CCLD Celebrates 30 Years of Local Development in County Cavan
Cavan County Local Development (CCLD) marked an important milestone during Local Development Week, celebrating 30 years of local development, social inclusion and community partnership in County Cavan.
The 30 Years Celebration brought together CCLD's diverse areas of work in one programme, providing an opportunity to reflect on local development while also looking at the issues, communities and initiatives shaping its work today.
From social inclusion and rural development to employment, health and wellbeing, the event showcased the breadth of activity associated with CCLD and the people behind it.
Celebrating 30 years of local development
The event began with a CCLD Exhibition Showcase, followed by an opening address from Ste Corrigan, Chair of Cavan County Local Development.
A video address from Minister Niamh Smyth was followed by contributions from Cathaoirleach Carmel Brady of Cavan County Council and Eoin Doyle, Chief Executive of Cavan County Council.
Together, the opening programme placed CCLD's 30-year milestone within the wider local and community development landscape in County Cavan.
The anniversary celebration was particularly fitting during Local Development Week, providing an opportunity to highlight what local development looks like in practice and the variety of issues it seeks to address.
Social inclusion in action
Social inclusion formed a central part of the morning.
Larysa Sakala, Ukrainian Intercultural Support Worker, presented on SICAP Ukrainian Support, bringing intercultural and community support into the anniversary programme.
The agenda also explored how new approaches can contribute to community development. Jackie Broxton of the Community Connection Project (CCP) delivered a presentation entitled "Using AI for Good!", introducing a contemporary dimension to the day's discussion.
The programme continued with a Cavan Disability Network SICAP video, followed by a Section 39: Older Persons HSE video.
Together, these sessions highlighted the wide range of people, circumstances and community needs that sit within the broader social inclusion landscape.
Rural development and County Cavan
Rural development was another major theme of the celebration.
Videos highlighting the Rural Social Scheme and Rural Recreation were followed by a presentation on LEADER from Elaine Halpin, RDP/LEADER Manager.
For a predominantly rural county such as Cavan, rural development remains closely connected to creating opportunities and supporting vibrant communities.
Including the Rural Social Scheme, rural recreation and LEADER within the anniversary showcase demonstrated the different dimensions that rural development can encompass, from people and participation to community and local development.
Supporting pathways to employment and participation
The programme then turned to labour activation and employment-related initiatives.
Pamela Carney, SICAP Development Officer, presented Rural Revive, followed by videos introducing The Tús Initiative and WorkAbility.
Their inclusion in the anniversary programme illustrated another important dimension of local development: enabling people to participate and helping create pathways towards employment, community involvement and opportunity.
The combination of social inclusion, rural development and labour activation throughout the morning also demonstrated why local development requires a joined-up understanding of communities and the challenges people may encounter.
Health and wellbeing at community level
The final programme theme focused on health and wellbeing.
The event featured Sláintecare Healthy Communities through Community Food & Nutrition, Social Prescribing and Parenting videos.
Their inclusion reflected the connection between community development and wellbeing, and the importance of considering the wider circumstances that can influence people's ability to participate and thrive within their communities.
Bringing the celebration to a close
Terry Hyland, CEO of Cavan County Local Development, delivered the closing remarks.
The formal programme concluded with a performance by a Ukrainian Singing Group, providing a community-centred finale to a morning that had highlighted inclusion, participation and local development.
CCLD's 30th anniversary is an opportunity to acknowledge three decades of local development while maintaining a clear focus on the present and future.
The programme itself demonstrated just how broad that work has become. Ukrainian supports, disability inclusion, older people, artificial intelligence, rural recreation, LEADER, labour activation and community health may appear to be very different subjects, but each connects with a core principle of local development: responding to people and communities at local level.
As part of Local Development Week, the celebration provided an opportunity to make that work more visible and to recognise the people, programmes and community connections involved.
Thirty years is an important milestone. It is also a platform from which to continue building inclusive, resilient and connected communities across County Cavan.