Ballyhoura Development Annual Report 2021

2021

  • At Ballyhoura Development, we are inspired by the great vision and leadership demonstrated by local community groups 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. After two years that have 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.

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 2021, Ballyhoura Development, a community-led local development company, managed €4.2m of funding to support communities, families, and businesses across the Ballyhoura area. All services delivered were in line with the organisation's vision and mission to support more inclusive and sustainable communities and a diversified economy.

    Ballyhoura Development continued to evolve its services and supports in 2021, against the backdrop of the ever changing Covid-19 situation. This enabled us to respond flexibly to the range of locally identified needs, and to provide supports to families and individuals in relation to food distribution, online learning and employment. As we emerge from the health emergency, we believe that the challenges we faced together will make us all stronger than ever.

    Pádraig Fitzgerald
    Chairperson of Ballyhoura Development CLG

Our Governance and Team

Our Team

  • A key strength of Ballyhoura Development is its dedicated and professional team, which is based in local communities. In 2021, 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 response to Covid-19 enabled Ballyhoura Development to meet and exceed key programme targets. Ballyhoura Development continues to prioritise investment in people, in raising awareness, improving knowledge and developing capacity to respond and adapt to change.

    Read More About Our Team

Our Governance and Team

Our Board

  • The voluntary Board Members of Ballyhoura Development establish policies and priorities and provide strategic direction to the organisation. In 2021, their knowledge and experience was again critical in guiding the organisation safely through Covid-19. Contributing to ten Board meetings and numerous Sub-committee activities, Board members volunteered over 500 hours of voluntary time in 2021. Implementation of strong governance frameworks supported the objective of maintaining public trust and confidence and enhanced Ballyhoura Development's reputation for quality, transparency, integrity and accountability in its management.

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

    Read More About Our Board

Our Governance and Team

Independent Evaluation Committee

2021 at a Glance

  • €4.28m

    Total Funding Managed

    562

    Community Group Engagements

    12.8%

    Overall administration overhead %

    In 2021... Ballyhoura Development met or exceeded all of the key performance indicators set by its programme funders.

    86.8%

    Spent on Service Delivery

    5,235

    Individual engagements in education, training, employment & business supports

Our 2021 Programmes

2021 Highlights

Our Activities

  • 562

    Community group engagements

    891

    People received education, training, employment and business supports

    130

    People progressed to work

    282

    People progressed to further education and training

    146

    People participated in business training and mentoring

    350

    Families benefited from Covid-19 food distribution initiatives

    €709k

    Allocated to LEADER projects

    151

    People participated in digital skills training and upskilling activities

    30

    Communities engaged with the Sustainable Energy Communities Programme

2021 Highlights

Community, Business, Tourism & Environmental Projects

  • 525

    Individuals were supported through the Social Inclusion & Community Activation Programme

    123

    People participated in Community Socio Economic and Environmental Planning

    86

    Children attended Afterschool Services

    1,732

    People participated in outdoor recreation and environmental education activities

Our 2021 Case Studies

Read | Listen | Watch

Public Outreach

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

    Ballyhoura Development delivers 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 2021, Covid-19 continued to limit in-person interactions, however, we continued to provide in person supports where and when safe to do so, and managed to maintain zero work related Covid-19 transmissions.

    Contact Our Outreach Offices

Public Outreach

  • Our website, www.ballyhouradevelopment.com continues to be a key communication tool for the organisation.

    Sharing information on all community resources & supports, training and employment workshops, parenting & mental health supports, funding opportunities and jobs is critical to raise awareness, build knowledge and increase participation.

    Our website & social media channels reached over 671k people through digital platforms and 17m people via broadcasting media in 2021.

Our Sustainability Goals

Of the seventeen Sustainable Development Goals, some goals were particularly relevant to the work of Ballyhoura Development in 2021.

  • Of the seventeen Sustainable Development Goals, some goals are particularly relevant to the work of Ballyhoura Development in 2021.

    Our vision of Ballyhoura as an area with empowered, inclusive communities, and a diversified economy reflects the organisation's commitment to inclusion, to a just transition and to a greener, more sustainable future.

    Ballyhoura Development manages, coordinates and implements a wide range of local, regional, national and European projects focussing on the three pillars of community development, economic development and environmental development.  

    In so doing, social, environmental, and economic sustainability concerns are inextricably linked, and Ballyhoura Development fosters innovative approaches to ensure that each of these issues are addressed in tandem to progress toward a just transition and a greener, more sustainable future in which nobody is left behind.  

    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.

    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

2021 Financials

  • In 2021, Ballyhoura Development managed its funding and achieved its outcomes, operating on an overall administration and overhead percentage of 12.82%.

    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.

2021 Financials

Breakdown of Funds by Government 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 designs, develops and delivers 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 Ballyhoura Development's approach when seeking, delivering, managing and reporting on public funding.

    In 2021, while the overall funding remained consistent with 2020 levels, variances in sources of funding reflected funding availability and programme and project timeframes and life cycles.

    Download the Full Financial Statement

2021 Financials

Breakdown of Programme Delivery Related Expenses

  • While overall funding for programme delivery in 2021 was largely in line with 2020, variances may be seen within the funding make up.

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

    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

  • "Honestly, the best thing I’ve ever done. It’s a great module for life not just for working in healthcare support."'.

    Individual Programme Participant |     Healthcare Opportunities for Women

     

  • "I got so much from today's session, and I think that things are finally starting to sink it. I felt listened to and supported once again by all on the course. My one-to-one meeting last week with Ballyhoura Development truly has put me on the right track! Ballyhoura Development showed me how to accept myself and to be my genuine self.  They taught me self-worth and how my thought process can lead to a road of destruction if not managed properly. This is not said lightly, my meeting with Ballyhoura Development has been life changing and I am a much better mother. I will take with me this week in relation to tantrums  not to focus on the negative behaviour and only to give attention to the positive. The course has been fantastic, and I feel that I have been given the tools to manage the daily struggles being a parent and for that I am forever grateful to Ballyhoura Development."'.

    Individual Parent | Family Support Work

       

    1. "We are delighted to have social prescribing available to us locally in Kilmallock. We believe that having robust social prescribing infrastructure is protective for our community especially during these challenging times. Social prescribing provides us with the opportunity to help patients address issues for which medical care alone is not enough such as loneliness and disconnection. Ballyhoura Development has an in depth understanding of our local community in Kilmallock and we share excellent lines of communication. We believe building a strong community where people feel connected and supported is fundamental for good health and social prescribing is a key component of this. We hope that the project continues to grow in the months and years ahead.".

      Blossomgate Medical Centre | Social Prescribing

         

      What's Next

      • Ballyhoura Development will maintain the present focus on facilitating communities, families, individuals and businesses across the Ballyhoura Development area to participate in community-led local development, and on the design and development of solutions to local social, economic and environmental challenges. 

        The organisation will continue to work with partners to source new programme, project and initiative resources to deliver the three core aims of (i) Inclusive Communities, (ii) Environmental Sustainability and (iii) a Diversified Economy.

        The challenges of securing funding on a consistent basis, to deliver on the company's vision and mission are noted by the Directors, particularly in light of the diversity of procurement processes, the annualised nature of many of the available funds, the increased diversity of fund sources, and fund contract types.  

        In responding to the challenges presented by Covid-19 and Brexit to the area, Ballyhoura Development will continue to focus on an integrated delivery when raising awareness, improving knowledge, and building the capacity of communities, residents and businesses to participate in and lead community-led local development activities.