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Local Development Social Inclusion Programme The Local Development Social Inclusion Programme provides support to the most disadvantaged in the region. This generally means developing projects that promote active participation in the community in partnership with specific groups. Grant aid to individual projects is small but this funding can act as a priming mechanism for support from a range of mainstream projects and programmes such as those managed by the VEC, Western Health Board, FÁS the department of Rural Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and Mayo County Council. Support may be offered under the following headings Measure A: Services to the Un-employed This measure is to develop a range of initiatives aimed at encouraging people from state dependency to gainful employment. It includes support for adult education and training, career planning, job preparation and planning, start-up grant aid, mentoring and development an maintenance of employer support networks. This company works in partnership with Meitheal Mhaigh Eo, the County Enterprise Board, the Local Employment Service and FÁS to co-ordinate activity. Examples of projects: Mustapha Aboubi - The Olive Tree Mustapha, a long term unemployed father of three approached the company in 1999 and was assisted to get on the back to work enterprise allowance and obtain a first step interest free loan of £5,000. He opened the Olive Tree Deli in September 1999 and took part in a business mentoring programme provided by South West Mayo Development Company in 2000 to help him establish his business. In 2001 Mustapha was presented with opportunity of expanding the business when the premises next door to the Olive Tree was made available. As he was eligible for support under the Local Development Social Inclusion programme he was allocated euro3,175 towards the cost of his expansion. The new Ethnic Mediterranean CafÈ opened on 26th June 2002 , it is fully operational and employs 5 staff. The business provides an excellent service for the growing ethnic community in Castlebar and for the ever changing tastes of the local community. Roger Philbin Roger is a 27 years old registered service user with Western Care. Although living with Autism. Roger has an artistic talent and in particular does comic cartoon strip and puppets. In 2001, Alan Keighery approached South West Mayo Development Company on Roger's behalf, to seek support for Roger to set up a website to market his skills to publishers. Castlebar Chamber of Commerce had agreed to host the site free of charge, and he received a materials allowance from FÁS. Western care agreed to allocated £350.00 towards the project which left a short fall of euro825.50. (£650.00). The board of South West Mayo Development Company agreed to fund this amount. Visit Roger's website Women's DIY Course South West Mayo Development Company put together a training course through the Local Development Social Inclusion Programme in DIY designed for women to give them basic skills in practical household maintenance. This course gave women in the Claremorris area a chance to learn more about plumbing, electrics, carpentry, basic car maintenance and interior design. According to Ann Bell course participant, "I was able to use the plumbing and electrics we learnt on the course at home. I would recommend it to anybody". This seemed to be the attitude of all the women who took part. Thanks to Mayo VEC, Casey's Garage and the individual tradesmen who made the course enjoyable and a worth while project.

Measure B: Community Development Strengthening voluntary community organisations through training in leadership, management and community development, and promoting networking and information exchange. Building independent and new forms of local organisation in areas of greatest need. To encourage and facilitate participation of target groups in community for a and decision making structures. Assistance for small scale infrastructure development in prioritised areas. Examples of projects: Carrowbeg Enterprises Western Care applied to South West Mayo Development Company for support for drama project on behalf of approximately 30 adults with learning difficulties. A drama called ìThe Loveboat Mystery" was created and performed by the service users in Carrowbey training centre in 2001. The project was grant aided to the value of euro2,500.00. The innovative nature of this production used shadow puppetry, music, sound effects and drama to tell the story. It combined the skills of musicians, puppeteers, care staff and service users in a unique way. The show was devised for children aged 4-9. In total over 1200 children attended the show, which toured to various venues in Mayo, Galway and Clonbur Brown Trout Accordion Festival. Each show was highly commended as a unique, engaging, humorous and professional production. It successfully involved service users from Western Care, care staff, and artists in s formative and pioneering way, which in turn helped to break down barriers and also provide service users with opportunity to take part in a mainstream theatrical event Women On Track A group of women from Clare Island approached the company in 2002 seeking funding to set up a laundry service for the Island . This laundry service would be available to the