ISSUE 72 - May-June 2021 NOT FOR PROFIT CCCOMMUNITYHANGINGHANGING DEVELOPMENT - COLLECTIVE ACTION - EMPOWERMENT - SOCIALIIRELANDRELAND INCLUSION - www.changingireland.ie “Conas atáIf people can betú?” supported during a pandemic to integrate imagine all we can achieve together when it’s behind us! The essence of community development NICOLA BROWNE: INSIDE: ‘Our Rural Future’ makes 150 commitments including setting up pub hubs - we talk to Pat Kennedy ALSO: Gentrification and homelessness in Dublin; Vaccine Equity; Community education; Employment supports; Forging ahead in Kerry; Horace returns An elephant in the room This publication is produced by Changing Ireland Community Media CLG, an independent, not-for-profit NGO funded through the Department of Rural and Community Development. Tusla Fostering I am Raising Amazing It’s the ordinary little moments in the foster care journey that show children just how amazing they are. #Tuslafostering #RaisingAmazing Freephone: 1800 226 771 E: [email protected] W: fostering.ie INDEPENDENT ‘Changing Ireland’ is an independent, community- based, not-for-profit publication. ‘Changing Ireland’ABOUT engages in originalUS journalism to highlight the impact of local and community development and social inclusion work in Ireland. We report on action on the ground and provide a space for reflection on what serves people and communities best. The magazine was established in 2001 and is based in Moyross, Limerick. We value social justice, equality and fair play and to aim to give people who are rarely heard a voice. We produce journalism to highlight valuable work funded or supported by Government departments and agencies. We provide a platform for those on the ground in communities. Our readers include workers, activists and volunteers nationwide, civil and public servants and many more involved in social inclusion and community development. ‘Changing Ireland’ is core-funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development. See page 4 for information about the team behind ‘Changing Ireland’. SUPPORT ‘Changing Ireland’ generates a small amount of social enterprise revenue. It is core-funded by Government since 2001, receiving support from the: Tusla Contents Fostering I am NEWS FEATURES Raising 5 5 • Minister O’Brien moves on integration. • We must teach newcomers, said Celeste. Amazing 15 6-7 • HSE chief Paul Reid says vaccine queue • Integrate better with ‘an cúpla focal’. skipping an abuse of trust. • Angolan refugee & Sudanese doctor enjoy It’s the ordinary little moments 18 sean nós dance classes during lockdown. in the foster care journey • Huge appetite for 8 pilot Community 8-11 that show children just how Development Projects in 2021 • #SicapStories - Joy in community dev’t. amazing they are. 19 • How Wexford gained trust to work with people here seeking sanctuary. #Tuslafostering • Rural and Community News Update. #RaisingAmazing 24 • Aontas calls for gov’t focus on community education. 24 Freephone: 1800 226 771 E: [email protected] • Call to protect Local Employment Services. W: fostering.ie 25 • €70m in LEADER funding welcomed. VIEWS 9 • Siobhán O’Brien: Real community work is about building trust, relations & community. 16-17 12-13 • Nicola Browne: We need to put the • DUBLIN: Locals displaced by inner city’s ‘human’ back into human rights and social gentrification. care organisations. • Profits from luxury apartments outweigh other concerns. 26-27 • LEADER: Kerry village forges ahead. LAUNCHES / SUPPORT 14 • The WHO’s Dr Mike Ryan on vaccine equity. 15 22-23 • The Wheel has weekly updates for • Pat Kennedy on ‘Our Rural Future’: Let’s community groups on vaccine rollout. open community pub hubs without delay. 20-21 28 • ‘Our Rural Future’ is the Government’s • Horace’s Diary - no masking the truth! blueprint to transform rural Ireland. 3 Editorial INTegraTION & EQUITY: CONAS ATÁ TÚ? he work in communities new communities. They continued to advocate for people - from Tis nicely showcased And, as he has himself highlighted, the Dublin’s inner city to the islands - and their nowadays online. Government of Ireland now reaches out through voices were heard, we hope, at that recent Social The Wheel members, community workers to support asylum-seekers Inclusion Forum. Hundreds of people attended LEADER programme from the moment they arrive. each day for a four-day event and policy makers beneficiaries and workers Meanwhile, work behind the scenes to replace assured all present (online) that they were funded under the Social Direct Provision is gathering pace. listening. If so, the post-pandemic recovery may Inclusion and Community yet be a community-led one. More to follow - as Activation Programme In other good news for those working in they say - in the next edition. (SICAP) now all produce videos from time to community development, 15 applications were time to reveal how their work changes society. received for each of the eight pilot Community Internationally, Irish activists, NGOs and For so many years, our work has