ISSUE 4

Father McGrath Center - Secure funds for building plans

The Fr. McGrath Centre in the Butts community in Kilkenny is to receive a grant of €395,000 from the Governments Equal Opportunties Childcare Programme (EOCP) fund. The community centre earmarked for demolition by Kilkenny Corporation in 1995 was rescued after a public campaign was launched to save the derelict old parish schoolhouse building for future use for local children and families.Since then aided by many volunteers and a FAS C.E. and Youth Training scheme the community have built an impressive new extension to house their growing list of children, youth, education and other community developed programmes. The grant will be used to build a new childcare and affordable all day care centre. Eight people are currently employed in the pre school childcare services. This could rise to more than twelve when their new construction project is completed. The grant will also allow them to build two new playgrounds, one for toddlers using their preschool facilities, and the other an open public playground for the many children under twelve years living in the Butts estate.

Large Turnout at Community Information Seminar

A larger number of community representatives turned up in the Newpark Hotel on Tues the 15th of April for the Comminity Information Seminar .Ronan Ryan introduced the session and gave an update on the programme, speakers on the night included Mags Leaghy ( Chairperson of Cog ) Tony Walsh ( Director of Community & Enterprise / Kilkenny County Council ) and Fergus Keane ( Manager of KCAN ). Mags Leaghy outlined that COG ( Community Organisation group ) welcomed new communities onto the COG group and ahighlighted that the expansion of COG would provide a representative forum for all parties involved.

Community Training Days Confirmed

Dates have been confirmed for the Community Training Programme. The Programme will cover 1. Effective meetings 2. Introduction to Community Development and 3. Action Planning (Part 1 & 2). The course will be run over a four week period commencing on May the 22nd , 29th the 5th and the 12th of June . All training sessions will commence at 7.30 in the Butler House, Patrick street.


Schools Completion Programme Underway in Kilkenny

The School Completion Programme is a Department of Education and Science programme. It aims to encourage and improve school attendance at both primary and second level, and as the name suggests, complete Senior cycle, i.e., the Leaving Certificate. The focus of the programme is not just on school, but also on the home and community.

In addition to the usual school activities, the Programme will strive to make school a positive and happy experience for young people. It is hoped that this will be achieved through programmes which will address the social and cultural needs of students as well as their educational needs.
Young people will be encouraged to attend homework clubs, where they will receive help with their homework; attend after-school and holiday-time activities and receive help with any other aspect of their development which will have a positive impact for them.
Co-Ordinator Cait Ni Mhurchú

Currently, the School Completion Programme is working with a number of schools in the city and liaising with all the communities within the RAPID areas.The School completion Programme office is located in Seville Lodge on the Callan Road and the Co-ordinator of the Programme, Cáit Ní Mhurchú. Telephone 056-60115.




Call for RAPID Projects

All new RAPID projects should be fowarded to Ronan Ryan ( County Hall ) no later than Friday the 19th of June. The Strategic plan is presently in the process of being completed and will be fowarded to ADM prior to July the 11th. for further information please contact Ronan in the County Hall.

National Delegation to Visit Kilkenny AIT

Dr. Maureen Gaffney, Chair of the National Economic and Social Forum (NESF) Mr. Jerry Murphy RAPID National Co-ordinator and Maureen Stack (CRGIA) will be visiting the Kilkenny Area Implementation Team on Monday the 8th of May 2002. . The Visiting party and Dr Gaffney who has been appointed by the Government as Chair of the National Monitoring Committee for the Programme for Revitalising Areas by Planning, Investment and Development under the National Development Plan will also be visiting projects in the city.

The New Community website is presently being designed and information compiled. If you have not fowarded the recently posted template (i.e. information on your community or project ) please do so as soon as possible.

Community Network day full steam Ahead

The Community Network day will take place in the Father McGrath center on May the 11th from 11am - 4pm. Liam Elward Minister for State will be in attendance. For further details contact Brid or Lindsey in the County Hall.