Helping Hands – Information session for community groups on improving your grant applications

The Peatlands Community Engagement Scheme, established by the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Josepha Madigan, T.D., seeks to encourage local peatland communities, local groups, local schools and individuals to engage with her Department in relation to the conservation and revitalisation of raised bog Special Areas of Conservation, Natural Heritage Areas and other raised bog areas and to promote public engagement with and awareness of our natural heritage.

Or  contact:

Peatlands Management Unit,
Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

Ph (053) 9117361 / (053) 9117384

Email: peatlandsmanagement@chg.gov.ie

Closing date for applications is 4pm, Friday 24 May, 2019

The Draft National Social Enterprise Policy is part of a suite of policy initiatives which will complement theStrategy to Support the Community and Voluntary Sectors in Ireland, and the forthcoming National Volunteering Strategy, which are also being developed by the Department.

The proposed draft policy is focused on three Objectives:

1.       Building Awareness of Social Enterprise

2.       Growing and Strengthening Social Enterprise

3.       Achieving Better Policy Alignment

4.        

Responses will inform the preparation of the National Social Enterprise Policy for Ireland

How to participate:

The recommended means of response is by email to:SEConsultation@drcd.gov.ie  

Alternatively, responses can be posted to:

Social Enterprise Policy Consultation,

Department of Rural and Community Development,

Trinity Point,

10-11 Leinster Street South,

Dublin 2,

Submissions should be as concise as possible but in any event should not exceed 10 pages. Any submissions received after the closing date of 14 May 2019 may not be considered.

Responses will inform the preparation of the National Policy on Social Enterprise.

Any submissions received may be published on the Department’s website.

The closing date for submissions is Tuesday 14^th May 2019

The “Pride in our Community” Competition is open to all voluntary groups in County Cork  

• Has your group developed or are you in the process of improving amenities in your local community? 
• Are you a Tidy Towns Group in the process of improving your area ?
• Are your group planning Community walks and trails?
• Playgrounds, Community Fields?
• Community Centre renovations? 
• upgrades to monuments and amenity areas? 
• River clean-ups, 
• Community Signs, Murals?
• Biodiversity areas, Community gardens, allotments? 
• Graveyard restoration? 
• Floral displays on streetscape? 
• All weather facilities, tree planting, Floral bedding etc?

The competition also seeks to make people conscious of their environment and to promote litter-free communities and the overall development of their area.

This initiative also supports the County Cork Biodiversity Action Plan through conserving& enhancing biodiversity in our daily lives.

It is open to all communities in county Cork big and small. 

Enter Online here   It takes just two minutes to enter.

Closing Date June 1st 2019

This free training programme is aimed at community group members and individuals who are interested in planning for their own town and surrounding areas.  It will run throughout 2019 and will allow you and your neighbouring community members to discuss the future of your own area.  Topics to be covered will include Enterprise and Asset Management, Social, Community and Volunteer supports and Climate Change.

The first meeting in May 2019 will be critical as it will allow Hinks-CIT to shape a specific training programme for your town and surrounding villages / catchments that will be delivered from September 2019.

SECAD need as many people from different backgrounds, interests, ages and cultures to participate and invite you to take this opportunity to become part of this important process aimed at sustaining your community’s vibrancy and resilience.

Clonakilty            Fernhill House Hotel, Clonakilty                                        Tues 14 May  7-9pm

Kinsale  Saile Sports and Leisure Centre, Kinsale                                        Wed 15 May 7-9pm

Skibbereen         The West Cork Hotel, Skibbereen                                    Mon 27 May 7-9pm

Rosscarbery       Celtic Ross Hotel, Rosscarbery                                           Tues 28 May 7-9pm

SOUTH CORK                    

Midleton             MY Place, Mill Road, Midleton                                            Tues 7 May 7-9pm

Cobh     Great Island Community Centre, Cobh                                          Mon 20 May 7-9pm

Carrigaline           Carrigaline Lions Youth Centre, Carrigaline                    Tues 21 May 7-9pm

Youghal                Cumann na Daoine, Catherine St, Youghal                     Wed 22 May 7-9pm

Places on the SECAD My Town, My Plan training programme are limited, so please call to reserve a place by contacting Nuala at SECAD on 021 4613432 or noconnell@secad.ie

Your community group is invited to attend a regional event which will provide information on how to submit good applications for grant funding.

The events in each area are run by the Department of Rural & Community Development, Pobal, the Local Authority, the Irish Local Development Network, and the Local Development Company/Companies. 

The events are aimed at community groups that have had no success or limited success previously, but all are welcome to attend.

Calling all seniors Groups in the North Cork Area

Cork County Federation Muintir na Tire and Glanworth Community Council cordially invites members of your group to an evening of Information, refreshments, music, song and dancing to local musicians

Introductions and Welcome   7.30pm

Staying In Touch   7.45 pm 

Speaker Mary Allen 

Community Connect 

Making Cork an Age Friendly County 8.15 pm

Speaker Liz Downes 

Cork Age Friendly Council

This will be followed by music and dancing to local musicians

A Raffle will be held to defray expenses

Wednesday May 15h  at 7.30pm sharp.

