feedback was

that a 12-month placement was not long enough to give the

participant a chance to both learn the job and gain the experience

of delivering substantially from that learning. A two-year

placement would, it is believed, make a huge difference, both for

the participant and the host organisation.

With the fall in the rate of unemployment, the question was raised

as to why people should still have to wait for 12 months to be

eligible for TÚS. The fall in the rate of unemployment also means

that in practice an increasing proportion of nominees to TÚS

face the barriers of addiction or mental health issues. This poses

a challenge for making TÚS placements successful and calls for

some innovative responses.

Training for TÚS participants is seen as very important, and if

the programme itself does not provide a budget for this, then

opportunities for training funded from elsewhere should be

explored, eg Skillnets. One question that was raised was whether

training might be provided while waiting for Garda vetting, although

it was agreed that the vetting process was now becoming faster.

The idea was put forward of formal certification for TÚS

participants, to record both the deliverables achieved and any skills

acquired through training as part of the programme.

Progression for TÚS participants to participation in a Community

Employment scheme should, it was felt, be made easier.


3. Current Programmes

Fingal LEADER Partnership currently operates three programmes, namely LEADER, TÚS and Jobs Club. Clearly, a priority in the Company’s strategy will be to work to further enhance the impact of these three programmes for all of our stakeholders in them.

3.1 LEADER

Fingal LEADER Partnership is the Implementing Partner for the LEADER programme for Rural Dublin. This EU-funded programme has been allocated €6.4m for the 2014-20 Programme, with the contract for its implementation being signed in November 2016.

3.1.1 Conclusion of Previous ProgrammeThe last projects under the 2007-13 programme were closed off

in 2016. That programme had funded 245 projects across the rural

Dublin region. The funding was spent across three local authority

areas, with Fingal County accounting for 64%, South County Dublin

for 24%, and Dun Laoghaire Rathdown 12%, roughly reflecting the

relative sizes of the rural Dublin population in each area.

Examples of the projects supported include:

• Ambles and Rambles, a service providing guided walks for people

of all ages in the Dublin mountains.

• Bridge Turf Lawns, a family business at Courtlough near

Balbriggan, providing lawn turf for lawns and landscaping.

• Portmarnock Raceway, a venue in Portmarnock, providing for

harness racing involving over 650 horses.

• Glencullen community centre, combining facilities for local

community groups with a home for the local GAA club.

• Floraville Park, a heritage park in the centre of Skerries

developed on previously disused land, which was key to Skerries

winning the Tidy Towns competition.

• St Catherine’s Regional Park and European Standard BMX track

in Laraghcon, Lucan, Co Dublin.

• Hillview Self-catering Bungalows, a high-quality self-catering

facility in Lusk, Co Dublin.

• Keogh’ Crisps, support for expansion of production line, Oldtown

Co Dublin.

• Calliaghstown Equestrian Centre, Rathcoole, Co Dublin, upgrade

of facilities for overseas students including accommodation

block and sand arena.


In total the following table indicates the number of projects supported in each category:

Basic Services for Economy & Community 25

Business Creation & Development 41

Conservation & Upgrade of Rural Heritage 49

Diversification into non-Agricultural Activities 11

Development of Tourism 26

Training & Information 79

Village & Countryside Renewal & Development 8

Co-operation projects (mutl-programme) 6

TOTAL 245

3.1.2 LEADER StrategyThe 2013-20 Programme is based on a Local Development

Strategy, adopted by the Local Action Group, which acts as the

Board overseeing the Programme in rural Dublin, and approved

by the Department of the Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and

Gaeltacht Affairs.

The Programme began to be implemented in the last quarter of

2016 with the first consultation meetings with the community,

and calls for expressions of interest. At time of writing (June

2017), 87 expressions of interest have been received that have

been found to be eligible in principle for funding. Further calls will

continue to be issued.

Focus will continue to be on implementing the strategy as

developed and ensuring its successful delivery. The new

programme operates under new structures, with the role of

the local authorities being enhanced. The Local Action Group,

responsible for governance and direction of the Programme and

for approval of funding to projects, is made up of appointees of

the Local Community Development Committees of the three

local authorities. Fingal County Council is the Financial Partner to

the programme. Ensuring that the new structures and processes

operate effectively is an important part of the task to

be undertaken.

