Community Development Projects - Clare

Ennis Community Development Project Ennis Community Development Project was established in October 2001. The project works with, and for, people in the asylum process, people with refugee status and people from the Traveller community. The vision of Ennis CDP is to ensure a vibrant, fair and healthy community in Co. Clare by enabling people from the above mentioned communities to participate fully in community life.

The main aims of the project are to:

1. Support people from Traveller, refugee and asylum seeker communities:
   • To participate fully in the life of the community within Ennis
   • To participate in, and influence decision making structures concerned with issues affecting their lives.
2. Promote understanding, diversity and equality in relation to different cultures and the way of life of different communities in Ennis

The geographical area covered by the project is Ennis, Co. Clare. According to the 2002 census there were 715 Travellers in addition to 1300+ asylum seekers and refugees from over 40 different countries living in Co. Clare. Supports offered to these groups include:

• Drop in which helps to link people with relevant services in the area
• Advocacy - Supporting people to develop a plan for themselves around their specific issue and to represent themselves with agencies/services
• Capacity Building - Programmes such as the Employment Skills Course which is aimed at providing orientation to working in Irish Society and the Traveller Parent Programme which supports parents to support their children in school
• Identifying what works well and what needs to change in relation to policy implementation and supporting groups to have a voice on this through participation at relevant forums and networking at local, regional and national levels
• Research - Documenting Travellers' experiences of the Clare Traveller Accommodation Programme 2000-2004

The management committee is made up of 3 people from the Traveller community, 2 people from the refugee/asylum seeker community (one to be replaced as they have moved to full-time education), 6 people working and living in the local community (including one younger person and one older person) and 1 person with specific organisational, staff and finance skills. Training carried out by the management committee includes equality and diversity training through Equal Trasna, staff supervision, and committee skills.

Contact Details
Project Name: Ennis Community Development Project
Address: Unit 2, Mill House, Mill road, Ennis.
Contact Name: Deirdre Toomey, Co-ordinator
Contact Email: enniscdp@eircom.net
Contact Phone Number: 065 6869026.

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