by badminme | Mar 20, 2022 | Local Community Development Committee, Members News, PPN News, SPC for Social Development
Draft Clare PPN submissions to the Draft Clare County Development Plan
Update – April 5th, 2022: The public consultation process for the Clare County Development Plan 2023-2029 has now closed. Both of Clare PPN’s final submissions are available to download from the following page:
https://clareppn.ie/submissions-county-dev-plan-2023-2029/
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March 20th, 2022: Clare PPN has been participating in the process of creating a new County Development Plan for Clare since 2020. We held consultations, information sessions and calls for input to create submissions from our Environment and Social Inclusion Colleges at the Pre Draft Stage which concluded last year. The public consultation period on the Draft County Development Plan is now open and will close for submissions on March 28th. (If you want to make your own submission details on how to do it are here: https://clarecdp2023-2029.clarecoco.ie/make-a-submission/
While people and groups can and are encouraged to make individual submissions on matters that concern them, in Clare PPN we usually pool our resources to make collective submissions on the overall approaches we’d like taken in the County. You can read our proposed submissions below and your group contact should also have received them by email. if you are in a member group of either the environmental or social inclusion college of Clare PPN you can still send us any suggestions or additions but we need to get them before Thursday March 24th in order to add them and make sure we meet the deadline.
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Our environmental submission can be read here and if you have any comments or additions to it please email newsletter@clareppn.ie on or before Thursday March 24th.
CPPN- CEN Draft Submission to Draft Clare County Development Plan March 2022
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Our social inclusion submission can be read here and if you have any comments or additions to it please email admin@clareppn.ie on or before Thursday March 2th.
DRAFT Clare PPN Social Inclusion Submission to Clare County Development Plan
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Sarah C
by badminme | Mar 10, 2022 | Members News, PPN News
Government Supports for Rural Areas and Communities
This document will be updated as information is received.
CLÁR funding
Does your community need a playground? Do you need to upgrade your local basketball court? The CLÁR Funding Scheme is available to areas of population decline in County Clare. Under the 2022 scheme, funding will be provided under 3 measures:
- Measure 1: (Operated by Clare County Council): Developing Community Facilities & Amenities
- Measure 2: Mobility, Cancer Care and Community First Responders Transport
- Measure 3: Our Islands
Measure 1 will be operated by Clare County Council. Applications should be submitted to Clare County Council at clar@clarecoco.ie by Thursday 31st March 2022. The application form and scheme guidelines can be accessed at the following link: https://www.clarecoco.ie/services/community/grants/clar/
Measure 2 closes on the 8th April. More information can be found at: https://www.gov.ie/en/service/c5849b-rural-funding/?section=small-scale-rural-projects-clar
Town and Village Renewal Scheme Connected Hubs
Development of remote working facilities joining the National Connected Hubs Network. Closes 4th April
More information available at https://www.gov.ie/en/service/16b47-connected-hubs-fund/?referrer=http://www.gov.ie/en/service/c5849b-rural-funding/?section=connected-hubs-fund
Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme – deadlines 19th April & 25th May
The 2022 Outdoor Recreation and Infrastructure Scheme emphasises the opportunities for recreational amenities located near rivers, lakes and beaches and also seeks to support recreational infrastructure that provides an inclusive approach for communities to deliver outlets that support a diverse range of users, including people with disabilities and older adults. The 2022 scheme will, in particular, prioritise projects which have evidence of strong community engagement.
https://www.gov.ie/en/service/d14e1-outdoor-recreation-infrastructure-scheme/
Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF)
Supports large-scale, ambitious projects which can achieve sustainable economic and social development in rural areas.
- Category 1 – currently open (Large-scale capital projects which are ready to commence on the date of application) closes 29th April
- Category 2 – To open in August (Seed capital funding for strategic, large-scale projects)
More information available at https://www.gov.ie/en/service/05bfe-rural-regeneration-and-development-fund/
Community Centre Investment Fund (application process to be announced)
This new capital Fund will invest €15 million in the upgrade and refurbishment of community buildings across the country so that thousands of people of all ages can benefit. Under the Fund groups and organisations based in both rural and urban communities can apply for grants ranging from €10,000 to €300,000.
Application forms will be available online in the coming weeks
Enquiries can be made to: ccif@dcrd.gov.ie
Empowering Communities Programme (application process to be announced)
This €2 million programme will focus on supporting communities to develop and help implement tailored community work responses to the specific challenges faced locally. Its aim is to empower local communities to craft their own response to area based poverty, social exclusion and the resulting consequences, with the support of the Local Community Development Committee. The ECP will focus on augmenting the efforts of a small number of areas that have been identified by the Pobal HP Deprivation Index as areas of particular disadvantage.
Town Centre First policy document
The Town Centre First policy aims to create town centres that function as viable, vibrant and attractive locations for people to live, work and visit, while also functioning as the service, social, cultural and recreational hub for the local community.
The Town Centre First policy sets out a range of Actions which collectively will create the framework required to support our towns to achieve the desired outcomes and deliver on their own unique vision. These Actions are centred around improving our knowledge and understanding of our towns and what they need, enhancing the capacity of delivery agents to implement this ambitious policy, building new structures at national and local level, and ensuring that new and existing funds are co-ordinated and targeted towards the implementation of Town Centre First in each town. Key priorities in establishing and growing this framework include:
- A network of Town Regeneration Officers
- Capacity building programmes for Town Teams
- A national, integrated and scaled-up Health Check Programme
- A Town Centre First Toolkit to include a Web Portal
- A targeted investment programme
- Pathfinder towns
- Mechanisms to put town centres at the heart of decision making
- Better data which enhances our understanding of Ireland’s towns
- A new National Town Centre First Office
- Cross-Government focus and alignment
For more information the policy document can be viewed here: https://clareppn.ie/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/215052_3402995b-3045-4e7a-b839-12ca21a02611.pdf
Town and Village Renewal Scheme
The Town and Village Renewal Scheme is one of a series of national and local support measures designed to rejuvenate small rural towns and villages throughout Ireland, under the Department of Rural & Community Development’s Rural Development Investment Programme. Since the launch of the Town and Village Renewal Scheme in 2016, over €93 million of funding has been approved for more than 1,340 projects across Ireland. Will be managed by local authorities. More information to follow.
https://www.gov.ie/en/service/23584-town-and-village-renewal-scheme/
Streetscape Enhancement Fund (currently closed for applications)
Improving the visual appearance of our urban streetscapes increases pride and confidence in our home towns and villages, making them more attractive places to live, work and do business.