islanders especially the elderly and to visitors to the island, during the tourist season. It was decided to install washing machines and dryers that would be ran on a meter system in order to generate an income for the maintenance of the facility. The service is ran by volunteers and FÁS participants during the winter and a student on the Summer Jobs scheme during the summer months. The elderly on the island avail of this service at a reduced rate. In April 2002, the board of South West Mayo Development Company agreed a grant of euro1300.00 towards the purchase of these machines and they were installed and running by August 2002. Measure C: Community Based Youth Initiatives The priority of this measure is to add value to the delivery of mainstream programmes by primary and post-primary schools in the area. Funding is provided to ensure that local initiatives for under 18's inform and strengthen policy development: to support voluntary playgroups to provide access for children within the target groups, actions that prevent early school leaving and support for development youth work in specific areas. Also support to adult volunteers working with youth groups. Examples of projects: Glenhest Parent/Toddler Group Parents from Glenhest applied to South West Mayo Development Company with a view to establishing a Parent/Toddler group for somewhere for they to meet other parents and for children to interact. It is hoped that this group would eventually establish their own playschool, as the nearest playschool is 6 miles away and places are limited. Funds were sought from the Local Development Social Inclusion Programme (euro650.00) as well as from the Western Health board (euro190.00) and parents own contributions (euro20.00 per week). Toys and storage containers were purchased and the parent/toddler group had their first meeting on 18th September, 2002 , fourteen adults and eighteen children attending. Castlebar Neighbourhood Youth Project The youth project Provides ongoing assistance for the healthy development of young people to enable them to grow and develop to their full potential and overcome adversity. They provide direct intervention and support for those experiencing disadvantage or at risk of becoming disadvantaged. In July 2002, Castlebar NYP were awarded grant aid of euro2071.70 to facilitate a six week summer programme to accommodate 10-18 year olds from the community particularly targeting disadvantaged youth. The programme provided opportunities for participants to increase skills and knowledge, learn new things and increase self esteem and personal development. Some of the activities included Arts & Crafts, Computer workshops, Drama workshops, Self defence classes and games, as well as other sporting activities. The success of the summer programme was evident by the large number of participants, 75 young people in total. And out of that 75, 49 were identified by other agencies as needing extra support and individual attention. As well, the success of the programme was reflected in the strong, positive relationships that now exist between the young people, their families and the project workers at Castlebar NYP, and has crated links for further input from the NYP Keeto Petersil Keeto was referred from the Linenhall Arts centre, in Castlebar. He is a very advanced young film maker with huge potential. He hoped to take part in a course run by the National Youth Film school in Limerick . This course would provide Keeto with the opportunity to further his skills in the area of film production. South West Mayo Development Company grant aided Keeto under Measure C of the Local Development Social Inclusion programme, with a contribution to the cost of the course to the value of euro640.00. Breaking The Cycle Numerous studies have demonstrated that children who enter second level without adequate literacy/numeracy skills are at high risk of dropping out of school without qualifications. Educational disadvantage is one of the primary causes of social exclusion and intervention at an early stage is a critical part of any preventative strategy. However, remedial supports in primary schools fall well below what is necessary to ensure every child has a fair chance of succeeding at second level. Since 1998 we have been working closely with school principals and the home/school liaison officer in 6 primary schools in the Clew Bay area; Carrowholly, Brackloon, Cuilmore, Fahy, Louisburgh and Myna. A qualified teacher provides out-of-school- tuition for children with the parent's consent in the child's home. The benefits of this project are many: it channels support directly to families without the means to pay for private tuition, it provides quality support in an environment where the child feels comfortable and it encourages parental involvement. The project received euro10,000 under the AIB Better Ireland awards in 2002, which has allowed us to substantially increase the number of participants. Please note that more information on this programme and the projects mentioned can be received from the company's office.

South West Mayo Development Company Carey Walsh Buildings Georges Street Newport County Mayo Ireland Tel: + 353 (0) 98 41950 Tel: + 353 (0) 98 41952 Email: info@southmayo.com         South West Mayo Development Company is a Company Limited by Guarantee and a Registered Charity