Making the Programme work on the ground

By Gearoid Fitzgibbon

The Local and Community Development Programme (LCDP) is the main state-funded community development programme in Ireland, with a budget of €63.4million.

It has a staff of around 3,000  and a wide range of social actions carried out by 51 Local Development Community.

A question of Image

These companies suffer an image/branding deficit. They all have individual names, and if locally recognised, are not readily identified by the general public as part of a single Government-funded programme.

My own organisation is the misfortunately titled 'North Tipperary LEADER Partnership”. Neither “LEADER” nor “partnership” are very intelligible to the general public.

Community Sector & Trade Unions fear Tus Scheme is 'workfare'

By Thomas Erbsloh

Thomas Erbsloh in 2010. Photo: Changing Ireland

Dear Editor,

The two-pager on the proposed Tus-Programme in the last issue of ‘Changing Ireland’ was somewhat one-sided and disappointing.

Fair enough, reference was made that the 5000 places on the Tus Scheme seemed to mirror the jobs lost in the community and voluntary sector, and a minor reference to a critical comment on a ULA councillor's website.

But that`s it – no analysis or rationale for any objection to Tus, but loads of PR, how it will be to the benefit of everyone involved.

Really? There is widespread concern about various elements of this scheme.

"I PERSONALLY BELIEVE IN COMMUNITY, I REALLY DO!"

INTERVIEW WITH CLARE O'GRADY WALSHE, ENVIRONMENTALIST

Clare O’Grady-Walshe walks the walk. She was part of the first Irish Coffee Brigade when she went in 1988 to Nicaragua in an act of solidarity with the people there who had overthrown a dictatorship.

“I’m concerned with the fairness and equality of society, the lack of respect for human dignity we see, say in relation to people with disabilities.”

A committed environmentalist, Clare returned from Nicaragua and became director of Greenpeace in Ireland. She is currently a director of Irish Seedsavers, lectures in Development Studies in a number of universities and is AfrI’s Spokesperson on Food.

‘Changing Ireland’ interviewed Clare at the first Claiming Our Future conference held on October 30th, 2010, in Dublin.

I PERSONALLY BELIEVE IN COMMUNITY

I personally believe in community, I really do. I believe we’re going to have to turn to our neighbours and start knocking on doors. All of the best social movements started that way. Sometimes when your back is against the wall, that’s when you find your most resourceful reaction.

And we need to continue to inform ourselves about where power lies and who’s controlling what and where.