been hidden. Development Projects (CDPs) to be funded by communities have been asked by Dr Mike Ryan It is time to shine a spotlight on it. Government this year. In all, more than 120 to get behind the WHO’s global campaign for Take Meath for example where Cultúr is applications were submitted three weeks after vaccine equity. History will judge our actions, working to integrate asylum-seekers, refugees the call was made by the Department of Rural he says. He was awarded the Romero Award by and migrants - most recently by offering Irish and Community Development. Good luck to the Trocaire in February. language and dance classes during lockdown. eight that are chosen and, if successful, a fuller They went down a treat. programme should follow. Finally, my thoughts are with the family of the In Wexford - as also featured here - It only seems like last week when we had 180 late Eileen Lucey who graced our front cover at community workers under SICAP have made CDPs. Christmas-time alongside a friendly carer from people welcome during a pandemic. No mean Offaly. May she and all others we have lost in feat, but the same good community work is Also, it is good to see that the State is now recent months rest in peace and long may they happening across the country, from Inchicore to committed to reducing consistent poverty to 2%, be remembered for all the good they did and joy West Mayo. an outcome of the recently held Social Inclusion they brought to this world. The Minister responsible for much in this Forum (attendees wanted a target of 0%). area - Minister of State Joe O’Brien - knows all about integration from his own work in the area During the latest and hopefully the last and he is high in praise of the SICAP programme lockdown as a result of the pandemic, for the difference it makes across Ireland. He community groups and volunteers continued to recently launched a report compiled by Pobal be to the fore in reaching out to and supporting Allen Meagher examining the programme’s effectiveness with the most vulnerable in our comunities. FILE A REPORT FOR US! If you believe in Community Development and enjoy writing, why not file a report for us about your community project and what makes it unique. 300-400 words is plenty (and a photo if possible). Certain criteria apply. Your first point of contact should be the editor. Published By: Production: Established in 2001, ‘Changing Ireland’ is a national magazine Editor: Allen Meagher. focused on community development and social inclusion. It Editorial Team: Robert Carey, Joe Saunders, Viv Sadd, Grace is managed and published by Changing Ireland Community Barrett, Paul Geraghty/Bernie Reape and Allen Meagher. Media CLG., through funding from the Department of Rural & Packing and Distribution: Speedpak, Dublin, an award- Community Development. winning social enterprise. Printed by: Davis Printers, Limerick. Tel Editor: 061-326057. E: [email protected] Office: ‘Changing Ireland’, Community Enterprise Centre, Voluntary Board of Directors: Cathy Jones (chair), George Moyross, Limerick. Clancy (vice), Seamus McGiff (sec), Andrew O’Byrne and Shane O’Sullivan. W: www.changingireland.ie T: @changingireland Thanks To . ‘Changing Ireland’ thanks everyone involved in the production F: www.facebook.com/changingirelandmedia/ of Issue 72. Y: youtube.com/changingireland L: linkedin.com/company/changing-ireland Front Cover: I: changingireland Main picture: Tinu Achioya, programme manager with Cultúr Also: Issuu.com based in Co. Meath. DISCLAIMER The views expressed in this magazine are those of the author concerned. They do not, by any means, necessarily reflect the views of the editor, the editorial team, the voluntary management board of Changing Ireland Community Media CLG, or its core-funder the Department of Rural & Community Development. 4 INCLUSION MINISTER MOVES ON INTEGRATION inister of State Joe O’Brien Provision move forward: an area that I think is particularly launched a report titled ‘The “This report provides important important, political participation. MRole of SICAP in Supporting New evidence that the State’s main social “Last month Minister O’Gorman Communities’ on March 23rd. inclusion programme – SICAP - is and I launched a new approach and It looks at the role of the Social working effectively to help new indeed a new relationship between Inclusion and Community Activation communities to integrate successfully the Irish State and people seeking Programme (SICAP) in contributing in their local communities and international protection, where to integration and supporting people into life in Ireland. The report is a the State’s efforts and supports in new communities to overcome testament to the work of the 46 local to promote integration formally barriers. development companies across the start from the first day a protection Although it was not possible country that are implementing the applicant arrives in Ireland. Many to interview members of new programme. Local Development Companies • Minister of State, Joe O’Brien.