RSVP with Numbers attending by  May 8th

Tel 021 4500688  Mobile 0872034876   8 Sidney Place Wellington Road Cork    email admin@muintircork.com

Kindly supported by the HSE Community Work Dept

The Social Inclusion Forum (SIF) is part of the structures put in place by the Government to support the development and implementation of its plans to address poverty and social inclusion. The event provides a forum for consultation and discussion on social inclusion issues, particularly with people experiencing poverty and social exclusion and the groups that work with them.

Community Work Ireland and EAPN Ireland, are organising a number of pre-SIF workshops to discuss the issues that you would like to see represented at the Social Inclusion Forum.

To register please click here

The EU plays a major role in both protecting and shaping the Irish environment and our elected representatives in Brussels have a direct hand in shaping that policy.

With European Parliament election time nearly upon us again, the Environmental Pillar is holding a series of public debates to gauge where candidates stand on key environmental and climate issues before the polling stations open on 23 May.

They will also answer questions from the public who will have a great opportunity to put candidates through their paces on environmental and climate issues of concern to the general public.

Confirmed candidates include:

• MEP Liadh Ní Riada, Sinn Fein
• MEP Deirdre Clune, Fine Gael
• Senator Grace O’Sullivan, Green Party
• Councillor Malcolm Byrne, Fianna Fáil
• Adrienne Wallace, People Before Profit

The event will be moderated by Bernadette Connolly, the Coordinator of the Cork Environmental Forum

Booking on Eventbrite – https://goo.gl/LhM6pd

Light Pollution is a growing concern in Ireland, with direct implications for the economy, security and the environment, and with potentially significant impacts to human health.

There is currently no national policy or legislation in Ireland to deal with light pollution. In light of recent announcements that high-efficiency-lighting retrofits are due to be rolled out on a national level, it is crucial that Ireland adopts a lighting policy that is evidence-based and reflects the very best practices in terms of protecting our health, our economy, our environment, and indeed our Dark Sky Heritage.

This event is relevant to a wide range of stakeholders including local government, planners, engineers, architects, tourism groups, environmental groups and the wider public.

13^th May at Vertigo, County Hall 9.30am -1pm

Booking is through Eventbrite here

An alliance of 30 national organisations working to address poverty, social exclusion and inequality is calling on candidates in the Local and European Elections to state how they will deliver on positive and inclusive social values should they get elected.

The Community Platform, which tomorrow launches its Manifestos for the Local and European Election, is calling on candidates, and those who are voting on the 24^th May, to prioritise the delivery of the values of Community, Decency and Participation. The Platform includes organisations representing people who are homeless, lone parents, people with disabilities, Travellers, people who are unemployed, migrants, women and those experiencing other forms of exclusion and disadvantage.

Alongside the manifestos the Community Platform have information available aimed at supporting the wider public to engage with election candidates on the values of Community, Decency and Participation during the election campaign. This is also available on the website through the link above.

EAPN can be contacted on 01 8745737

Or Email: communityplatform@eapn.ie   Website: www.communityplatform.ie

This Information Session is for organisations who want to learn more about the European Solidarity Corps. Participants will gain understanding of the aims and objectives of the European Solidarity Corps, how funding works, what activities are possible, and learn about the different strands. The session will include time to connect with Léargas staff and peers.

skavanagh@leargas.ie

Time: 10:00 – 14:00 p.m.

Location: Cork City Council, City Hall, Anglesea St.

National Biodiversity Week is all about connecting people with nature. It’s about communicating the importance of biodiversity and motivating people to play their part in protecting it. It’s also about entertaining them, showing the fun and wonder that can be found in nature, and inspiring people to learn more, see more, do more.

Check out the Events section of www.biodiversityweek.ieover the coming days to see what’s taking place near you!

When it comes to heritage one of the highlights every year is National Heritage Week, which takes place from Saturday 17^th to Sunday 25^thAugust, 2019. The Theme for this year is ‘Pastimes and Past Times’, encouraging everyone to take a stroll through our local history and explore how our free time has evolved in often fascinating ways from sports and storytelling to music and craft.

Heritage Week is coordinated by the Heritage Council and is part of European Heritage Days which promotes Europe’s cultural heritage across the Union. Heritage Week 2019 – Ireland’s most popular cultural event –  is expected to see over half a million people engage in the week, with an anticipated 2,200 plus events on offer.

National Heritage Week 2019 has two special themed days:

Wild Child Day – Wednesday 21 August. On this day, event organisers are encouraged to host events specifically for children, from history hunts and storytelling sessions to crafts workshops.

Water Heritage Day –Sunday 25 August. Together with the Local Authority Waters Programme, we celebrate our most precious natural resource in all its forms, from the sea to rivers, lakes and ponds.

Event registration for the website listings will remain open until August. For more information on Heritage Week or indeed to register a local event visit www.heritageweek.ie and for those looking for a few ideas the Heritage Council has produced a wonderful document with one hundred suggestions which is available to view here

Please see attached newsletter relevant for youth work practitioners, and all those working and participating in Dept of Children and Youth Affairs (DCYA) -funded projects.