Ballyhoura Development Annual Report 2020

2020

  • We’re constantly inspired by local communities across north Cork and east Limerick. They are the reason why we believe in community led local development to build thriving and inclusive rural communities. In 2020, the challenges we faced together has made us all stronger than ever.

Our Mission

  • Ballyhoura Development is a Community Led Local Development Company...

    ...working in partnership to develop empowered and inclusive communities that inspire and embrace new opportunities, drive positive sustainable social, environmental and economic change, and reduce inequalities.

    READ MORE about WHO WE ARE

Chairperson's Statement

  • In 2020, Ballyhoura Development, a community-led local development company, managed €4.2m of funding to support communities, individuals and businesses across the Ballyhoura area. All services delivered were in line with the organisations vision and mission to support more inclusive and sustainable communities and a diversified economy.

    After a year that has challenged our communities, residents and businesses on every level, our belief in the power of people to come together and lead is stronger than ever. Ballyhoura Development reacted and adapted quickly to engage and support community groups to respond positively to the impact of Covid-19 in their communities, while also providing additional family and individual supports in relation to food distribution, online learning and employment.

    Pádraig Fitzgerald
    Chairperson of Ballyhoura Development CLG

Our Governance and Team

Our Team

  • The strength of Ballyhoura Development lies in its dedicated and professional team who are based in local communities. In 2020, Ballyhoura Development continued to support community groups to respond positively to the impact of Covid-19 in their communities, through a range of social, economic and environmental focused programmes, projects and initiatives. The speed and scale of the teams response to Covid 19 enabled Ballyhoura Development to meet and exceed all key programme targets. Ballyhoura Development continues to prioritise investment in people, in building awareness, improving knowledge and developing capacity to respond and adapt to change.

    View Our Team

Our Governance and Team

Our Board

  • The voluntary Board Members of Ballyhoura Development provide expertise and strategic direction to the organisation. In 2020, their knowledge and experience was critical to guiding Ballyhoura Development safely through Covid 19. Board Members contributed in excess of 600 hours of voluntary time to ensure high standards of governance, transparency, accountability and public trust and confidence in the management and administration of Ballyhoura Development CLG.

    Board Elections continue to focus on achieving full gender balance and diversity to support community-led local development decision making.

    View Our Board

Our Governance and Team

Independent Evaluation Committee

2020 At A Glance

  • €4.2m

    Total Funding Managed

    704

    Community Group Engagements

    12%

    Overall administration overhead %

    This year... Ballyhoura Development met or exceeded its key performance indicators as set by programme funders for 2020

    88%

    Spent on Service Delivery

    3,125

    Participants in education, training, employment & business supports

Our 2020 Programmes

2020 Highlights

Our Activities

  • 704

    Community Group Engagements

    3,125

    People received education, training, employment and business supports

    138

    People progressed to work

    91

    Community Groups attended and participated in the quarterly Ballyhoura District Forums and Annual Networking Forum

    497

    Families benefited from Covid-19 Food Distribution Initiative

    124

    Businesses participated in enterprise training and mentoring activities

    €1.439M

    Allocated to LEADER projects

    565

    People participated in Digital Skills activities

    33

    Communities Engaged with 5 year Tidy Town Plans

2020 Highlights

Community, Business, Tourism & Environmental Projects

  • 497

    Families benefited from Covid-19 Food Distribution Initiative

    23

    Communities participated in the Sustainable Energy Community Program

    455

    Individuals were supported through the Social Inclusion Community Activation programme

    704

    Group Engagements

    3215

    Individual Engagements

    108

    Community Groups availed of LEADER supports and activity

Our 2020 Case Studies

Read | Listen | Watch

Public Out Reach

  • Being in and part of the community is hugely important to Ballyhoura Development.

    Ballyhoura Development deliver services and supports through Outreach Offices in the communities of Kilfinane, Kilmallock, Cappamore, Charleville and Mitchelstown. Local delivery strengthens our connections to the communities and people we work with.

    During 2020 Covid-19 limited in-person interactions and we look forward to fully reopening our offices to the public when it is safe to do so.

    Contact Our Outreach Offices

Public Out Reach

  • In March 2020, Ballyhoura Development launched its new website, www.ballyhouradevelopment.com.

    During the Covid-19 pandemic, the website became a primary tool for sharing information on all community resources & supports, including training workshops, parenting & mental health supports, our programmes, funding opportunities, a weekly jobs bulletin, and much more.

