Leader+ Observatory Seminar “Leader in the New Member States”13-17 November 2006 - Tihany, Hungary

Mini-plenary session B2: How does the LAG operate at local level?

Maura Walsh, IRD Duhallow Ltd.

European Commission

IRD Duhallow -

A Local Action Group Operating at Local Level

IRD Duhallow Ltd.

Founded 1989 by local businessmen Initial Aim to generate jobs through Tourism Located in a Natural Area of Development in the

South West of Ireland Area 1,800 sq. km; Population of 30,000 Mainly Rural – 4 towns – under 2,000 people Main Problems:- Depopulation – out-migration,

Reliance on Agriculture, Lack of jobs locally, Lack of Jobs for Women

Implementing LEADER since 1991

Level of Autonomy

Company Limited by Guarantee, not having Share Capital

A Not for Profit Registered Charity in Ireland Implements LEADER -Contract from Ministry Single Integrated Local and Rural Development

Structure – many programmes Has control of own budget a quarter of LEADER annual

allocation lodged in advance Selects & Pays projects on decision of Board Ministry Inspects Files and Projects Requests to Ministry to “top-up” Drawdown

The Role of Animation & Capacity Building defines the LAG

simply as a LEADER Administration

OR Local Rural Development Agency operating

across a wide range of Programmes and Initiatives to meet the needs of the community

and region

Building Social Capital

Awareness Raising and Animation

Active Community Participation

Community, Social and Quality of Life

Community EnterpriseSocial & Economic

Levels ofSocial CapitalDevelopment

Time

Decision Making and the LAG

The level of Autonomy in decision making will determine the LAG Structure

The Number of Programmes delivered through the LAG will also impact on structure

Interestingly the LAG Structure will often determine (Limit) its Capacity to deliver the on the Scope of LEADER and/or take on any additional Programmes

Irish LAG’s comply with Government standards of Ethics in Public Office, Procurement etc.

An Insurance Bond protects Public Funds The LAG as an Agent for Animation

IRD DuhallowBoard2006

Women &Childcare

Equality Disability & Migrants

Employment& Training

EnterpriseNetwork

Enterprise

Social Economy

Youth &Education

ProjectEvaluation

ProjectAssessment

Finance Human Resources

Community Development

YouthUrban Estates

Migrants & Refugees

Bereavement Support

WomenElderly

Disability

Childcare

Geographic Rural Regeneration

Agriculture

SmallholdersPolicy

Beef, Sheep & TillageEnvironment

Operational Sub-Committees Strategic Working GroupsStrategic Working GroupSub-Committees

CommunityForum

SocialPartners

LocalOrganisations

StatutoryAgencies

BusinessSector

Lone ParentsCarers

Mental Ill Health

Developing the Development Strategy!

Consultation, Partnership & Common Sense Know European Rural Development Strategy Be Familiar with the Operating Guidelines Do not be Limited by either in developing your

Strategy- other Programmes potential Include as much as possible But Remember it must be “Doable”

Human

Cultural

Economic

Natural

Eco Tourism

Activity Holidays

EnvironmentEducation

IRD Duhallow LEADER + Natural and Cultural Resources

Natural and

Cultural Resources

Education &Training

A Living Country Side• Environment Awareness• Promote Walking Holidays• Develop Angling Facilities• Heritage Management• Preservation & Restoration • Enhance Built Heritage• Promote Sustainable Land Use

New ServiceEnterprisesNew

SustainableJobs

Diversification

New Food Products

Social Enterprise

Community Development

• Increase participation of Youth & Women

• Develop Social Economy• Improve Local Services• Establish Transnational links• New Training Opportunities• Support Networks• Improve Community

Facilities

Improve Quality of Life

Networking

Traditional

Village Renewal

Technology

The Arts

• Support Cultural Centres• Community Arts• Support Craft Enterprise• Facilitate Networks• Research & Archiving• Training• Marketing & Promotion

Foster Creativity

Sustainable Growth

•Technical Support• Capital Investment• Recruitment Assistance• Product Development• New Food Businesses• Mentoring• Networking• Pluriactivity

Sustainable

Rural Development

Identity

Implementation & Monitoring

Remember The Specific Features of LEADER…Bottom Up, Area Based, LAG, Integrated, Innovative, Transnational, Finance.

Its not just the outcomes that are important The LEADER Method must be fully Applied

In Implementing LEADER this way you will also be developing your LAG and territory as well as creating a “Virtuous” circle of Animation & Capacity Building

LEADER is about doing thing WITH people not FOR People….But it is about DOING

ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT

BusinessDevelopment Diversification & ExpansionEnterprise / Ent. Network

AgricultureSmall HoldersAgriculture WG

BusinessSupportEnterprise Network

Social EnterpriseSocial Economy WG

Rural/Agri Tourism(no working group but some of the remit falls under Comm Dev)

