Longford Community Resources Ltd

Longford Longford Community Community

Resources LtdResources Ltd

Longford Community Enterprise Longford Community Enterprise Centre, Longford, IrelandCentre, Longford, Ireland

A Development Company A Development Company Covering County Covering County

LongfordLongford

AIMAIM: “To Promote Positive Change in Social, : “To Promote Positive Change in Social, Economic and EnvironmentalEconomic and Environmental Development in Co. Longford”Development in Co. Longford”

Key focus:Tackling social exclusion and Key focus:Tackling social exclusion and social & economic disadvantagesocial & economic disadvantage

Membership of Longford Membership of Longford Community Resources Ltd.Community Resources Ltd.

Company Status:Company Status: Limited by Guarantee, with Limited by Guarantee, with

Charitable StatusCharitable Status 19 Board Members from 4 sectors19 Board Members from 4 sectors Community/Voluntary and State Community/Voluntary and State

AgenciesAgencies Social Partners/Elected Social Partners/Elected

RepresentativesRepresentatives Relevant Substructures that support Relevant Substructures that support

the numerous programmesthe numerous programmes

Key Statistics on County Key Statistics on County LongfordLongford

Area Size 257,970 acresArea Size 257,970 acres Population 31,066Population 31,066 29 Persons per square kilometre29 Persons per square kilometre 36.2% of population are age dependent 36.2% of population are age dependent

(32.3% nationally)(32.3% nationally) 41% of population left school by 15 41% of population left school by 15

years (35% nationally)years (35% nationally)

Main Barriers to Development in Main Barriers to Development in Co. LongfordCo. Longford

Low population density and imbalanced age Low population density and imbalanced age structurestructure

Significant educational disadvantage and early Significant educational disadvantage and early school leavingschool leaving

Over reliance on agriculture and lack of indigenous Over reliance on agriculture and lack of indigenous industryindustry

No third level institution or vocational training No third level institution or vocational training facilities in the Countyfacilities in the County

Infrastructural weakness and concerns around the Infrastructural weakness and concerns around the sustainability of the environmentsustainability of the environment

Inadequate tourism development (.6% of Inadequate tourism development (.6% of international arrivals)international arrivals)

Strategic Aims Strategic Aims

To support and encourage rural and To support and encourage rural and community development in Co. community development in Co. Longford Longford

To actively promote social inclusion To actively promote social inclusion in Co. Longfordin Co. Longford

To influence policy and lobby for To influence policy and lobby for change and social justice at all levelschange and social justice at all levels

To strengthen LCRL as a company To strengthen LCRL as a company and maximise its resourcesand maximise its resources

TO SUPPORT & ENCOURAGE TO SUPPORT & ENCOURAGE RURAL & COMMUNITY RURAL & COMMUNITY

DEVELOPMENTDEVELOPMENT 2-pronged approach develop a 2-pronged approach develop a

capacity building programme: capacity building programme: To address lack of local To address lack of local

community development community development capacity throughout the county. capacity throughout the county.

To raise the capacity of very To raise the capacity of very socially excluded people to help socially excluded people to help themselvesthemselves

TO SUPPORT & ENCOURAGE TO SUPPORT & ENCOURAGE RURAL & COMMUNITY RURAL & COMMUNITY

DEVELOPMENTDEVELOPMENT Promote awareness of the need Promote awareness of the need

for better utilization of natural for better utilization of natural resources leading to new and resources leading to new and sustainable employment sustainable employment opportunities both on and off opportunities both on and off farms.farms.

Develop a coherent local rural Develop a coherent local rural development strategydevelopment strategy

Groups & Issues SupportedGroups & Issues Supported

Youth & Early School Leaving & its Youth & Early School Leaving & its PreventionPrevention

Older People & Rural TransportOlder People & Rural Transport TravellersTravellers Long Term UnemployedLong Term Unemployed Rural & Community Development GroupsRural & Community Development Groups Disadvantaged Women & Lone ParentsDisadvantaged Women & Lone Parents Low Income FarmersLow Income Farmers Refugees & Asylum SeekersRefugees & Asylum Seekers Tourism DevelopmentTourism Development

Programmes/Funds Secured & Programmes/Funds Secured & Managed by Longford Community Managed by Longford Community

ResourcesResources 1995 - 2000 LEADER II Programme1995 - 2000 LEADER II Programme 1996 - 2000 Local Development 1996 - 2000 Local Development

Programme (to tackle long term Programme (to tackle long term unemployment & social exclusion)unemployment & social exclusion)

1997- 2000 Equal Opportunities 1997- 2000 Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme (to improve Childcare Programme (to improve quantity & quality of community & quantity & quality of community & private childcare in our region)private childcare in our region)

Programmes/Funds Secured & Programmes/Funds Secured & ManagedManaged

2000-2006 LEADER + Programme2000-2006 LEADER + Programme 2001-2006 National Rural 2001-2006 National Rural

Development Programme (Tourism Development Programme (Tourism funding)funding)

2001 -2003 CAIT Initiative (provide 2001 -2003 CAIT Initiative (provide information technology training to information technology training to socially excluded groups)socially excluded groups)

2002 -2006 Millennium Fund for 2002 -2006 Millennium Fund for Disadvantaged Students in 3Disadvantaged Students in 3rdrd level level


2002- 2006- Rural Transport Initiative 2002- 2006- Rural Transport Initiative (provision of rural transport services in (provision of rural transport services in North Longford)North Longford)

2000-2008- Longford Traveller Project 2000-2008- Longford Traveller Project (build the capacity & skills of the (build the capacity & skills of the Traveller community enabling the Traveller community enabling the development of a group that is Traveller development of a group that is Traveller led to tackle issues eg accommodation, led to tackle issues eg accommodation, health, education, unemployment & health, education, unemployment & discrimination)discrimination)


