This Project is a locally managed Community Development initiative, funded by Irelands Department for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. The Project works for the eradication of poverty, empowering of local people, realisation of Social Justice and a commitment to community transformation. The Project encourages all local people to become involved and welcomes any level of commitment that makes a positive contribution to the Edenmore community, its people and its surroundings.
We have recently set up the Edenmore Webjam Online, which is a social networking platform for local people to join. The idea of a Social Networking platform (for those who aren't familiar) is to connect people across interests, issues, themes, ideas, work, family & friends. Play this cool little Youtube video for a quick & easy explanation.
The Social Network Platform we are using is Webjam. So head along to the Edenmore Network and sign-up. Once a member you can share information about events, activites, ideas or just chat & connect with other local people. A network is only as successful if it has members whop are contributing. Lets make the Edenmore Webjam a success!
Sometime ago the CDP facilitated an Introductory Course in Digital Photography for local people. Run over a period of 10 weeks people were instructed in how to make use of many of the functions on their digital cameras and how to improve the quality of their photography in general.
We also took the opportunity to turn these new found skills and creativity into something that reflected the groups progress. As a result the Postcards from Edenmore initiative developed. The class members took theitr cameras out around the community looking for images they thought worthy of being on a postcard and sent around the world! The small pictures above represent some of the final images selected, which were then converted into posctards and placed in packs of 5. This was a fantastic achievement for the group involved and they hope that people will purchase packs to send to people who now live away, or for friends and family as a pictorial memento of the area.
Please show your support for this by purchasing a pack. This can be done online by emailing us directly and we will have them posted out to you, or alternatively call into the Project Office or St Moincas Information Shop and pick one up in person for just 3 Euros. We are also able to provide significant numbers of packs for people who might also want to sell them through their own networks. All proceeds raised go towards supporting the continuing work of the Community Development Project at a local level.
If you are interested in doing an Introductory Course in Digital Photography and you have your own camera then conatct the Project Office (01-8771957) and put your name down for the next class. This is aimed at people who have very little or no knowledge of using digital cameras so dont be afraid - we'll go easy on you!
People will undoubtedly be aware of the fincancial pressures affecting the Community & Voluntery Sector in Ireland as a result of the economic mis-management of the economy in general. Consequently, the impacts are being felt across much of the sector and we at the Edenmore CDP have not escaped these impacts. A recent Departmental decision to reduce the amount allocated to the CDP (effective from January 2008) will only hamper the effectiveness of the developmental work we are trying to do at a local level. This 8% cut may amount to a very small figure in real terms but those who work directly with local people at a grass-roots level will also understand its significance in real terms. The VBoM is obviously disappointed at the decision taken by the Department for Community, Rural & Gaeltach Affairs and would encourage local people and those with influence to register their opposition to this decision.
The Edenmore CDP will continue to do what it can to meet it's committments as set out in its Workplan to address poverty, marginalisation and inequality under increasingly difficult and challenging conditions.
As you may have noticed we at the Project try to keep people informed and updated with the events & activities we have been carrying out and most of these can be viewed in pictures through our online Flickr account.
However, the free accounts that Flickr offer have limited capacity before you're required to purchase a Pro account. This means there are no restrictions on the amount of images you can then upload for other peoples enjoyment. If you are an existing Flickr member and would like to support our work then a donation to the purchase of a Pro account would be great! At 18 euros for a year that would be making a significant contribution to the continuation of our Blog.
So how do you do it? Well exisitng members can log in to their own accounts, simply navigate to Edenmore CDPs account and go to Upgrade to Pro. If you dont have a Flickr account you can simply make a voluntary contribution by clicking the Donations button at the bottome of the page.
Check out this SlideShare Presentation: Our previously avaliable for download Community Safety Assessment of Edenmore Shopping Centre is now available through our Slideshare site. View the embedded version here or go to our Slideshare site.
Check out this SlideShare Presentation of our Edenmore CDP Showcase. Below is a Slide Show Presentation displayed at the event. You can view it embedded here or go directly to the Projects Slideshare page which you can view online or download directly to your computer.
On Friday 8th May the 'return leg' of our previous trip North to Newry took place. 12 members of the Newry Falcon Senior Citizens Group made their way down to Dublin to meet up with local people from Edenmore. The groups rendezvoused at Farmleigh House for a Guided Tour around this magnificent building on the fringes of Phoenix Park. With 24 people from Edenmore and the 12 from Newry we managed to have a fabulous time! The tour staff were particularly good and the life of this nationally significant building was brought to life with their enthusiasm.
