15,000 employed and 70,000 trained

Brian Carty of the Irish Local Development Network

- Survey of local development companies indicates

Over an 18-month period, Local Development Companies (LDCs) directly supported an estimated 15,000 people to find their way back into paid work, placed around 70,000 people on training courses and provided support to about 10,000 small business start-ups. Many if not most of these people were long-term unemployed.
 
The Irish Local Development Network (ILDN) has just published the results of a survey for 2010 and the first six months of this year. The survey covered just over half (27 out of 51) the LDCs in the country and our headline figures are based on a doubling of the numbers. The actual national impact may be slightly lower or indeed higher.

Group insulation schemes can jumpstart your local economy!

Gearoid Fitzgibbon writes

Investing in home insulation and energy efficiency gives a better return than most other sorts of investments: it saves the householder money, it gives work to local contractors, it circulates money back into the local economy, and, from a national perspective, reduces our dependence on imported fossil fuels, and lowers our carbon emissions. 

It also counters fuel poverty, which affects 16 % of households (according to a 2001 survey), a figure that will have only increased since the recession.

 
Where once the case was made for such investment from a “green” perspective, it can now be proven from a purely financial point of view. Communities and community groups around the country are hungry for actions to boost the stagnant local economy.

15,000 employed and 70,000 trained

- Survey of local development companies indicates

 

Over an 18-month period, Local Development Companies (LDCs) directly supported an estimated 15,000 people to find their way back into paid work, placed around 70,000 people on training courses and provided support to about 10,000 small business start-ups. Many if not most of these people were long-term unemployed.

 

The Irish Local Development Network (ILDN) has just published the results of a survey for 2010 and the first six months of this year. The survey covered just over half (27 out of 51) the LDCs in the country and our headline figures are based on a doubling of the numbers. The actual national impact may be slightly lower or indeed higher.

VOLUNTEERS RESTART 'FAIR DAYS' - for (very) small businesses

HELENA DEANE, business consultant and volunteer, explains the resurrection of the 1990s concept of Open Fair Days and gives some valuable information on how to set one up:

 

The Open Fairs idea from 20 years ago is being revitalised and broadened as a counterbalance to the current recession. This year, fairs were held in Clare and Mayo. Further Fairs are planned for 2012 in counties Roscommon, Kerry, Kilkenny, Dublin and Donegal.

 

‘Open’ is shorthand for One Person Enterprise and the aim is for the fairs to evolve into a national movement of free, community-based talent exchanges, organised by volunteers.
  

Haggling in 2011 at an Open Fair Day. The concept is spreading.

Supporting local businesses - A RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME TASTER!

The Local and Community Development Programme is one of around a dozen programmes administered by Local Development Companies (aka Partnerships) around the country.
One of the better-known programmes is LEADER (or to use call it by its proper title, the Rural Development Programme). 
Here's just one example, from Kerry, of how the North East Kerry Development used funding from the Rural Development Programme to make a real difference for a small business in Ballybunion that employs eight seasonal staff.

NOTE: The upcoming edition of 'Changing Ireland' out this June will include a 2-page feature on the RDP. As well as supporting small local businesses, the RDP also funds projects that engage in community development, tourism interests and heritage work.