The allocation of the grant aid budget for this programme will be structured according to the priorities of the Local Development Strategy, grouped under the following Themes and Sub-themes:

Themes

1 Economic Development,

Enterprise Development

& Job Creation

Budget 50%

2 Social Inclusion

Budget 25%

3 Rural Environment

Budget 25%

Sub-Theme

1.1 Rural Tourism

1.2 Enterprise

Development

1.3 Revitalising Rural Towns

2.1 Basic Services for

“hard to reach”

2.2 Rural Youth

3.1 Protection and

sustainable use of

water resources

3.2 Protection &

improvement of local

biodiversity

3.3 Development of

renewable energy


3.2. TÚS

Fingal Leader Partnership runs one of the largest TÚS progammes in Ireland, with 240 unemployed people being taken onto work placements with community-based services and organisations around Fingal each year, including in 2016. The programme has proven to offer great benefits, both to the individual people who gain the work experience, and to the organisations who host them and gain from their talents and efforts. The programme is funded by the Department of Social Protection.

The programme is implemented across Fingal County north of

the N2. The map below indicates the spatial focus of where the

placements are, with the pattern largely reflecting the distribution

of population across the area.

The TÚS Programme in north and east Fingal places unemployed

people for work experience with over 130 community-based

organisations across the area, and while issues do arise, the overall

feedback from those organisations about the support they get

from the people placed with them has been highly positive in the

great majority of cases, with some organisations reporting that

they would have to close without such support.

The primary beneficiaries of the programme are of course

intended to be the people who have been on the live register

and are placed in work placements. The experience for the great

majority of our clients on this programme has been very positive

indeed, giving them a huge boost to their confidence and sense of

self-worth.

A service that we have been able to provide, in partnership with

Age Action, on the basis of the TÚS Programme is the Care &

Repair service. This involves two pairs of people placed through

TÚS, who are directly managed by FLP, visiting the homes of

elderly people who need urgent maintenance jobs done in their

house or garden who are not otherwise in a position to organise

them, plus another pair of people providing administrative support.

Another initiative being planned in collaboration with Age Action

is the provision of a service to elderly people to help them to set

up computers in their home. While training is often available in

libraries and other accessible centres in the use of computers, the

challenge of setting up the hardware in one’s own home can still

be a huge barrier for many people, and this service is designed to

address that need.

Map 6. Distribution of TÚS placements


Many people who are placed on the TÚS Programme progress into

employment either during or immediately after the placement.

However, it remains the case that the greater number of people

placed through the Programme go back to being on Jobseekers

Allowance once the placement finishes.

While there is no budget in the TÚS Programme for training for the

participants, some training is currently provided in areas

where the team of supervisors have relevant skills, such as in

Manual Handling.

While the TÚS Programme does not have a budget for providing training for the clients, we are undertaking steps to address this issue in other ways, including:

• Building a path for TÚS participants to get Jobs Club training;

• Making connections with the new Job Centre in Balbriggan;

• Looking for more opportunities to provide training for

participants that is not funded through the TÚS Programme;

• Providing a more formal certificate to participants, documenting

tasks undertaken, projects delivered, and any skills acquired;

• Making direct connections to larger employers who recruitment

needs match the profile of our participants.

The biggest issue for the TÚS Programme is that the overall

unemployment rate nationally has fallen by more than half since

the programme started. This has meant that we are experiencing

a growing proportion of people being referred to the programme

who have more significant issues, such as addiction or mental

health, to an extent that can provide a barrier to a successful

placement with a community organisation. We need to look for

effective ways to respond to this challenge, collaborating with

partners who have relevant skills and experience.

The Jobs Club provides comprehensive training through

workshops and professional career coaching which enables

jobseekers to take positive steps towards sourcing training and

employment opportunities. Whether long term, short term

unemployed or recently made redundant the Jobs Club service

provides active, practical and participative support to assist all

attendees to return to employment thus encouraging a greater

degree of self-reliance and self-sufficiency.

