COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF SOCIAL, COMMUNITY & EQUALITY SPC
Tuesday, May 19, 2020
HEADED ITEM NO. 5
Social Inclusion Festival Review
Introduction
A review of the Council’s approach to our annual social inclusion festival was committed to as part of the Social, Community and Equality Strategic Policy Committee’s annual work plan to make recommendations to provide a more focussed Festival that meets key social inclusion objectives.
While the impact of COVID-19 on events and festivals in the second half of 2020 and beyond remains unclear, this review will proceed and inform future Social Inclusion Festivals in South Dublin and any events subsequently planned for 2020 will, of course, adhere to all relevant national public health advice.
Strategic Context
Our ongoing social inclusion work is a key part of the delivery of strategic objectives of the Council including those identified in our Corporate Plan 2020-2024, the South Dublin Local Economic & Community Plan 2016-2021 and "A More Inclusive County", our Migrant Integration Strategy. This work is also delivered in the context of the National Action Plan for Social Inclusion – ‘A Roadmap for Social Inclusion: Ambitions, Goals, Commitments 2019-2025 ’ that was published in January 2020. This Action Plan is aimed at overcoming poverty in Irish society, with a proposed six year timeframe covering the period 2019 – 2025 with seven high level goals; specific targets & key commitments, focused on actions covering:
- Older people
- People outside employment
- Workers
- Families
- People with disabilities
- Communities
Our local objectives in this regard include:
- Continuing to deliver our related strategies and plans and continue to highlight the positive work carried out by South Dublin County Council.
- Collaboration with other agencies to reduce social exclusion
- Promoting an understanding of social inclusion and diversity
- Building relationships with the more vulnerable in our communities.
- Encouraging inclusion of our younger age groups who do not fall under a particular group identified as at risk to social exclusion, (e.g. young teens who struggle to feel included whether in school or in society as a whole).
- Continued work with South Dublin County Partnership on social inclusion initiatives, sharing of information and collaboration in programme delivery.
Social Inclusion Festival
The Council's Social Inclusion Unit delivers an annual programme of events, activities, competitions, initiatives and projects to encourage participation by everyone in the community and to promote inclusion and access for all. A key element of the Social Inclusion Unit work plan is the annual Social Inclusion Festival. This programme is generally in line with our obligations and responsibilities under the National Action Plan for Social Inclusion and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Our inaugural Social Inclusion Festival took place in 2006 and has continued to develop and expand since them with increasing event and participant numbers. In 2019, the festival was extended from a week to a ten-day festival due to the number of events involved.
While the Social Inclusion Festival has run successfully and been well attended in recent years, this review aims to identify recommendations to broaden key target group participation and maximising the reach and impact of our social inclusion work.
Social Inclusion Festival Events 2017-2019
The following table gives an overview Social Inclusion Festival events 2017-2019:
|
Social Inclusion Festival 2017-2019 |
|||
|
Year |
No. of Events |
No. of Participants |
Sample Events |
|
2019 |
91 |
4,000 |
|
|
2018 |
98 |
2,700 |
|
|
2017 |
91 |
3,100 |
|
Overview of Events and Stakeholder Engagement for Social Inclusion Festival 2019
Ninety varied events took place throughout the County for the most recent Social Inclusion Festival in 2019. The following table provides details on some key events that took place:
|
Social Inclusion Festival 2019 |
|||||
|
Event |
Venue |
Attendance |
Target Groups |
Key Points |
Partners |
|
Launch Event |
Tallaght Stadium |
115 |
Open to All |
Opening of Festival where all local groups celebrate achievements around in a great networking event. |
All Groups |
|
No one gets Left out Day |
Tymon Park, Tallaght |
250 |
Young People |
