How did Ballyhoura Development start off? Expand The communities within the Ballyhoura area first came together in 1988 as a reaction to the continued decline of services and employment opportunities in the area. The aim was to develop a locally focused, area-based, integrated local development strategy that would contribute positively to the economic and social well-being of individuals and the sustainability of their communities. It was their hope that the local development strategy would enable positive engagement with the public and private bodies and organisations operating in the area, to implement a range of community led social and economic improvements. The first Local development strategy was developed prior to the emergence of the pilot European Union LEADER community led local development approach. The strategy was the corner stone of a successful Ballyhoura Development LEADER pilot in 1992 and the communities, though Ballyhoura Development, have led the design and development of successive local development strategies since then.
What exactly is a Local Development Company? Expand Local Development Companies (LDCs), such as Ballyhoura Development, are known by many different names throughout Ireland including Local Area Partnerships, LEADER Partnerships, Integrated Development Companies as well as the more obvious Local Development Company. There are a number of key features which all Local Development Companies share: Bottom-up approach – working with communities to develop local solutions to local issues Focus on promoting local economic development Focus on addressing inequality and social exclusion Governed by a voluntary, multi-sectoral Board of Directors Not-for-profit companies limited by guarantee, and registered charities There are 49 Local Development Companies operating across Ireland.
Where is Ballyhoura? Expand Ballyhoura, also referred to as the Ballyhoura region or Ballyhoura country, covers the area of east Co Limerick and North Co Cork. It is bordered by Limerick city to the north, by Co Tipperary to the east, and covers the area of North Cork which includes Mitchelstown, Doneraile and Kildorrery, and Charleville, Milford, Dromina and Liscarroll. Ballyhoura country takes its name from the Ballyhoura Mountains, in the south of the area, which run east and west for about 6 miles on the borders of both counties.
What is community-led local development? Expand Community-led local development (CLLD) is the term used to describe a community development approach that is based on 'bottom-up' development by local people and partners, rather than 'top-down' development by local and regional government. Community-led local development facilitates an integrated approach to tackling multi-dimensional issues of development and inclusion and creates a critical mass of wrap-around activities which achieve important outcomes for individuals and communities, based on priorities which have been identified by local people and communities.
We want to do something in our community, but we have no idea where to start, or what we should be thinking about. Expand Rest assured that this is common. Start by contacting your Local Development Officer, who will arrange to meet with you and will then guide and work with you and your community to help you to come up with a plan, no matter how big or small it turns out to be.