In total the Jobs Club in Swords served 346 clients in 2016, of

whom 226 attended the two-week programme, 72 were given

support in preparing CVs on a drop-in basis, and 48 attended

1-1 workshops.

The Jobs Club team and premises represent an important asset

for Fingal LEADER Partnership, which brings training infrastructure

and capacity that can potentially be further developed. One

example of an important further use of this asset is to support

our TÚS participants in their job search. Other initiatives aimed at

providing training to people who are socially excluded, or at risk of

it, can also potentially be developed with the support this asset.

3.3 Jobs Club

The Jobs Club provides a service to assist jobseekers to enter or re-enter employment through the provision of individualised and group supports. Swords Jobs Club is committed to addressing the effect of unemployment on a person’s ability to participate in society, encouraging and supporting people to fully participate in social, civic and economic life.


4. Pursuing Other Opportunities

In order to pursue the Company’s mission or promoting local

development and social inclusion, it will also pursue opportunities

to lead or participate in initiatives other than the three

programmes outlined in the section above.

4.1. PrioritiesIn investigating and pursuing such opportunities, a number of

priorities have clearly emerged from the data analysis, from

consultation with stakeholders, and from the experience of staff

and Board members. These priorities are:

Migrant CommunitiesGiven the growth in population of Fingal, and the prominent part in

this growth played by immigrants from outside of Ireland, it is clear

that the management of this change in social patterns, to facilitate

new communities in being included in the mainstream of society

and the economy needs to be further strengthened.

Skills development & young peopleThere is still a significant number of young people leaving the

education system without having acquired the level of skills

necessary to become active citizens and develop sustainable

careers. Opportunities will be sought to partner with education

and training providers to pilot innovate approaches to providing

people with alternative opportunities to progress.

Economic developmentEconomic development remains critical to providing opportunities

to tackling social exclusion, particularly in those parts of Fingal

such as Balbriggan or the rural areas which face bigger challenges

of finding employment. FLP will remain ready to play a constructive

role in facilitating or helping to obtain funding for initiatives that

have the potential to support economic development.

Community developmentFLP provides a range of supports to community organisations

both through LEADER and the TÚS Programme. The health

of community organisations is critical to opportunities for

participation in society and general quality of life. Other

opportunities to further support the strength of this sector will

be sought.

Health & wellbeingHealth in the community and quality of life for older people

are important goals for local development companies and

are ones that lend themselves to collaborative initiatives at

community level.

The priorities set out here will also inform the way in which current

programmes are implemented.

4.2. Potential Funding Sources & PartnersIn pursuing the possibility of initiatives in support of these

priorities, funding will be sought from a number of sources.

In addition to programmes such as TÚS and Jobs Club, other

government funded programmes will be applied for as when

appropriate calls are issued. For example, we are interested in the

possibility of assisting in the delivery of SICAP, the Social Inclusion

programme. In addition to LEADER, opportunities for other EU-

funded programmes will be examined when appropriate calls for

which we are eligible to bid are issued. We will also explore the

possibility of accessing funding from philanthropic foundations.

We will continue to build partnerships with a range of organisations

in our community. This includes local authorities in Fingal, South

County Dublin and Dun Laoghaire Rathdown, and government

departments and statutory agencies such as the Department of

Social Protection or the Department of Justice.

We will work with philanthropic bodies such as Clann Credo in

helping to support the development of community organisations.

We are actively interested in working with education and training

providers such as DCU, IT Blanchardstown, Ballymun Job Centre,

Foróige and Youthreach in initiatives to address skills needs of

people facing social exclusion. We will work with companies and

business representative organisations to promote social inclusion.

We will continue to work to strengthen our relationships with

community-based organisations across our area, and to

strengthen our capacity to support them.

Finally we are interested in partnering with other Local

Development Companies on specific initiatives to address

common objectives.


5. Organisational Development

In pursuing the developments and priorities outlined in the previous sections, it is necessary to ensure that the organisation and its facilities are fit for purpose. The following developments have been initiated or completed:

• Membership of the Board is being broadened after the

departure of some previous members, both in order to bring

greater sectoral and gender balance, and to strengthen key

partnerships.

