Introduction

Many communities, like Kill, have historically felt isolated when trying to improve their facilities. The concept of Comhar Comeragh arose from this frustration, born from the experiences of individuals working diligently in their own communities but lacking adequate support and information.

A small steering group, comprised of representatives from several villages, was formed to address this need. Their objective was to liaise with all villages, social enterprises, and relevant agencies to establish a network support group for the Comeragh area.

Currently, communities receive support from various departments and agencies, each offering their own individual programs.

However, this may not always be the most appropriate support for a community with a specific project at any given time. While engaging consultants to work with communities to research and develop village plans can identify future developments, this approach often places additional stress on already overburdened volunteers who must then source additional volunteers and funding for implementation.

Our CCN network, with the support of a full-time coordinator, will address these shortcomings, enabling villages and social enterprises to access a wider range of resources and achieve greater success.

From 2019 to 2025, €1 billion was allocated for rural regeneration under the Rural Regeneration Development Fund, of which €422.8 million has been spent to date, with the current period ending on December 31st.

The Comeragh electoral area, the largest rural area in the county, comprises 22 villages with a population of 21,000 and over 30 social enterprises. These entities require diverse funding sources to develop plans encompassing a wide range of socio-economic disciplines, from community centers and childcare to tourism, climate action, enterprise, second-chance education, healthcare, community alert, heritage, recreation, performing arts, food/accommodation, and many other development areas requiring specific supports. These supports include funding, specialist expertise, mentoring, leasing of vacant land and buildings, sponsorships, partnerships, collaborations, and more.

However, the most significant need is for a full-time coordinator to work with these voluntary groups, enabling them to identify needs and opportunities and then secure the appropriate supports, including funding, to successfully implement much-needed improvements in their communities.

Our Approach

Survey/Research: The group conducted an ABCD (Asset Based Community Development) survey/research project to identify the assets and amenities in the Comeragh area.

Starting in October 2023, meetings were held with representatives from all communities, documenting their assets, resources, amenities, and future hopes and aspirations.

Following this, ten weekly "Meet The Expert" sessions were held, providing an opportunity for community representatives to network and learn from experts from within and outside the county about how different social enterprises are managed.

Key Findings:

• Numerous untapped assets and opportunities exist in all areas.
• A wealth of active and dormant resources remains unused.
• Many assets remain undeveloped due to a lack of expertise in project management.

Challenges Facing Communities:

A significant challenge facing Kill and other groups is the shortage of volunteers and committee members. This is largely due to the demands of modern lifestyles, where often both parents work, coupled with the high cost of living and the responsibility of transporting children to various social, recreational, and cultural events. This leaves limited spare time for local activities, despite a willingness to contribute. Consequently, existing committee members must serve for extended periods, reluctant to step down for fear of vital facilities or services being jeopardized. This discourages involvement in new and much-needed developments.

Navigating the range and complexity of available funding can be difficult. Many committees, often comprised of older individuals, find online applications daunting. The complexity also stems from the variety of funding sources, including government departments, agencies, community organizations, the private sector, and philanthropic sources. Identifying the most relevant funding for diverse projects and circumstances requires professional expertise.

Formation of Comhar Comeragh Network:

As a result of these findings, the Comhar Comeragh Network was formed to combine available expertise and experience within a shared learning environment. Waterford Area Partnership (WAP) has agreed to support our proposal, and we have secured backing from SETU, Leader Partnership, the Council, SERI, SEWF, BWL, Civil Defence, and a team of political and societal leaders and mentors.

Network Goals:

Comhar Comeragh aims to alleviate the complex bureaucratic burden by providing appropriate support and information, enabling groups to capitalize on available opportunities.

To maximize the use of active and dormant resources, support groups are needed to advance plans and revitalize villages. The network will identify and create new resources, best practices, solutions, and opportunities. Through collaboration, replication, scale, shared expertise, and experience, all projects will benefit.

