What is the Empowering Communities Programme (ECP)?
The ECP is a national €2m pilot programme which targets 14 small areas with the highest socio-economic deprivation (as measured by the Pobal HP Deprivation Index). Empowering local communities is a process of providing support, resources, and opportunities to individuals and groups within a community to take control of their own lives and achieve sustainable change.
The programme uses community development principles to address social exclusion and deprivation. Through engagement with the target communities, developing relationships with community stakeholders and groups, collaborating with statutory agencies and other structures, communities are empowered to craft tailored and sustainable responses to identified challenges. In particular, the ECP works closely with other government-funded initiatives such as Community Safety Partnerships, Social Inclusion Community Activation Programme, Youth Justice, Community Garda, Galway County Council and Healthy Ireland.
Empowering Communities Ballinasloe
There are 6 estates in Ballinasloe which have one of the highest deprivation indexes in the country that are included in the Empowering Communities programme. The programme is managed by Galway Rural Development and staffed by a Project Team leader and a part-time Community Engagement Worker.
Further information
For further information, please email lcdc@galwaycoco.ie or alternatively please contact Galway Rural Development at grd@grd.ie