Achieving Equality, Overcoming Exclusion

Strategy to Secure Social and Economic Rights in the Inner City

Dublin Inner City Partnership Strategic Action Plan 2001-2006

Brief

Dublin Inner City Partnership is an independent local development company operating to a brief of responding to long-term unemployment and socioeconomic disadvantage in inner city Dublin. The Partnership opposes all forms of poverty, discrimination and exclusion, and promotes the participation of the resident community of the regeneration of their locality. It aims to enhance the quality of life for all inner city residents who experience deprivation and disadvantage.

Background

DICP is an area-based partnership company, set up in 1991 under the Programme for Economic and Social Progress (PESP). Twelve such partnerships were established around the country at that time in areas of acute disadvantage, and all were given a brief of targeting long-term unemployment. Following evaluation, the programme was expanded to the present number of 38 partnerships, each promoting regeneration according to the local needs of their immediate catchment areas. The partnership approach involves a collaboration of community, statutory and private sectors.

Core Strategies

In order to achieve its objectives for the period of this plan, DICP has developed three core strategies, namely Community Regeneration, Education & Training, and Employment & Enterprise.

Operating Principles

1. Any investment or programme supported by the Partnership must have direct benefit for those residents of the inner city who are without work, experiencing poverty or in low income households.
2. Our resources and efforts will be targeted at those of greatest need within the inner city and will aim to ensure sustainable benefit to local residents.
3. The underlying value of the partnership approach is to achieve equality of treatment, access and opportunity for inner city residents who have experienced exclusion from social and economic local development.
4. The Partnership will encourage participation by residents in local programmes, organisational structures and activity and will oppose discrimination and compulsion.
5. We will provide means for transparency in local decision-making by ensuring accountability in the allocation, use and deployment of resources and funding and by identifying the intended beneficiaries.

Rationale

This plan is produced in the context of significant numbers of local residents who have obtained no direct benefit from the recent economic prosperity in the inner city, and a worsening of social problems in specific locations. The capacity to address these issues lies in a range of local initiatives that have emerged in response to prolonged widespread deprivation, and in significant public investment. Achieving the objectives set out in this strategy will require the cooperation and participation of all of the relevant agencies and sectors.

Background

Significant changes have taken place in the inner city over the past decade, including substantial private investment, a reduction in unemployment, prioritisation of the area for urban renewal, the growth of a wide variety of local community/voluntary organisations and the introduction of statutory programmes and increased public investment. The partnership was formed in 1991 with the brief of tackling long term unemployment. As a result of direct investment by the Partnership and the targeting of increased resources through the statutory and community sectors we have seen a measurable improvement in the economic circumstances of a large number of local residents. In addition, Government has responded to particular needs in the inner city by forming new initiatives including local authority housing refurbishment, two local Drug Task Forces, the Youth Facilities Fund, four Integrated Area Plans, two Integrated Services Projects and the Docklands plan.

Despite these activities, there remains a significant scale of social and economic hardship among many local residents, notably because programmes designed as national responses were unable to meet local needs, which in turn led to difficulty in targeting those most in need. Added to this is the need to plan long-term responses, rather than 'quick fix' solutions.

Outcomes

The range of activity and interventions directly supported by the Partnership from 1992 2000 included:

Social Development

Provision of 12 new multipurpose community centres, construction of 10 new childcare centres, direct full time employment for over 400 residents over 35 years and five years unemployed in 80 social economy projects, priority access to one year part-time community employment for 5000 long term unemployed residents, development of 20 new community projects and the formation of community networks with 200 organisations to increase local participation and to ensure targeted action and certified leadership training for 150 local community activists.

Access To Employment And Enterprise

The development of a community managed inner city local employment service in four locations which provided access to 2,500 new jobs, commercial enterprise support creating 800 new jobs/businesses for unemployed residents through an employer led initiative, self employment support for 1,700 long term unemployed residents, specific skills training and local labour initiatives.

Education Provision

Adult education and literacy projects for 2000 local people, 4 formation of networks of principals in 25 inner city primary and secondary school with 4000 pupils, anti-racist programmes, arts and cultural projects, third level access parents courses, installation of information technology in 20 schools, schools/ business links, undertaking local education research and formulation of policy at a local level.

