Social inclusion projects win share of €6.5m funding

SOCIAL inclusion and community projects from all over County Wicklow will share €6.5 million in funding provided under the Government’s Social Inclusion Community Activation Programme (SICAP).

Last week, the Wicklow Local Community Development Committee (LCDC) in conjunction with Wicklow County Council announced the successful outcome of the tendering competition for the Department of Rural and Community Development run programme.

Successful projects include Little Bray Community Centre, Fassaroe; St Fergal’s Resource Centre, Oldcourt; English language classes for migrants and new communities in Arklow, Wicklow town, Kilcoole and Bray; countywide programmes to prevent early school-leaving; training courses and mentoring supports for unemployed, self-employed and social enterprises.

Bray Area Partnership, based on Quinsboro Road, along with consortium partners Bray Community Enterprise and Bray Family Resource and Development Project based in Fassaroe, successfully bid to be the programme implementers for the Bray and Greystones Municipal District areas. Co Wicklow Partnership, based in the Bridgewater Centre, Arklow, won the bid to be the programme implementer for the Arklow, Wicklow and Baltinglass Municipal District areas.

Both of these organisations have vast experience in the area of social inclusion and have run similar programmes over the past two decades.

The SICAP contracts were signed into effect in Wicklow County Council chamber by Cllr Gráinne McLoughlin, Chairperson of the Wicklow LCDC; Frank Curran, Chief Executive of Wicklow County Council; Michael Nicholson, Chief Officer of the Wicklow LCDC; and the CEOs and Board Chairpersons of each of the Partnerships – Peter Brennan and John O’Brien on behalf of Bray Area Partnership and Brian Carty and Tom Gregan on behalf of Co Wicklow Partnership.

Further information on the programme can be had by contacting Bray Area Partnership at www.brayareapartnership.ie or Co Wicklow Partnership at www.wicklowpartnership.ie.

The Chair of Wicklow LCDC, Cllr Grainne McLaughlin, along with LCDC Chief Officer, Michael Nicholson, and Chief Executive of Wicklow County Council, Frank Curran, with representatives from Bray Area Partnership and County Wicklow Partnership.