2005-2007 Co. Longford Youth 2005-2007 Co. Longford Youth Service from Dormant Accounts & the Service from Dormant Accounts & the Dept of Education (provision of youth Dept of Education (provision of youth service in region to support youth & service in region to support youth & communities)communities)

2005-2007 - Community 2005-2007 - Community Development Work- Dormant Development Work- Dormant Accounts Fund (providing 2 workers Accounts Fund (providing 2 workers as community development support as community development support to specific disadvantaged areas)to specific disadvantaged areas)

Programmes/Funds - continuedProgrammes/Funds - continued 2005-2007 Rural Social Scheme (provide p/t 2005-2007 Rural Social Scheme (provide p/t

employment to low income farmers by employment to low income farmers by providing them with pay for community providing them with pay for community work eg caretaking of halls, village work eg caretaking of halls, village enhancement, social care, developing walks enhancement, social care, developing walks & amenities& amenities

2006 Co Longford Youth Service-Dept2006 Co Longford Youth Service-Dept of Healthof Health 2006- 2008 Equal Opportunities Childcare 2006- 2008 Equal Opportunities Childcare

Programme – 4 After School Services (for Programme – 4 After School Services (for disadvantaged children identified by the disadvantaged children identified by the schools as requiring extra support)schools as requiring extra support)

Total Funding to DateTotal Funding to Date Also involved in 2 EQUAL Programmes to Also involved in 2 EQUAL Programmes to support women into enterprise with Longford support women into enterprise with Longford

EQUAL Partnership and an Equality for EQUAL Partnership and an Equality for Women Programme for a Skills AgencyWomen Programme for a Skills Agency

Funding secured by Longford Community Funding secured by Longford Community Resources since its establishment in Resources since its establishment in

late1995late1995

€€17m17m

LCRL Staff TeamLCRL Staff Team 1 1 ManagerManager 2 Administrators2 Administrators 2 Social Inclusion Co-ordinators2 Social Inclusion Co-ordinators 2 LEADER Project Workers2 LEADER Project Workers 2 Traveller Development Workers2 Traveller Development Workers 2 Community Development Workers2 Community Development Workers 1 Rural Transport Co-ordinator1 Rural Transport Co-ordinator 1 Enterprise Worker1 Enterprise Worker 1 Employment Mediator1 Employment Mediator 1 Farm Family Development Worker1 Farm Family Development Worker

LCRL Staff TeamLCRL Staff Team

1 Youth Service Co-ordinate & 3 Youth workers1 Youth Service Co-ordinate & 3 Youth workers 1 Rural Social Scheme & 2 Supervisors1 Rural Social Scheme & 2 Supervisors 54 workers on Rural Social Scheme in region54 workers on Rural Social Scheme in region 1 After School Co-ordinator & 13 p/t childcare 1 After School Co-ordinator & 13 p/t childcare

workersworkers 1 Education Co-ordinator1 Education Co-ordinator 1 Secretary & 1 p/t Volunteer Co-ordinator1 Secretary & 1 p/t Volunteer Co-ordinator LCRL contract 1 Womens Development Worker LCRL contract 1 Womens Development Worker

& 1 p/t Refugee Support Worker to Womens & 1 p/t Refugee Support Worker to Womens CentreCentre

Reduced Administration costs - shared Reduced Administration costs - shared Manager, Administrators & SecretaryManager, Administrators & Secretary

Shared Buildings and Office EquipmentShared Buildings and Office Equipment Greater collaboration and integration Greater collaboration and integration

between the staff and resources of the between the staff and resources of the different programmesdifferent programmes

Greater ability to respond more effectively to Greater ability to respond more effectively to the issues and difficulties facing the region the issues and difficulties facing the region

Benefits of Management of Multiple Programmes


Greater integration between the Greater integration between the programmes administered as they programmes administered as they are all contained within one are all contained within one companycompany

Multiple responses to the problems Multiple responses to the problems of the region eg to tackle early of the region eg to tackle early school leaving of Traveller children school leaving of Traveller children in a no. of waysin a no. of ways

More holistic support to the people More holistic support to the people and communities of the region.and communities of the region.


1 Local Contact Point for Government 1 Local Contact Point for Government Depts.Depts.

One company administering all so One company administering all so less confusing to our customers less confusing to our customers

Greater awareness by the agencies of the Greater awareness by the agencies of the individuals circumstancesindividuals circumstances

Familiarity with the other supports provided Familiarity with the other supports provided by Longford Community Resources for by Longford Community Resources for communities, families and individuals.communities, families and individuals.

Difficulties in Multiple Difficulties in Multiple Programme ManagementProgramme Management

Less Time to spend on the Less Time to spend on the programmes planning & delivery due programmes planning & delivery due to all under 1 roofto all under 1 roof

Needs Co-ordinators for all Needs Co-ordinators for all Programmes to support staff and Programmes to support staff and integrate our workintegrate our work

Need wide expertise at Board levelNeed wide expertise at Board level More demanding on Board & Manager More demanding on Board & Manager

& Administrators& Administrators Need a Human Resources Manager at Need a Human Resources Manager at

this point !!this point !!

Contact:Contact:

Longford Community Resources Longford Community Resources Ltd.Ltd.

Longford Community Enterprise CentreLongford Community Enterprise CentreBallinalee RoadBallinalee Road

LongfordLongford

Tel: 043-45555 Fax: 043-44093Tel: 043-45555 Fax: 043-44093Email: Email: [email protected]@lcrl.ie

Web: Web: www.lcrl.iewww.lcrl.ie

Documents

Longford Community Resources Ltd