In this period the level of unemployment in the inner city was been reduced from a high of 16,000 to 8000 people on the Live register. Urban linkage schemes have been introduced to ensure community gain from Urban Renewal programmes. State labour market programmes have been refocused to ensure access for local people to jobs and training. A whole range of new community based initiatives have been undertaken to tackle serious social problems. A significant expansion of the community based infrastructure has been achieved. Community led strategic planning has been developed. In addition, the local development infrastructure has been expanded through the formation of two local drug task forces, two pilot state integrated services projects, four Local Authority Integrated Area Plans and a Docklands Development authority, all of which have cross sectoral involvement and community participation as a right. This will result in significant public and private investment over the next ten years with the assurance of benefit for the resident communities.

Needs Analysis

Economic improvements in the area will now allow for a more concentrated attack on the most serious social problems. This will require an adjustment in the role of the Partnership compared to the strategy in the past eight years. In many ways, however, it enables the Partnership to pursue issues that have always been considered central to the task of tackling long-term unemployment in the inner city, but which were difficult to address effectively in the past.

It is necessary to identify as clearly as possible the priority needs among local residents individuals, families and communities in order to adopt a targeted approach to directly address underlying issues. This needs to be done in such a way so as not to stigmatise the people concerned but rather to understand more effectively the range of tailored responses required to achieve an impact. (Appendix I lists intended beneficiaries).

Local Development Environment

The present local profile appears favourable, with a significant reduction in unemployment in the inner city over the last four years, and over 500 long-term unemployed residents having opted for self-employment. The level of participation in State labour market training programmes has remained high despite demands for labour in the private sector. The expansion of facilities at all levels of the educational system has resulted in increased benefits to young people. The involvement of local residents in community organisations and local activities has continued to increase, often in response to issues arising from urban renewal or anti-social activity, especially drug dealing. The provision of additional public services by the community/voluntary and statutory agencies has increased access and usage, including in the most acute areas such as drug abuse and homelessness.

Nevertheless, the inner city remains the most concentrated area of disadvantage in the State. Levels of long-term unemployment remain high at almost four times the national average in some of the flat complexes and concentrated mainly among older men. Almost 10,000 local residents depend on social welfare. The area also features higher than average numbers of heroin abusers, homeless people, older people living alone, lone parents, local authority tenants, people dependent on rent subsidised private accommodation, and early-school leavers, while the arrival of new groups of refugees and asylum seekers has increased demand on local services.

Demographic Profile

The most recent analysis of the inner city from the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs shows that 10,160 people are in receipt of social welfare payments (Appendix II). The 1996 census shows that the population of the inner city was 91,998, having increased by 4.2% since 1986. There are over 37,000 households in the area, of which 5,088 (13.7%) are inhabited by one parent families. There are 764 lone parents under the age of 25. Almost twelve per cent of households (4,307) are occupied by people aged 65 and over and living alone, while nearly two fifths of the population (37.2%) are 24 years of age or younger.

In terms of educational attainment, 43.8 per cent of the adult population left school at or before the age of 15, a figure that is significantly higher than the national figure of 34.5 per cent. Thirty seven per cent of the population has no formal or primary education only.

The unemployment rate in the inner city was 27.1 in 1996, compared to a national average of 14.8, although both rates have decreased in recent years due to the prosperity of the economy. Some wards continue to experience very high levels of unemployment, however, and certain local authority flat complexes report unemployment rates of 70 per cent. The types of jobs available to inner city residents have undergone major change, with an 21 per cent decline in jobs in building and construction between 1986 and 1996, and a 19.7 per cent decline in manufacturing. On the other hand, jobs demanding higher levels of skills are on the increase, with a 44.6 per cent rise in jobs in commerce and a 33.6 per cent rise in professional services positions. Eight five per cent of people at work are engaged in full-time jobs, and 15 per cent work part-time, following a similar national trend.

Analysis of household expenditure suggests that families allocated 22.8 per cent of budgets to food items and 10.4 per cent to housing. On a score of relative deprivation, the DICP area reached 6.9, though many wards are classified as 10, and belong to the 10 per cent most disadvantaged wards in the country. All quadrants had either the same or lower deprivation scores in 1996 than ten years earlier, signifying the slow but gradual regeneration process.

Renewal is also visibly evident with many major changes having taken place in recent years. These include the introduction of five Integrated Area Plans by Dublin Corporation for distinct regions of the inner city, such as the Historic Area Rejuvenation Project (HARP) in the north west quadrant, the Liberties/Coombe plan in the south west quadrant and the Dublin Docklands plan. Many new residential and 6 office developments have been constructed as a result of the urban renewal programmes.