Local Improvement Scheme – currently being allocated to local authorities
Provides funding to help local authorities carry out improvement works on private and non-publicly maintained roads. More information available at: https://www.gov.ie/en/service/b03384-local-improvement-scheme-lis/
Dormant Accounts Fund Social Enterprise – Capital Supports
Provides capital grants for the scaling up of Social Enterprises. Scheduled to open in early May. More information on https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/624c74-social-enterprise/#funding-and-supports-for-social-enterprises
by badminme | Mar 10, 2022 | Members News, PPN News
Plenary meetings are the main decision-making forums for Clare PPN. At these meetings, all member groups are invited to attend and to put items forward for the agenda for discussion or for inclusion in the work plan of Clare PPN. At each of these meetings the staff and secretariat of Clare PPN present an update on the work, finances, and activities of the PPN and present their work plan for discussion and input from member groups. Clare PPN’s representatives who sit on 11 boards and committees in the County will also have an opportunity to present updates from their committees and to take any questions or input from member groups at this meeting.
To register your attendance please email: admin@clareppn.ie or call/text 087 1617375
by badminme | Mar 10, 2022 | Members News, PPN News
Town Centre First policy document launched
The Town Centre First policy aims to create town centres that function as viable, vibrant and attractive locations for people to live, work and visit, while also functioning as the service, social, cultural and recreational hub for the local community.
The Town Centre First policy sets out a range of Actions which collectively will create the framework required to support our towns to achieve the desired outcomes and deliver on their own unique vision. These Actions are centred around improving our knowledge and understanding of our towns and what they need, enhancing the capacity of delivery agents to implement this ambitious policy, building new structures at national and local level, and ensuring that new and existing funds are co-ordinated and targeted towards the implementation of Town Centre First in each town. Key priorities in establishing and growing this framework include:
1. A network of Town Regeneration Officers
2. Capacity building programmes for Town Teams
3. A national, integrated and scaled-up Health Check Programme
4. A Town Centre First Toolkit to include a Web Portal
5. A targeted investment programme
6. Pathfinder towns
7. Mechanisms to put town centres at the heart of decision making
8. Better data which enhances our understanding of Ireland’s towns
9. A new National Town Centre First Office
10. Cross-Government focus and alignment
To view the policy document, click here: Town Centre First
by badminme | Feb 16, 2022 | Members News
Want to help with an Anti-Poverty Strategy project in Clare?
Peer researchers needed: bursary and expenses paid
Clare PPN is looking for four ‘peer-researchers’ to join a project which is creating a Five-Year Anti-Poverty Strategy for Clare. Have you lived experience of poverty? Are you a good listener? Are you interested in meeting new people? Would you like to learn new skills and help with trying to address poverty in Clare? Then this might interest you. Read on for details:
What is a ‘peer- researcher’? A peer researcher is someone who uses their own life experience and understanding to engage with others and gather useful information on a particular issue. So for example, a peer researcher on a project dealing with homelessness, would be someone who has themselves experienced homelessness at some time in their life. A peer-researcher on addiction would be someone who themselves has experienced addiction.
What do we mean by ‘lived experience of poverty’? You will be meeting people who are experiencing poverty because of lack of income, including for example those who are unemployed or unable to access work because of a particular disability or care responsibilities, people having difficulty getting housing, people who have health issues including mental health, single parents and people who experience poverty because of being isolated in rural Clare or those who experience discrimination because of where they are from whether that’s another country or a council estate, their ethnicity, or because of relationship break ups or losing a life partner.
We want to make sure that the people who come to these focus groups to talk to us to are met by people who are open, kind and understand how life can be difficult and will not judge them.
We want to examine the structures and supports needed for people to thrive and their experiences of using existing services . If are someone who has experienced some of these situations yourself and would like to be involved in helping us run this project we’d like to hear from you.
What will you be doing if you are selected? After receiving training in facilitating groups, confidentiality and research ethics you will be helping the staff of Clare PPN and their lead researcher to conduct group discussions with people who are or have experienced any form of poverty in Clare.
What is involved?
- Introduction and training (online and in person)
- 4 days of peer research focus groups in Clare
- You will receive a bursary (fee) of €125 per day and we’ll cover any travel and meal costs involved.
- The research will be taking place in person throughout County Clare in March and April
- You will be fully supported in this process and staff from Clare PPN and our lead researcher will be present at each event.
To apply for one of these positions please email: sarah@clareppn.ie before February 28th 2022 In your email please tell us why you’d like to be involved in this project and outline the experiences you think would make you suitable for one of these roles. We will be selecting the peer researchers based on creating a group from a range of backgrounds, ages. abilities and experiences. Please note that this project is working with adults only and you must be 18 or over to apply for these roles. We particularly welcome interest from under-represented groups including those who experience class discrimination.
This project is being delivered by a steering group formed from Clare PPN’s Social Inclusion College and is funded by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Grant Scheme.
