CWI Submission to the Dublin North East Inner City Taskforce

Following on the very challenging times experienced by the community in the North East Inner City of Dublin, a taskforce to lead the regeneration of Dublin’s north inner-city has been established. Chaired by the Taoiseach, the taskforce has appointed Former Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) chief Kieran Mulvey to work with the community to develop a list of recommendations for action.

CWI members, colleagues and friends have been to the forefront in campaigning for interventions in the area.

CWI made a submission to the taskforce calling for support for the establishment of a distinct community development programme to support community work in the North-East Inner City, underpinned by the following:

A community analysis of need in the area and strategies to address those needs;
A strategic planning exercise that is based on this analysis that will establish goals for the work;
A level of resources and support for the work that will facilitate and enable the goals to be achieved – based on a grant arrangement;
Implementation should be by community-based organisations that have a history of working in the area;
The programme should be designed in a manner that ensures that work at local level is based on locally directed needs analyses and underpinned by community work principles as outlined in the All Ireland Standards for Community Work:
- Collectivity – collectivity includes collective analysis, collective action and collective outcomes in pursuit of a just and equal society;
- Empowerment – community work is about empowering communities increasing knowledge, skills, consciousness and confidence to become critical, creative and active participants;
- Participation – participation is rooted in the belief that communities have the right to identify their own needs and interests and responses required
- Social Justice and Sustainable Development
  - Promoting a just society involves promoting policies and practices that challenge injustice and value diversity;
  - Promoting a sustainable society involves promoting environmentally, economically and socially sustainable policies and practices.
- Human Rights, Equality and Anti-discrimination – Community work is concerned with the promotion of human rights and equality in society and with addressing the multiple forms of discrimination experienced by many groups.