CCLD launches five-year strategy

Cavan County Local Development, an organisation that helps deliver a range of rural, social and economic programmes at local level, last week launched a new five-year strategic plan.

A first for CCLD, the vision going forward, explains CEO Terry Hyland, is to create an “inclusive, sustainable and enterprising” county.

Local development companies act as a conduit through which resources can be directed towards disadvantaged communities and a hub through which a range of programmes can be tailored to the needs of a specific community.

Speaking to the Celt at last Friday's launch at the Hotel Kilmore, Mr Hyland points to how proactive the not-for-profit body has been in terms of dealing with challenges. In recent years, CCLD personnel helped deliver supports to those cocooning from Covid, or more recently manoeuvred its priorities to supporting and assisting Ukrainian refugees in the community.

Mr Hyland is highly conscious of the importance of CCLD moulding its work to addressing demographic and climate change, as well as embracing technological advancements and trying to address under capacity in both health and housing.

“Our new strategic plan considers the wider environment in which we operate,” explains Mr Hyland. “It sets out a range of objectives that will guide our work and progress over the next five years. We are hugely thankful to everyone who contributed their insights and took part in the process of developing this plan.”

The CCLD Strategic Plan 2024-28 sets out the focus for the organisation going forward, and commits to initiatives that underpin its priorities.

Mr Hyland notes that the Cavan as a whole is characterised by small town settlements and dispersed rural populations, together with a large commuter belt and concentration of population to the east of the county. Arising from that are a variety of issues and, while CCLD is not directly responsible for addressing those, it does still deal with the consequences.

Climate change, for instance, is one that Mr Hyland expects to feature high on the agenda between now and 2028, and looks set to be a focus too as CCLD prepares to deliver the next LEADER and Social Inclusion Community Activation Programme from 2024 onwards.

“Our mission is to provide an effective and coordinated response to combat social exclusion and disadvantage and our focus will remain clear in particular on those with multiple barriers to full social participation.”

Chair of the CCLD board, which is made up of voluntary members, Brian McDermott, highlights that the work of the organisation is supported by a multi-disciplinary team of 40 and of more than 200 scheme workers.

“We're fortunate to have so many wonderful people working with us, and to have the support of government departments and agencies to fund our programmes. The direction of CCLD though is always set by the people of the county, and their needs. We are on the ground, of the people, and part of the community, that's what makes local development companies so unique.” Cathaoirleach of Cavan County Council, Philip Brady, was on hand to help launch the new strategic report. He said that there are a lot of synergies that can and have been achieved between the work being done by the local authority and CCLD.

“We are all working for and trying to help build a better and more inclusive and sustainable Cavan for everyone to live in. We've see already how the work being done by CCLD has had a real impact in the communities it helps. Real change doesn’t just happen in strategic plans, and like ourselves in the council, what we say has to be followed up by what we do.”

Iris O'Callaghan is a coordinator with one of CCLD's most successful programmes to date - Cultural Champions.

Involving members of new communities, the champions offer support to help promote the welfare and protection of others by working with various agencies to reach out to families and “bridge gaps and improve outcomes”.

Currently, Cultural Champions have the support of people able to speak over 30 languages, and Iris says the initiative is going from strength to strength.

“It's a great example of collaboration and innovation between the statutory, community and voluntary sector, working together to try and improve outcomes for children and families in Cavan. That's our goal.”