After the tour we took lunch in the Boathouse Restaurant, while enjoying the wonderful lakeside scenery, flora and fauna. Even the ducks got in on the act! After this we headed out to Edenmore for a Tea Dance and Sing-along at St Malachys BNS. Entertained by local musician and singer Martin Kenny for almost 2 hours, the ladies had a fabulous time singing and dancing. There were even some excellent vocal contributions from the Ladies themselves! The day was enjoyed by all those involved and we would particularly like to thank those who came down from Newry and allowed us to return the hospitality they so warmly showed us on our trip there. We'd also like to say a BIG THANK YOU to all those local people who made the day run so well, so smoothly and so enjoyably! Enjoy some of the pictures of the day.
We have further plans to conitnue developing the links established between the two groups so watch this space for future combined events.
On Thursday 30th April the Staff and VBoM of the Community Development Project held a Showcase of the history, development, work, events and activities carried out since it began 10 years ago. The event was held in a vacant unit at Edenmore Shopping Centre, where it was transformed into a display space, containing audio & visual equipment for our recently made Short Film, a Sticky Wall for peoples ideas and suggestions and somewhere to sit and enjoy a cup of tea.
The event was open to people all day wandering in to take a look at what the project had achieved over those 10 years. There was a steady stream of people from all over the community, from Young Mums & Dads with their kids to older memmbers - some of the first people to move here over 35 years ago! Over 150 people came through our doors on the day. This was later followed by an Invited Guests section, during which people and organisations working within the field of Social & Community Development in the local area were invited. During this time light refreshments were served (thanks to the sterling work, committment and pragmatism of the Ladies Club!) and people were able to enjoy the displays of the CDP in an informal and encouraging manner.
Local elected representatives were also invited and the VBoM is grateful to Kilian Forde (SF) and Sean Kenny (LB) of Dublin City Council for taking the time to attend and demonstrate an interest in the work of the local CDP. We we're also pleased to see those who have benefitted from the work of the Project coming along as 'living examples' of our activities.
There were also some key local community activists, Statutory Agencies and Health Service Professionals enjoying our displays and their encouaraging comments were greatly appreciated by the Staff, Volunteers and VBoM.
The information we gathered from our Sticky Wall was incredible, with little space left at the end for further ideas and suggestions. Young people appeared particularly keen to get their ideas across. Click on the link to see what people thought Edenmore needed.
The Edenmore CDP is delighted to let people know about a new addition to the local Voluntary Board of Management. Graínne Roche is the recently appointed Principal of St Malachys BNS here in Edenmore. She is familiar to all of us on the staff team and Committee through the excellent work she had previously been carrying out as Home School Community Liaison Officer for the area.
Graínne provides an unprecedented link between Schools - Community which we fully intend to develop and capitalise on for the benefit of all local people and organisations. The Staff and existing members would like to wish Graínne a warm welcome to the work of the CDP and thank her for demonstrating her support of the local Community Development initiatives by having a direct influence at ground level. We all look forward to her contributions in ensuring the CDP becomes even more successful over the coming year.
The latest edition of the Edenmore Community Bulletin was published in April 2009. We posted over 1000 through letter-boxes in the Edenmore, Cameron and Woodbine areas. For your digital version click this link and download (requires Adobe Reader - you can get a free copy of this program at the Adobe site). The Community Bulletin goes out every couple of months and brings news of the work, ebents and activities of the Project directly through peoples doors. You can also pick up copies at St Monicas Information Shop and the local Centra.
It's been a while since we brought you news of whats been happening locally with the Community Development Project. Myself, Amanda, Shea and our volunteers have been busy on a range of events and issues related to a our Workplan.
There have also been some changes due to the oft termed 'economic crisis' that's gripped the country. Not suprisingly there have been some consequences for the local Community Project, which are detailed in another post (see above).
The CDP has started another course of eCert Computer Classes, that provide people with little or no experience of using computers and the Internet with basic skills to get them started. Courses are free, take place locally and are taught in a safe & relaxing atmosphere. If you're interested in developing your own computer skills and interested in meeting other people at the same time, then call the CDP office and put your name down. If you want to check out what the course entails have a look at the Student Resources on the My IT website. Contact Richard or Amanda on 01-8771957. We look forward to seeing you at a PC soon!