Networks

Enterprise Network

20 New Businesses of which 4 Women’s & 6 Target Group

25 Existing Business Diversified

6 New Food Products

3 new participants Company Dev Prog

20 Farm Diversification

4 Enterprise Units

170 Small Holder Families Assisted

170 in Pluriactivity

170 On-Farm Enterprises

170 Farm Efficiency

140 in Value Added

1500 Environment Resource Mgmt.

6 Wildlife Habitats Supported

4% Peatlands Conserved

5 Lectures/seminars 500 in Environment Awareness

6 new Environment info packs published

1 Business Resource Centre

8 Training Progs

15 Business Plans

30 Business Ideas

3 Network Progs

2 Mentor Panels

4 Firms Trading

Internationally

15 Feasibility Studies

12 Employment Grants

Develop Enterprise Network

Develop Crafts Network

6 Enterprise Awareness Progs

10 Target Group Entrepreneurs

20 at risk kids assistedin School Business Programme

Establish 6 Community Enterprises

Create 34 New Social Econ jobs

3 new jobs in Food Centre

6 Part time jobs in Food Centre

6 Sustained

2 Salmon Spawning Rivers enhanced

Enhance 60 km Riverbank

Establish 3 Loop Walks

Sliabh Luachra Trail

1 Archaeological Trail

Millstreet Country Park

20 New Products/Amenities

1 Centre for Celtic Spirituality

4 Cultural Centres upgraded

1 New Cultural Centre established

1 TNP Culture Project

Assist 2 Musicals

3 New Trails

Web Site for Culture

STRATEGIC AIM 1OBJECTIVES & GOALS

STRATEGIC AIM 2COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Youth & Educ.Y & Ed WG

Community ForumComm Dev WG

Women & ChildcareWomen & Childcare WG

Employment &TrainingE & T WG

Equality & MigrantsE, D & M WG

9 After Schools clubs with 90 primary kids

3 New Play Areas

5 Afterschools at 2nd level for 75 kids

1500 info on 3rd level

50 targeted for “ “

1 Outdoor Pursuits & Leadership Prog.

3 New Youth Clubs for 60 young People

Establish Youth Info Centre, serving 600

100 young people in Intergenerational Learning projects

Train 9 facilitators in Dev Ed

2 Leadership Progs to train 120 people

Estate management in 8 estates

24 village & 4 town renewal plans

Competition for most inclusive town

160 participated in Intergenerational Learning Prog

120 groups /30 communities n’working

Support 6 Fora with 60 groups.

Upgrade 12 facilities

Re-location of 18 families

6 Community projects on Environment

Community Environment Awards

Enhance greens in 10 villages.

2 Community Parklands

4 w’shops habitat mgt

Info pack on built environment

Survey heritage & special features

Sustainable forest management

Est. 10 re-cycling/composting projects

Research into consumer behaviour

6 new community crèches

Awareness campaign Increase women’s participation by 100

2 new Networks

20% increase in Network membership

24 Seminars organised

Participation in 3 outside Networks

Establish multi-level Training Centre

25 LTU in jobs ex Progression Prog

90 Women in Preparation for work

500 in Adult Ed progs

40 Women in Personal Development

H.R training in 20 sme

6 accessible training units

10 IT training progs

6 IT access points est.

30 Communities in Introduction to IT

8 Business Training Progs delivered

3 Environment training on de-materialisation

Expand to 2 Branches Aware

for 40 people

E3 Bereavement Support Groups

Integration Prog for 30 Asylum Seekers

Support Group for 40 disabled

650 2nd Level &

800 Primary kids in Include me In

IRD Duhallow Staff Structure 2006

Ita HickeyCarmel MullaneJohn BrosnanSupervisors

Rural Soc. Scheme

Maura WalshManager

FAS LEADER LDSIP

Marie Twomey Food Centre Manager S.E

TEP MainstreamRural Dev.

Paddy O’ConnorFAS CE

Supervisor

Catherine CrowleyEnterprise Officer

EOCP

Yvonne FlynnRural Transport

Co-ordinator

RSS

Richard O BrienTransition to Employment

Clare O KeeffeSmall Holder

Support Worker

Cohesion

Dianne DevittEquality, Disability

&Migrants

Eileen LinehanTeam Leader

Enterprise & Project Admin

Brendan O Keeffe P/TTeam Leader Community

development

Helen O SullivanCommunity

Development

Helen O DonoghueAccounts P/T

Carmel O ConnorFinance Officer

Derval CorbettOffice Admin

Kate KellyFinance Officer

Martina DrewOffice Admin Marie Flemming

Office Admin

Marion O SullivanYouth & Education

Margaret O ConnorFinancial Control

Admin Team Leader

CommunityServices

Project Selection Process

LAG Staff assist applicants and ensure compliance with LEADER guidelines

Project Evaluation Committee examines projects with respect to strategic plan, budget, compliance

Bottom Up and Local Knowledge Evaluation Committee Recommends to LAG Board

which makes the decision Conflicts of Interest declared and noted at Board

A register of Interests of all board Members kept Project Promoter & Ministry notified of Decision Project Assessment Committee oversees

implementation Time scale varies but 6 weeks is the goal

Since it’s inception IRD Duhallow has...

Created 790 New Jobs Sustained Enterprises Providing over 1,100 jobs Levered over €36.3m in resources into Duhallow Provided over 3,500 Training Places Placed over 500 into employment Facilitated the creation of over 500 childcare places Supported 96 Community & Voluntary Groups Enabled Networking & Co-operation Funded over 600 projects by Communities Implemented 26 National & EC programmes through a

single community based rural development structure

……………………..

Assisted 23 Publications Convened 40 Seminars and Conferences Developed 25 new amenities and visitor attractions Assisted & Funded 15 new accommodation units Empowered over 4,000 young people to get involved in

development projects Initiated support projects in 18 schools Carried over 22,000 passengers through Rural Transport Developed Transnational linkages with 22 countries Implemented 35 National & EU Programmes through a

single Administrative structure

Conclusion

Integrated Local Development Structures will have an enhanced role in the delivery of the Irish National Development Plan 07-13

LEADER Partnerships (Integrated Structures) LEADER Programme focus drawn from EU

Agreements Lisbon ( job creation): Gothenburg (sustainability): Cork (Living Countryside)

Social Inclusion Programmes – Additional Target Groups All of the Country will be included in new

programme. Additional Programmes to be delivered through

Integrated Local & Rural development Agencies