Gained volunteers to support the youths, attend matches and/ or training sessions. The level of youth participation in sport in the African committee has gone up. Since event there has been an increase in player registration to the FAI. |
Team Zimbabwe, Speakers from UCL League & FAI and teams from local schools |
|
Knockmitten Tea dance |
Knockmitten Youth & Community Centre, Clondalkin |
200 |
Active Aged |
The seniors from this group were delighted with the event and senior groups from the surrounding area also attended, reinforcing local networks. |
Community Guards and Community Garda Band |
|
Annette Halpin Memorial Tea Dance |
Red Cow Inn, Clondalkin |
140 |
Active Aged |
Event where a few representatives from each group in the County come together to enjoy music and refreshments. Great networking event. |
Social Inclusion Unit, SDCC |
|
Clondalkin Handcraft and Horticultural Show's craft day |
The Towers, Direct Provision Centre, Clondalkin |
81 |
Ethnic Minorities in the County |
Individuals living in direct provision in Clondalkin Towers enjoyed learning 4 new art and crafts through workshops with local artists and craftspeople from Clondalkin Handcraft and Horticultural Show. |
Direct Provision Centre, Clondalkin and Clondalkin District Horticultural Show |
|
Nepal Talk and Food Tasting Event |
Rua Red, Arts Centre, Tallaght |
75 |
Open to All |
Attendees gained a broad knowledge of Nepal while being introduced to cultural diversity and Nepal's unique cuisine. Once off event for SDCC however Nepal host events similar to this throughout the year. Group is part of SDCC's South Dublin Migrant Integration Forum. |
Nepal Ireland Society |
|
Le Cheile at ReCreate |
ReCreate Ireland, Ballymount |
72 |
Young People |
2 people joined following this open day. Number of families attended and received ideas and inspiration to work creatively at home. |
ReCreate |
|
Irish Wheelchair Association (IWA): Enabling Accessibility |
Irish Wheelchair Association Lucan |
36 |
People with Disabilities |
The number of referrals and enquiries have increased since the open day. The day gave the members an opportunity to express themselves while also showcasing their skills |
Irish Wheelchair Association |
|
Intercultural Community Showcase |
Lucan Library |
900 |
Open to All |
Ethnic minority groups came together to showcase the different cultures. Food samples from around the world was available. Storytelling and music was enjoyed throughout the day. Attended by all nationalities and proved to be a major success. |
Lucan Library, South Dublin Migrant Integration Forum and Intercultural Centres |
These events also included an Intercultural Community Showcase, Literacy Awareness Training, Toddler Time, Mental Health Awareness workshop, English Conversation classes etc as we engaged with a range of stakeholders from private, community, voluntary and statutory sectors including:
- 'I Could Be' campaign, the Down Syndrome Centre's campaign for 2019 World Down Syndrome Day, was displayed at the launch of the Festival. This was to support a brighter future for people with Down syndrome awhile promoting the innate potential, skills, and talents that people with Down Syndrome have to bring to society and to the workforce.
- Tusla child and family agency ran a Meitheal Minding Parents workshop providing information on childcare supports and positive parenting approaches.
- NALA (National Adult Literacy Awareness) provided a workshop to Council staff.
- ALONE partnered on a Coffee Morning for older people and volunteers.
- Our Library team supported more than 30 events throughout the Council’s Library network.
- Bank of Ireland and Age Action Ireland provided financial wellbeing workshops to help older people to recognise and effectively combat modern financial risks and threats.
Social Inclusion Events in Other Local Authorities
The Social Inclusion Unit has researched related activities in eleven other local authorities throughout the country and have identified some of the most common activities as follows:
- Coffee mornings
- physical/mental/financial wellbeing information sessions
- Arts and Crafts workshops/classes, floristry and horticultural programmes
- Mindfulness and meditation
- Open days for local community groups
- language classes/exchanges
- Choirs (particularly Dementia Choirs)
- art and photo exhibitions, book clubs
- Intercultural showcases (food, music, dancing and stories from different cultures)
- parent and toddler groups.
