SPRING ‘09 Issue 28 The National Magazine of the COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME - Funding 180 CDPs €2.25 www.changingireland.ie Inside: PARTICIPATION: IRISH TRAVELLERS WANT TO WALK IN OBAMA’S SHOES Curran on Camera 10 - 11 Ballymun Travellers want to stay 14 - 15 OBAMA IN THE WHITE HOUSE, TRAVELLERS IN THE MANSION HOUSE ALSO INSIDE: Finding your feet in Ballymun, Regeneration in Dublin, Dundalk and Limerick, Data-sharing from Boston to Fingal, Blogging from Edenmore, Video WHO highlights Donegal success Competition, news, features and good humour for desperate times. 18 - 19 This publication and most projects featured are part of the COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME Editorial * * * * * Meanwhile, at local level, the best thing community Out of a crisis organisations in disadvantaged areas could be doing this year is getting people to register to vote. Éamon Ó Cuív has said it before – communities and groups of people who vote get looked after, or at least they don’t come last in the pecking order when comes change politicians are making budgetary decisions. Community Development is a tool for positive change and one recognised worldwide. It seeks to understand the nature and structure * * * * * of power in any one society and to rebalance the distribution of The core-readership of this magazine, volunteers and workers power (and therefore resources). in the Community and Voluntary Sector must work to have The national Community Development Programme employs their voices heard clearly and in unison on issues as they emerge around 350 people, many of whom have personally experienced this year, the rise in racism being one. If doing so, we may also some level of poverty, discrimination or alienation. The Programme provide leadership by showing good example. includes up to 2000 volunteers in its 180 projects who have even more experience. * * * * * We all buy into the idea of leading from the bottom-up, but what Speaking of good example, this issue’s main theme is really changes society? participation, a cornerstone of community development. One of Economist Milton Friedman famously wrote: “Only a crisis, our highlights is a report on a model of participation involving actual or perceived, produces real change”. He applied his theory to a CDP in Lifford that has been recognised by the World Health pushing unregulated free-market capitalism on many underdeveloped Organisation. The hope is that more will follow their lead. countries, or “disaster capitalism” as Naomi Klein terms it. However, his definition of change can be usefully applied at personal, community or nation-state level. People probably need to Published By: identify a crisis at personal, family or community level to be prodded ‘Changing Ireland’ is the national magazine of the Community into seeking change by joining or setting up a community group. Development Programme and is managed and published by the This is a positive reaction to crisis. Community Development Network, Moyross, Limited, through funding from the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht * * * * * Affairs. Another positive action in times of crisis is to be practical. Postal address: ‘Changing Ireland’, c/o Community Enterprise Some argue that Ireland’s economy will go downhill if salaries Centre, Moyross, Limerick. are cut and if “consumers” cannot spend. I was at a wedding last Office base: Unit 3, Sarsfield Gardens Business Centre, Sarsfield weekend and a girl at our table wore €700 shoes and I see no loss Gardens, Moyross, Limerick. to society if that type of luxury spending disappears. Public spending cuts and rising taxes are inevitable and I believe Tel Editor: 061-458011. Tel Administrator: 061-458090. it’s better to fight to hold onto the services and programmes for Fax: 061-325300. E-mail: [email protected] good that we have in this country than to grow bitter over personal [email protected] Website: www.changingireland.ie spending losses (so long as salary cuts are on a sliding scale and are introduced fairly across the board). Production: In national terms, I never saw the good in running a country Editor: Allen Meagher on high personal salaries and low-level public services and would Administrator (part-time): Tim Hourigan have gladly given up 30-40% of my income in return for improved Editorial team: Viv Sadd, Niamh Walsh, Juan Carlos Azzopardi services. and Allen Meagher. Why shouldn’t Ireland follow Scandinavia? Reporting: Articles are primarily written by Community * * * * * Development workers and volunteers who have an interest in I’d happily negotiate away up to 30% or more of my income in reporting. return for a country: Design and print by: The Print Factory, Five Alley, Birr, Co. - Where services and supports to the poor, powerless and Offaly. W: www.printfactory.ie vulnerable are guaranteed, - Where children and older people come first. Aren’t we calling for that