Check out some of the galleries from the events we've held. There's the Edenmore Fun Day 2008 Gallery, along with the eCert Presentation Gallery and the very successful Halloween Celebration.
The Edenmore CDP Committee recently met to discuss some of the issues relating to the area. Pictured are the following members and staff: (L-R) Amanda Mitchell, Ray Daly, Margaret Carroll, Betty Brown, Richard Costello and Matthias Borscheid.
The CDP would like to welcome Betty Brown on to the Committee. Betty has been a long-standing resident of Edenmore and is well known within the community. Betty is committed to working with the Committee on a range of issues that will see overall improvements within the area. Betty has a particular interest and concern in the environmental issues facing Edenmore. All the Committee Members and Staff look forward to working alongside Betty.
As a result of our Moive Fundraiser we were able to take 16 seniors from Edenmore on a Cross-border trip to Newry on Tuesday 28th October. When we arrived we were met by members of the Falcon Senior Citizens Luncheon Club, a group from the Newry area. We spent time with them during our tour of Bagenal's Castle, a local Newry landmark of significant historical and cultural heritage. While there they also took some time to reminisce about daygs gone by... a few items were provided by the tour staff to jog some of the memories! This was followed by a lunch in the old Castles Banquet Hall, which was thouroughly enjoyed by all. The generosity and hospitality shown to us on the day was fantastic and warmly appreciated. Invitations to the Falcon Club to head south and have their hospitality returned were enthusiastuically recieved. The day was rounded off with some time enjoying the local shopping, namely the Quays Shopping Centre and Buttercrane. A huge thank you also goes the the Canal Court Hotel staff who gave us their full attention while we were there and catered for our dietary needs (beautiful scones!). An especially big thank you to Denise McBride from the Newry & Mourne Senior Citizens Forum and Ailish McIntyre and Collette Ruddy from Newry & Mourne Volunteer Centre.
Edenmore CDP would like to welcome Shea Mahady from St Davids who will be on work placement with the project until the summer we agree to keep him working with us till the summer Shea will be supporting the day to day work of the project and gaining valuable work experience in the community.
BreastCheck now screening women from the Edenmore area
BreastCheck information sessions on Thursday 09 October at the HAIL Centre, Edenmore Avenue at 2pm and 3pm
The National Cancer Screening Service is delighted to announce that BreastCheck – the National Breast Screening Programme, is currently inviting women living in the Edenmore area for their free mammograms. The Government-funded screening service is offered to women aged between 50 and 64 and BreastCheck urges all invited women to make time to attend their appointment.
A BreastCheck x-ray is a simple procedure that takes approximately half an hour and is offered to women aged between 50 and 64 every two years. Women living in Edenmore will be screened from the Eccles Screening Unit from October to November 2008. The aim of screening is to detect early breast cancer. The vast majority of women screened are found to be perfectly healthy with less than one per cent diagnosed with cancer.
BreastCheck Screening Promotion Officer Orla Walsh will host two free information sessions on Thursday 09 October at the HAIL Centre on Edenmore Avenue. The hour-long sessions will provide general information on the BreastCheck service, what women can expect at their BreastCheck appointment and advice on how to remain breast aware. The first session begins at 2pm while the second session begins at 3pm. The event is organised by Edenmore Community Development Project and all are welcome to attend.
BreastCheck advises all women aged 50 to 64 to make sure their name is on the BreastCheck register by calling Freephone 1800 45 45 55 or visiting www.breastcheck.ie.
For further information on this event, contact Orla Walsh, Screening Promotion Officer, BreastCheck, on 087 6750926.
The most recent copy of our local Community Bulletin can be downloaded as a PDF file here. We hope there's some useful information for you and please feel free to copy/print and distribute/pass on to anyone for whom it might be relevant.
Edenmore CDP Staff and Committee have been working together to develop their Communications Strategy and Team Building Skills. Using the medium of the Film/DVD they produced this 9 minute short that tells us a litle about where Edenmore is, the sort of place it is and some of the work the CDP is doing at a local level. Copies of the Film can be acquired by contacting the CDP directly. We would like to thank Aoibheann O Sullivan who helped us to put this film together and for supporting us during it's production. Let us know what you think about it! Go to Youtube for the enlarged version.
Community Development in Action
Communtiy Development is a broad field and occurs in many areas across the world. Below are some short interesting films that have a Community Development ethos at the heart of what they do.
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