In addition, many other events took place including film screenings, walking groups, quizzes, local history talk, live music sessions, board/card games, dance/fitness classes for all ages, tea dance, writers groups, bingo, theatre/plays, Bake Off, Cancer support groups, Intercultural Storytelling, Crime prevention talks, Celebration Show, Make Way Day, Food Festivals, drama workshops, Sanctuary Runners Park Run, technology classes, Family Fun Days and youth programmes while a selected of some of the more novel and unique events across the c ountry included:
- Donegal County Council organised a Migrant Women Support Hub, Voting registration and information sessions for Black and Ethnic Communities
- Dublin City Council: Peru National Day celebration, Start-up business information event, Volunteers celebration, local walks in Spanish, Smithfield Boxfest, Baybe Festival (workshops and performances by local migrant organisations).
- Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown County Council: Diversity Fashion Show, Indian celebration day, Bridging the Gap workshop, LGBTQ+ Themed Movie, Sensory Hour/Autism Hour at Dundrum Shopping Centre, Road to Self-Employment talk for Traveller Community, sign language workshop for beginners, Information session about the role of the County Council, Intergenerational speed talking.
- Fingal County Council: Anti-Racism talks, Intercultural Competency and Diversity Awareness Training for staff, Positive Integration Showcase by Muslim Women Together, maths for Everyday Life, Teenage Disco Night, Community Dog Walk, Wheelchair Accessible Winter Walks,
- Galway City Council: Community clean up "Good Neighbour Project", Kick Start Recovery Football activity session, Tree planting ceremony for deceased family and friends, Cake Sale through Irish Sign Language, AIDS West LGBT+ Sexual Health Programme and HIV Testing.
- Galway County Council: Bring a Buddy Morning.
- Kildare County Council: Addiction support services, Disability and Sport Inclusion Awareness Day.
- Mayo County Council: Traveller Accommodation Discussion, First Aid Training, Dementia Friendly Gallery Visit,.
- Monaghan County Council: LGBT Colour Run, Swimming classes for children with disabilities, Chatterbox programme to minimise speech and language difficulties for children, SafeTALK (Suicide Alertness for Everyone), Indoor Play Sensory Fun Zone, Healthier Lifestyle Programme, Lithuanian Family Celebration Day.
- Roscommon County Council: Introductory Fun Soccer Training Session, Personal Development Course for Women, Training Programme in Media and Radio, Farmer’s Market.
Challenges
Migrant community
It has proved sometimes difficult to get prior commitment from the migrant community for some events which makes planning and advertising difficult. Notwithstanding these challenges, it is notable that the events still proceeded but with more engagement the reach and success of such events would be greatly magnified. It has also been challenging to deliver awareness campaigns with migrant communities due to a marked but very understandable reluctance to find participates to talk about their experiences of racism. A key part of the enhanced success of future social inclusion events lies in addressing these challenges with our local migrant.
Traveller community
Although sixteen Traveller Culture School Programme workshops were delivered throughout the County in 2019, there has not been enough additional engagement with the Traveller Community on inclusive events and campaigns. Our social inclusion team will strive to work with local Traveller support groups to improve participation and awareness.
LGBTQI+
We are very conscious that we need to ensure LGBTI+ supports and issues are highlighted as part of social inclusion work in the County. The Social Inclusion Unit will be exploring opportunities to work with agencies including BeLonG To Youth Services, the national organisation supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI+) young people in Ireland, and Dublin LGBTQ Pride as well as the LGBTQ staff network to deliver appropriate awareness and support events for the 2020 Social Inclusion Festival. In addition, supports for LGBTQI+ in minority groups, for example in the Traveller community and migrant communities in the County, will be a particular focus, notwithstanding the very evident challenges in doing so with those communities.
Objectives for 2020 and beyond
The objective of this review is to refocus the social inclusion festival to ensure broader participation of target groups along with a more varied and meaningful programme of activities that deliver lasting and measurable outcomes, particularly in the context of local and national strategic objectives .
It is also apparent that certain local challenges need to be tackled in a more meaningful way to further break down barriers to inclusion.
Having regard for the range of previous events, potential themes and existing challenges, it is proposed to align the views of the Committee with our social inclusion agenda in South Dublin to shape and progress an enhanced model for our Social Inclusion Festival for 2020 and future years.