    Our website & social media channels reached over 585,000 people through digital platforms in 2020

Our Sustainable Goals

Of the seventeen Sustainable Development Goals, some goals are particularly relevant to the work of Ballyhoura Development in 2020:

  • Ballyhoura Development manages, coordinates and implements a wide range of national and European projects focussing on the three pillars of sustainable development: community development, economic development, and environmental development. The organisation has a keen awareness that social, environmental, and economic sustainability concerns are inextricably linked, and fosters innovative approaches to ensure each of these issues are addressed in tandem with one another. This work, guided by the principles of partnership, participation, and maintaining a bottom-up approach, means that Ballyhoura Development’s work is always closely aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals.

    The Vision of Ballyhoura as an area with empowered, inclusive communities, and a diversified economy reflects the desire for an area in which nobody is left behind; thus, a desire and a commitment to a just transition and a greener, more sustainable future.

    Goal
    7

    Affordable & Clean Energy

    Goal
    8

    Decent Work & Economic Growth

    Goal
    10

    Reduced Inequalities

    Goal
    11

    Sustainable Cities & Communities

    Goal
    13

    Climate Action

    Goal
    16

    Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions

2020 Financials

  • In 2020, Ballyhoura Development managed its funding and achieved its outcomes, operating on an overall administration and overhead percentage of 12.27%. 

    Ballyhoura Development applies the concepts of integrity, accuracy, transparency, reliability, confidentiality and proper disclosure and presentation in all of its operations. In managing local, national and EU funding, Ballyhoura Development complies with international best practice in the management of public funding. The accounting administration is based on (i) Recognised accounting principles, which have been translated into clear practical procedures, (ii) Public accountability and (iii) EU and State funding conditions including Commission Regulations. 

2020 Financials

Breakdown of Funds by Govt Department:

  • Community led local development actions and supports delivered by Ballyhoura Development are funded through a range of local, regional, national and EU competitive funding calls.

    Ballyhoura Development design, develop and deliver its programmes, projects and initiatives along five Operating Principles. These are (i) strategic and innovative, (ii) integrated and connected, (iii) partnership and collaboration, (iv) resilience and sustainability, and (v) evidence and results. These principles guide the approach of Ballyhoura Development when seeking, delivering, managing and reporting on public funding.

    In 2020, while the overall funding remained consistent with 2019 levels, variances in sources of funding reflect funding availability, timeframe and life cycle.
     

    Download the Full Financial Statement

2020 Financials

Breakdown of Programme Delivery Related Expenses:

  • While overall funding for programme delivery in 2020 was largely in line with 2019, variances may be seen within the funding make up.

    The variances are a reflection of the Ballyhoura Development response to identified community needs, funding programme timeframes and lifecycle, the local economy, social and environmental factors which all have an impact on access to and management of funding programmes.

    In 2020, Covid 19 was also a factor in the overall make of programmes delivered.

    Download the Full Financial Statement

Awards, Accreditation & Certification

Ballyhoura Development is committed to maintaining strong and transparent governance systems and to delivering quality professional services and supports to benefit local communities. The company strategy and activities are aligned with the development priorities of local communities, civil society, and regional and national government to create added value, and are recognised through compliance with:

  • The All-Ireland Business Foundation all Start Accreditation

  • The Charities Regulator Good Governance Code, a Code of Practice for Good Governance of Community, Voluntary and Charitable Organisations in Ireland

  • Aontas Adult Learning All Star Awards

  • EIQA Q Mark for Quality Management Systems

  • SORP (Statement of Recommended Practice, Accounting and Reporting by Charities

Testimonials

  • ''As a new business, the stresses and strains of Covid could have forced me to close my doors permanently.  However, the support of the WREN Programme and the other participants has motivated me to explore new avenues, it has encouraged me to refocus and think about opportunities that I had not thought about before.  It has helped me maintain a positive mindset in difficult times and make bigger and better plans for my business moving forward'.

    Nicola Dennehy, An Tobar Wellness

  • ''There was a need in our community for small parcels of food to let people know we were thinking about them and they weren't alone during this Covid 19 and that we were in it as a community. We get great help from all of the staff in Ballyhoura and we share information and it works well for Dromina'.

    Donal O Connell, Dromina Community Council

What's Next

  • Three key goals of (i) Inclusive Communities, (ii) Environmental Sustainability and (iii) a Diversified Economy will continue to guide Ballyhoura Development when raising awareness, improving knowledge and building the capacity of communities, residents and businesses to participate in and lead community led local development activities.

    In responding to the challenges presented by Covid 19 and Brexit for the area, Ballyhoura Development will continue to focus on an integrated model of community led local delivery and its core values and key competencies that have guided the organisation since 1989.

    Download .pdf version of the Annual Report