To achieve better results and utilize volunteer time and resources effectively, Comhar Comeragh requires the services of a full-time professional to support volunteers working in villages and enterprises. This CCN proposal is for a three-year pilot project to validate our research findings, which we believe will transform the socio-economic and interdependent nature of the Comeragh region.

Comhar Comaraigh exists to provide additional resources, advice, and support, creating new opportunities for villages and social enterprises. It will complement current developments with additional expertise and resources, focusing on adding resources, supports, expertise, contacts, ideas, solutions, best practices, volunteers, and relevant replications.

Through collaboration, all areas will achieve more with the same or less effort, eliminating current struggles, wasted time, and frustration. The CCN pilot has the potential to become a project of national and governmental interest. Establishing rural regeneration networks is the most effective and cost-efficient solution to counter current individualism, fragmentation, and waste at community, government, state agency, and EU levels.

Progress Made:

• Report: A detailed research report on all communities was compiled and circulated in September 2024.
• Logo & Video: A logo and promotional video, "In Our Own Backyard," highlighting the area's cultural, historical, and other amenities, were also circulated.
• Motto: The motto, "Stronger Together," emphasizes the equal treatment and shared skills benefiting all villages.
• Seminar: CCN organized a Social Enterprise Seminar on the CCN concept in Dunhill on October 11th. The event was attended by government officials, academics, representatives from various organizations, speakers from CCN communities, and a wide range of network members. Feedback was excellent.
• SETU/CCN: A successful application was made for a four-year PhD scholarship focusing on "the identification of a model of best practice for community development in the Comeraghs."
• Newsletter: A newsletter was published in December, featuring news and activities from villages throughout the Comeragh region.

Next Steps:

• Pilot Project: WAP and CCN will run a three-year pilot project with a full-time coordinator, subject to securing funding. Waterford Council's recommendation is needed to secure funding from the appropriate department. WAP will employ the coordinator.
• Agreed objectives and targets will be established.
• An annual report will be presented to the LCDC.
• Members will be registered on a shared IT learning platform.
• A quarterly CCN newsletter will be produced.
• The many opportunities identified in the research will be addressed.

Impact and Value:

Significant gains will accrue to the state and region if the project is well-structured and supported. Securing a full-time social enterprise coordinator will enable substantial progress on various projects, contributing to an inclusive and prosperous Comeragh region. The network concept has already garnered support from various agencies and individuals. The World Forum is willing to act as an ambassador for the Comeragh region throughout its global network.

A full-time coordinator is essential to work with individual villages, social enterprises, GAA clubs, other clubs, and organizations to increase inclusion and prosperity. Supporting those who volunteer their time on community committees is crucial for future community development.

Working together will undoubtedly lead to greater achievements with the same or less effort. Crucially, as a network, Comhar Comaraigh will have access to funds not available to individual groups/communities. The required state investment is small compared to the potential return.

CCN is committed to forming a voluntary support team to work with WAP, other agencies, committed resources, and the coordinator throughout the three years to achieve agreed objectives.

One Waterford:

This proposal aligns with the "One Waterford Project." For CCN to succeed, it must liaise with East and West Waterford in various areas for the benefit of the Comeraghs, City, and County of Waterford. These areas include tourism, heritage, employment, second-chance education, housing, climate action, inclusion, food, crafts, health, national and international engagement, and more.

Return on Investment:

Investing in our future will yield significant returns, including:

• Social welfare savings, income tax, and PRSI contributions.
• Increased manager and team productivity, and new income streams.
• Creation of new jobs, services, facilities, and projects.
• Sourcing of new resources and solutions.
• Improved life and employment skills.
• Increased individual and team capacities.
• Building of local, national, and global networks and partnerships.
• Achieving significant social impact and a thriving socio-economic ecosystem.

The current list of projects and improvements identified in the research will be discussed with relevant communities and social enterprises.

Looking to the future, it is essential to keep groups informed of available funding, including new streams launched quarterly and annually from various sources. Comhar Comaraigh's mission is to address this complexity of needs and opportunities