Community Development

What is community development? Community development can be defined as: The efforts of local people and organisations in the community to improve the standard of living in an area by improving skills, services and facilities to meet their needs. It is about empowering local individuals and groups and help them take ownership of initiatives that can benefit and improve their area.

How can a local community develop enterprise? To develop business enterprise in a community the following is essential. People An Organisation  Plan Finance 

5 steps Meeting is called and a community development team is set up Research is carried out to define problems and clarify goals as well as the SWOT for the area. Resource audit carried out to establish resources available to the area and resources it is deficient in Identify a number of potential projects and prioritise. Finance: Contact is made with state agencies and business regarding fundraising and financial assistance. Once successfully financed the project can commence

Examples http://www.changingireland.ie/CDP.html

State Agencies that support Community Development LEO  local enterprise offices CEB’s County Enterprise Boards Solas Pobal  Leader plus APC’s Area partnership companies Teagasc  Udaras na Gaeltachta

LEO- Local Enterprise Office Provide information- on how to start up businesses or grown existing businesses with less than ten employees Training courses- for entrepreneurs and small businesses in finance HRM, marketing and other practical business issues. Mentoring services- experienced bus people mentor entrepreneurs in setting up and expanding small businesses sharing their business experience.  Financial Support - They also offer grant aid for conducting market research, preparing bus plans, purchasing equipment, employment and training costs.  Conduct local resource audits- each LEO is responsible for identifying local assists and resources that can be developed for the benefit of the local economy. Promote a culture of enterprise- they do this by engaging in schools student enterprise awards and competitions for different classes of entrepreneur to encourage entrepreneurship. 

Pobal  State agency responsible for distributing specific national and EU finance for supporting projects that assist community development.  Pobal's focus is on funding social initiatives that improve local quality of life rather than commercial projects. It also funds Area partnership development companies.

LEADER These programmes are set up by the EU to encourage offers assistance to rural parts of Ireland that needs assistance. The Leader programme promotes areas such as feasibility studies, employment training, rural tourism. It aims to: 1) improve competitiveness of agriculture e.g. farmer producing and selling own ice cream  2) improve environment e.g. woodland walks and restoring heritage houses and castles   3) encourage diversification e.g. Ballykeefe amphitheatre, Kilkenny.

Leading change in the FET sector – ensuring relevant high quality programmes Managing, funding and coordinating FET programmes Apprenticeships - SOLAS holds statutory responsibility for the management of the National Apprenticeship System in Ireland. Apprenticeship is the recognised means by which people are trained to become craftspeople. ecollege online learning - SOLAS delivers online learning -  through eCollege which offers a range of high quality interactive online learning courses, available any time through broadband internet access, for those who wish to learn at their own pace.  Research - SOLAS publishes research and reports that facilitates development and review of policy and practice in the further and higher education sectors as well as other related sectors. 

APC – Area Partnership Companies APC’s support local enterprise and quality of life in the local community. Examples include encouraging job creation and developing business initiatives in urban areas of high unemployment (Ballymun, Tallaght in Dublin). Graffiti removal, community childcare facilities, installing CCTV.

This a state organisations that are needed for development of young farmers, existing farms and areas of agricultural development. It is particularly interested in the  development of rural enterprise as this helps local farming communities the decline that currently exists in traditional farming. E.g. farmers from the West Mayo area set up LAMB DIRECT – Buying lamb produce direct from the farmer at more competitive prices than from local wholesale retailers and local butchers.  

This is also a state agency that offer grant availability, mentoring assistance, support & advice to those businesses that are set up in gaeltacht areas.​ E.g Gweedore, Connemara