since the Easter Rising? Thanks To . - Where white-collar criminals are jailed and small-time debtors ‘Changing Ireland’ thanks everyone involved in the production of and petty criminals are released and given community service. Issue 28. - Where human rights are properly promoted and protected, - Where public services such as transport are improved, Disclaimer - Where our commitment to official overseas development aid was The views expressed in this newsletter are those of the author maintained. concerned. They do not, by any means, necessarily reflect the - And where our prominent trade union leaders on €120,000 or views of the Editor, the editorial team, the management committee more per annum saw their pay halved. The same should apply to of the Community Development Network, Moyross, Ltd., or the anyone in politics, administration or banking on such high salaries. Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. 2. www.pavee.ie/mediamonitor/ Contents: Don’t tell the people where to go! News briefs Primary care in Africa 4 20 Send us your news and we’ll publish it Data-sharing this week! as an anti-poverty tool 5 21-22 Travellers are talking Boston Indicators Project Over 750 join new forum Highlights hope over deprivation 6-7 23 Unemployed and homeless He’s one of us! I found my feed in Ballymun News and views 8-9 24 Curran on Camera Programme news on drugs, cuts, jobs, protesting and heroes Cuts, studies and impacts 10-11 25 45 Ballymun families face losing homes Regeneration works Traveller accommodation at risk nationally If there are no vested interests 14-15 26 Slum-to-slum Help Me Horace! O’Devaney women speak out Are Travellers off their rockers? 27 16-17 Best practice in primary care PRODUCED IN MOYROSS BY THE COMMUNITY 18-19 DEVELOPMENT NETWORK 3. combat riches! Project News Dungarvan CDP Settles Into New €6.5m Home Dungarvan CDP is settling into a new home, having moved into a premises that was renovated at a cost of €6.5 to cater as a multi- purpose community centre. The project is sharing the facility with the local Scouts, the HSE, a special needs pre- Waterford Mothers Power-Struggle school, a project caring for older people, Focus Ireland and others. At the official opening of the Presentation Open New Premises Over Centre In Dún Community Development Centre, Minister The Independent Mother’s Project (IMP) Martin Cullen commended the county has moved into a new dedicated premises Laoghaire manager, the town councillors and members which the volunteers managing the project of the management committee of Dungarvan have named ‘Tosach’. The official opening at The project co-ordinator of a CDP in CDP for bringing the centre to fruition. 42 Barrack Street took place recently with the Dún Laoghaire has concerns over proposals The building was formerly owned by the Mayor of Waterford in attendance. put forward by the local authority for the Presentation Sisters who were there since The IMP works with mothers who are management of a new €4.8m community 1858. parenting alone and provides them with centre. Dungarvan CDP works with over 200 a safe environment to meet. The project Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council members of the community on a weekly basis. provides support, encouragement, development is building the new facility to replace the old The CDP’s management committee won a opportunities, access to information and aims resource centre on the site where Mountwood/ Community and Voluntary Award in 2007 to empower women. Fitzgerald Park CDP is based. and the project provides the backbone to at “We have mothers who put in a huge The opening is scheduled for August this least 17 services and community groups in the commitment to the project over the years year and while describing the new building as area. while raising their young children,” said a “good news story” to local media, the CDP Finance for the new centre came through chairperson, Veronica Malone. “Their project co-ordinator, Marian White, said the the Department of Justice, Equality and Law enthusiasm and energy has got the project to council is attempting to control who sits on Reform, the Department of the Environment, where it is now.” the facility’s new management committee. Heritage and Local Government, Dungarvan The project – as with all CDPs – operates In addition Marian is concerned the council Town Council, POBAIL, the HSE and from Community Development principles. will not grant the CDP a lease on the new Waterford Institute of Technology. For more information, contact Veronica or centre. Dungarvan CDP’s new address is: Amy. T: 051-352866. E: [email protected] “As a Community Development Project we Presentation Community Development Centre, lobbied for about €1.7 million of the funds for Mitchell St., Dungarvan, Co. Waterford. The the building, but having done all that we still project’s phone number remains unchanged. have not got security of tenure,” she said.