Community Development
From ZuluNotes - Free Leaving Cert Notes
Community
A community is a group of people who recognise their independence on one another and who co-operate on an ongoing basis for the benefit of all.
Viable/Healthy Communities
> Secure employment
> Education and training facilities
> Local service centre
> Social activities
> Basic infrastracture
> Community Identity
> Self-reliant approach to community problems
> A range of organisations
Communities in decline
> Happens to a rural community when it has too little to offer its young people in terms of activities and job.
> As a result, many young people move elsewhere to live.
> Happens in large towns and cities.
> In areas which have been neglected and which lack facilities and employment opportunities.
> These leads to a feeling of hopelessness, which results to in a lot of young people "hanging around", unemployed and bored. = Vandalism, crime, drug taking.
Community Development
Community development is when local people and organisations take the initiative to increase the level of social and economic activity within the community, so that the community can thrive and be an attractive place in which people can work and live.
Steps in Community Development Process
1. A meeting of all interested parties to agree on community development.
2. A community development team is selected.
3. Research on the area, defining problems, identifying realistic goals.
4. A local resource audit is caried out.
5. A number of potential development projects are identified and prioritised.
6. Contact with State Agencies. (advise, training, finance)
7. Investment and loan finance is sought.
Examples of Possible Community Development Projects
> Community resource centre
> Skills and training programmes
> Enterprise support centre
> Tourist attraction projects
> Child care services
> Tidy Town Competition
> Local Credit Union
> Small businesses
> Use of local resources
Factors which Contribute to the Success of Community Enterprises
> Self help, self reliance
> Community leaders
> Increase in education, training and skills
> Be locally driven - motivated
> Involve a wide cross-section of the community
> Be Carefully planned
> Local investment
> Real commitment
> Involvement of relevant agencies
Benefits of Community Development
> Jobs are created
> Confidence in the future
> New businesses
> Improving in physical appearance
> Sense of identity and pride
> An upward spiral of growth and prosperity is created
Possible Difficulties Faced in Community Development
> Lack of business experience
> Lack of finance
> Lack of management skills
> Shortage of appropriate industrial skills
> Marketing difficulties
> Planning permission and other regulations
> Local disagreements
> Apathy
Agencies Which Can Help Community Development
City and County Enterprise Boards (CEBs)
> Helps Entrepreneurs start up small businesses in their own city or county.
> Offers :
- Grants - up to 50% of the capital cost. (max of E60,000 and for feasibility study up to E6,000)
- Management training programms
- Mentoring
Area Partnership Companies (APCs)
> Helps social and economic development of specific disadvantaged areas (urban blight).
> Each Partnership Company operates induvidually to meet the specific needs of tis own area.
> Provides support to unemployment people setting up their own businesses through:
- Help with Business Plans
- Financial support
- Mentoring
- The provision of work space
- Help and advice on marketing
- Training
> Latest in a series of initiatives from the EU
> Aimed at promoting rural development
> Provides funding for local enterprise projects
> Projects qualify for LEADER funding include:
- Local tourism development
- Craft enterprises
- Production and marketing of local primary products
- Improvement of the local enviroment
- Training Initiatives
- Feasibility studies
LEADER - Liaisons Entre Acions de Developpement de l'Economie Rurale'
> Provides a range of supports for community enterprise development though its Community Enterprise Programme.
> Gives grant aid to social enterprises which provide opportunity for the long-term employment
> Offers :
- Advice on new enterprise
- Management and staff training
- Grants to fun feasibility studies
- Assistance with requitment and selection of staff
Other Agencies that Assist Community Enterprise
> Enterprise Ireland
> Bord Failte
> Bord Iascaigh Mhara
> Bord Glas
> Bord Bia
> CERT
> The Crafts Council of Ireland
> Teagasc
> Business Innovation Centres
Why Are There So Many Agencies To Help Small Enterprises?
> They ensure that the benefits of enomic growth are spread
> Some enterprises require "outside" help
> Depopulated/Disadvantaged rural areas depend on small enterprises
> Localy based agancies understand local problems and opportunities
> National agancies (FAS, CERT) have expertise in the area
> The Various agencies co-operate with one another
How Businesses Can Help Community Develpment
> Employment creation
> Local Purchases
> Wealth creation
> Standard of living
> Quality of life
> Stability for the future
IN EXAM
FOR EACH OF THE POINTS ONE MUST GIVE:
1 SENTENCE OF EXPLANATION
1 SENTENCE TO ADD TO THAT EXPLANATION
1 SENTENCE AS EXAMPLE
--Yuugib 23:00, 19 February 2008 (UTC)
