Southside Partnership / Current Programmes
Community Platform
What is the Dun Laoghaire Rathdown Community Platform?
The Community Platform is a body made up of Community Development groups and special interest groups within the Dun Laoghaire Rathdown area that have a particular focus on challenging disadvantage and social exclusion.
At the moment there are 30 groups who are members of the Platform.
Mission
- to be a representative collective voice for those organisations which are focused primarily on work to eliminate poverty and/or social exclusion
- non party political and non sectarian
- to develop a common community agenda
- to support the active participation of community in external decision-making processes and to support the development of good community development practice by sharing and learning from experiences
Why is the Platform Important?
- In Community Development, one of the most important principles is moving individual issues to the collective as it adds strength and voice.
- This is why we believe that there is a need for an organisation of groups in the county who have a common focus to work together and to make sure that their issues are heard.
What does the Platform do?
The Platform attempts to create a strong, independent, community sector voice through :
- Facilitating member groups to come together to identify common issues and developing ways of responding collectively
- Facilitating the election of community representatives to various local development structures e.g. Southside Partnership, The Community and Voluntary Forum, DLR Volunteer Centre, RAPID.
- Lobbying on issues of relevance to communities through various networks and bodies.
How does an organisation become a member?
The Organisations eligible for membership are those working from Community Development Principles and Practices. These are community or voluntary organisations which:
- Have a primary focus on anti-poverty and/or social exclusion and reflect this in their actions
- Be working towards having a democratic, participative and inclusive management and operating structure
- Have a commitment to working in a collective way
- Are committed to openness, transparency and accountability
- Ensure that those experiencing poverty and social exclusion are participating within the group
- Are committed to achieving equality for all in society
- Are located within the area of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown
The business of the Platform is managed by the Steering Committee whose members are elected at the AGM. The Steering Committee meet once a month. The Members of the Steering Committee are:
- Ray Byrne, Disability Interest Group
- Mary Collins, Eye Contact
- Carol Connors, Southside Travellers Action Group (STAG)
- Pauline Davy, Southside Women’s Action Network (SWAN)
- Collette Farrington, Ballyogan Community Development Group
- Caroline Murphy, Mountwood Fitzgerald Community Development Group
- Tina Pomphrett, Ballybrack Community Development Group
- Anne Traynor, Shanganagh Community Development Group
- Dairin West, Holly House Community Development Group
If you are interested in finding out more about the Dun Laoghaire Rathdown Community Platform please contact the support worker: Alison Gray on ph: 2090610 or
Email: alison.gray@ssphship.ie