• Training in governance is being organised, with a view to the

Company being able to register with the Governance Code by

the end of 2018.

• The company has moved to a new office, DSV House in Swords

Business Park. This move has brought together the teams

previously operating separately in Swords, Balbriggan and

Baldoyle, and provided the opportunity to promote greater

cohesion across the team as a whole. The Jobs Club is in a

separate premises in Burgundy House in Swords Village, but the

two sites are located within easy access of each other.

• The staff complement of Rural Development Officers has

been increased by two in order to ensure that the company

has adequate capacity to support the delivery of the LEADER

programme.

• Following assessment of the current staff skills profile and skills

needs for implementation of this strategy, a skills development

plan has been drawn up for implementation.

• A Financial Officer has been appointed to bring a coherent focus

to the administrative management of the company as a whole,

supported by a Clerical Officer.

• The company’s IT infrastructure is being updated to enable all

teams to fully share data with each other, within the constraints

of data privacy requirements.

• Following the launch of an appropriate website to support the

new LEADER programme, the website for the company as a

whole is being re-designed to bring it up to date and enable the

team to continue updating it into the future.

• New communications processes to support dialogue within the

company and with its external stakeholders are being put

in place.

• A Health & Safety audit has been carried out, and a plan to

address the actions required is being implemented.

• The old Memorandum and Articles of the Company have

been replaced by a new Constitution, to reflect changes in

company law, changes in the requirements of Government

for the governance of local development companies, and to

ensure that the Company can be agile in responding to the

challenges ahead.


6. Summary of Strategic Priorities

The following is a summary of the main priorities and actions which will follow from this plan:

1. The Local Development Strategy which underpins the Dublin

Rural LEADER Programme 2014-20 will be successfully

implemented, through the delivery of projects that will

effectively promote all of the themes and sub-themes of

the Programme.

2. Partnerships with local authorities, local stakeholders and other

local development companies will be further strengthened

through the implementation of LEADER.

3. The TÚS Programme will continue to place unemployed

people in successful work placements with community-based

organisations across our operational area.

4. Additional actions will be taken to further enhance the skills

and progression prospects of TÚS participants, and to provide

additional support for those facing difficulties in engaging

successfully with work placements.

5. The Jobs Club will continue to provide supports to jobseekers.

6. The training capacity of the Jobs Club will be harnessed to

provide additional supports to clients.

7. Opportunities will be actively pursued to secure additional

funding through new partnerships in order to pursue

the Company’s mission to address priority constituencies

and objectives.

8. Actions to update and improve the organisation’s capacity and

infrastructure will be completed, and further improvements will

be implemented as appropriate.

9. Where the opportunity arises, FLP will lead or support initiatives

to influence policy to strengthen the general support for tackling

social exclusion in our area.


Appendix I

Members of the Board of Fingal LEADER Partnership

Chris Harmon (Chair)

Pat McNamara (Vice Chair)

Roger Cronin (Secretary)

Sean Corrigan

Ken Duffy

Tom Hahesy

Chris Keogh

Joanne Lynch

Marianna Prontera

Martin Tully


Appendix II

Central TeamChris O’Malley, CEO

Phil Moore, Deputy CEO

James McLean, Finance Officer

Ligia Daroi, Clerical Officer

Rural Development OfficersNellie Horvath

Angela Manoli

James Masterson

Jobs ClubKate Considine

Maria Mitton

TÚS ProgrammeSandy Forsyth

Cathryn Collins

Michelle Craig

John Daly

Paul Fay

Brian Lawless

Joe Killeen

Jennifer Lawlor

Orla McMahon

Ted Nugent

Deirdre Tyrell

Staff of Fingal LEADER Partnership

T. 01 807 4282E. [email protected].�ngalleaderpartnership.ie

Fingal Leader PartnershipDSV House, Swords Business ParkSwords, Co. Dublin, Ireland, K67 K8Y2

Promoting local developmentand social inclusion across

County Fingal north of the N2,and in the rest of Rural Dublin

STRATEGIC PLAN 2017-2020

strategic plan 2017-2020 promoting local development and ... · dsv house, swords business park...

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