The PEACE-funded Shankill Shared Women’s Centre in Belfast has been officially recognised as one of the top projects in Europe for promoting inclusion and delivering life-changing impacts within the local community it serves.
“To be recognised and win out of 266 applicants from across Europe is just incredible,” said a project representative in a celebratory message to supporters.
While there were some positive things in this month’s budget, Irish Rural Link says it is concerned about the level of funding allocated to Rural Development (€192 million) and Community Development (€260 million).
“Although these represent increases on last year’s budget, they may not go far enough,” it said in a statement.
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Gabriel O’Connell, CEO of Monaghan Integrated Development, retires this autumn and after 26 years working in the community and voluntary sector we thought – correctly – that he may have some wisdom to impart. He gave a fascinating interview to OWEN RYAN recently, including advice for people engaged in community development, for policy-makers and all who believe in the importance of community development.
Of interest, Gabriel does not see the need for commercial tendering for the services delivered by local development companies on behalf of the State. He also reveals his current reading, his liking for Clint Eastwood, and how his work influenced his own journey.
The CWELL programme, a University of Limerick diploma designed by communities for communities, is providing training for people interested in helping the areas they live in.
“The acronym CWELL stands for Community, Wellness, Empowerment, Leadership and Lifeskills. Those were the themes that came out in the initial collaborations with the parish. They became the core of what CWELL is about,” said Eileen Hoffler, a community engagement facilitator with UL.
It began in St Mary’s Parish and has expanded to include other regeneration areas of Limerick, and Eileen says it offers a lot to people who are often already involved in the community.
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While Gaza is almost completely under siege, Palestine’s West Bank, despite Israeli attacks there, remains accessible to community workers and humanitarian workers seeking to provide support, bear witness and show solidarity. Oliver Moore went with a farming organisation and visited mostly rural communities in the West Bank:
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