Local Development Week begins on Monday 

LOCAL Development Week begins on Monday and will continue until Friday week.

The theme this year is Local Action, Lasting Impact, which highlights the difference that can be made when local people have the support, resources and opportunities to shape their communities.

In addition, the organisation Connect Laois, which runs local development week in Laois ‒ formerly Laois Partnership Company – will be on hand at many of the events offering needs-led support to empower people to shape their communities.

The CEO of Laois Partnership Company Caroline Lydon said: “From supporting local businesses to helping people feel part of their community, we make sure everyone in Laois can access the support they need. We navigate complex funding processes for groups and individuals, ensuring that no one faces challenges alone, building trust and equity to make the county a better place to live, work and play.” The work carried out by Connect Laois benefits all ages, from children taking their first steps right up to people on pensions. The social inclusion programme aims to better include people in our society, be that a community in a disadvantaged area that has been overlooked in national development plans, or new arrivals from another country who want to integrate through employment opportunities or English language classes.

Among the many social inclusion projects delivered or supported by Connect Laois are lunch clubs, providing a social outlet for elderly people, summer camps for children, training programmes and professional development for those looking to upskill and community events that bring everyone together for celebrations of fun, culture and diversity.

The other main area of services is rural development, with the Leader programme – co-funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht and the European Union – supporting communities and businesses across Laois to build upon and improve on the resources and amenities they have in their areas.

Recent Leader-supported projects include Ratheniska community hall, which has been approved for grant assistance towards the upgrade of kitchen facilities; Ballylinan Regeneration Team, who have been approved for grant assistance towards the commissioning of a sustainable community plan for the village; and Enviroli Ltd, who will use their grant for the development of a purpose-built salt therapy wellness centre on Main Street, Portlaoise Besides the Leader programme, rural development has two adjacent sections ‒ rural recreation, which deals with amenities such as the county’s wooded areas and walking trails and the Rural Social Scheme, which provides a supplementary income to part-time farmers or their family members.

There are also work placement opportunities through the Tús Scheme, which helps get people on social welfare back into the workplace by arranging employment with voluntary groups and sports clubs. For elderly people living alone or in isolated areas, there is Laois Services to Elderly People (LSTEP), which provides home repairs and maintenance or the installation of personal alarms.

The organisation advises that if you live in a part of Laois that you feel has been overlooked or have an idea that could benefit your community or the country as a whole, get in touch with Connect Laois today.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.