Donegal Intercultural Platform awarded programme extension
The extension will allow them to continue to facilitate collaborative relationships between marginalised groups and main stream services.
Joe O’Brien TD, Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development, announced on Sunday, November 3, the extension of the Community Development Pilot Programme, for the original seven projects.
The Community Development Pilot Programme aims to trial community led interventions that address poverty, social exclusion and inequality and promote human rights.
The extension applies to the Donegal Intercultural Platform, which is committed to creating the conditions for a more inclusive, equal and anti-racist society. They are a non-governmental organisation that promotes human rights while challenging discrimination and racism.
The platform supports both people and communities interested in working towards inclusion and equality in Donegal.
Founded in 2009, the organisation were successful in winning core funding from the Department of Rural and Community Development in the summer of 2021.
They are now expanding their work in supporting and advocating on behalf of members of Black and Minority Ethnic communities experiencing poverty, exclusion and racism, along with creating the conditions for progressive social change.
In September 2022, their new Intercultural Hub opened and is used as a venue for workshops, meetings and community development work engaging Ethnic communities in Letterkenny, and beyond, in Donegal.
The grant aid will be €125,000 per project.
The programme extension also applies to the Clare Traveller CDP, Cultúr Migrant CDP (located in Meath and Louth), Kilkenny Traveller Community Movement, Inner City Organisations Network and Independent Living Movement Ireland (both located in Dublin), and lastly, the Longford Roma and New Communities.
The programme was originally launched in March of 2021, and these seven projects were subsequently allocated €1,000,000 (one million euro) in funding for the programmes.
The extension of the Programme for these seven projects will allow them to continue to facilitate collaborative relationships between marginalised groups and main stream services.
Minister O’Brien spoke on the announcement, “I am delighted to be in a position to extend the Community Development Pilot Programme for the original seven projects. The work they have undertaken over the last three years has had a significant impact within the communities they serve.”
“The programme facilitates a community-led approach to addressing significant social challenges. It is important to tailor interventions to the specific context and involve the affected communities in the decision making processes. This is what the Community Development Programme is all about,”
“I am confident that this extension will build on and enhance the work already done and provide an opportunity for further positive change within these communities,” he added.