The changed environment has influenced the shape of the proposed action plan. However, this Strategic Action Plan is produced in the context of the following inner city traits:

1. Continuing high long-term unemployment rates in certain local authority flat complexes.
2. Continuing drugs crisis with particularly high levels of heroin use.
3. Scarcity of childcare and after-school services.
4. High number of lone parent households.
5. High levels of educational disadvantage.
6. High proportion of older people living alone.
7. Deficit of recreational facilities and green areas.

Response

Based on an accurate analysis of needs, it is proposed to set out potential targets within the capacity of the Partnership to deliver. The direct investment of the Partnership will be primarily to provide the core infrastructure necessary to carry out the agreed strategic plan. A key element of the approach will be the effective co-ordination of the range of local development responses at present underway in the inner city area. This will require the agreement of the relevant agencies to an overall framework for development. The Partnership objective will be to target the response at ensuring a direct, quantifiable and sustainable benefit for the individuals, families and communities experiencing the most extreme levels of deprivation. The principle aims will be to improve the quality of life of the residents, to increase access to opportunities and to increase public investment in the most disadvantaged areas.

In order to achieve this it will be necessary to seek to ensure that all relevant available resources, controlled either by local initiatives or statutory agencies, can be influenced and directed in a more strategic and integrated manner. A broad range of responses will be necessary that include measures in social and economic development and health, welfare, environmental and cultural projects. This will require significant additional resources to be drawn from the new National Plan and from the redirection of budgets in the key State agencies. The successful delivery of this six year strategy will also require a significant investment in the capacity of local community and voluntary organisations who will be expected to lead the response in conjunction with the relevant State agencies. It is hoped that this strategic plan can provide the agreed framework necessary to ensure the most effective and collaborative response to a complex and daunting task.

Consultation

This action plan is informed by the local area action plans produced by the four community networks during 1999 for each of the inner city quadrants. The production of these plans required a widespread consultation process involving the residents, communities and organisations in each area. The two local Drugs Task Forces in north and south inner city are in the process of producing new 7 three year action plans aimed at reducing future demand for heroin in the inner city. In addition, four Integrated Area Plans based on community consultation were produced by Dublin Corporation and a detailed needs analysis and specific proposals were produced by the two Integrated Services Initiatives located in the inner city. The Docklands Development Plan also informed this strategy. The analysis and many of the proposals contained in each of these local plans are relevant to the brief of the partnership. The intention of this long-term strategy is to provide a coherent basis for future co-operation and joint action among the key initiatives mentioned above. This is a vital objective if we are to successfully reduce the scale of disadvantage among inner city communities in the longer term.

A primary objective of this six year strategic plan is to provide a point of reference and framework for the diverse range of organisations and activities now present in the inner city area. The overall aim of this strategy is to encourage a coherent and co-ordinated approach among all of these structures. If successful this should provide a quantifiable benefit to the residents of the inner city most in need and also ensure that the resulting increased investment achieves a quantifiable improvement in the quality of life of these residents, their families and their communities. This will require an agreed and accountable approach and a transparent mechanism to measure the impact of the different activities from a local perspective.

Resources Available

Taken together, the resources available to all of these local initiatives is significantly higher than previous responses. In addition the Regional Operational Programme contains a range of funding allocations provided by the National Plan. In particular the sub-programme for Social Exclusion includes funding directly for Area Partnerships, Drugs Task Forces and for youth facilities. All of these allocations are directly relevant to the Partnership action plan. New national initiatives such as the social economy programme through FÁS and the measures on childcare investment and equality are also key elements of the Partnership plan. The Integrated Area Plans involve a major investment of public funds mainly in housing together with the provision of incentives for investment by the private sector.

The direct funds to be made available to the Partnership through ADM, FÁS and complementary funding will be absorbed in maintaining and developing the infrastructure necessary to implement aspects of the action plan. However, in the context of the operational programme for the National Plan, it will remain a priority objective to obtain the underlying resources necessary to replace Partnership investment and maintain this vital local infrastructure from the national funding identified in the OP.

The main challenge is to proceed in such a way as to avoid duplication of effort, to develop the capacity of the community/voluntary organisations to continue to respond in an appropriate and effective manner and to target resources to ensure the maximum impact at a local level. This will require broad agreement and active co-operation between the different agencies in relation to how their resources will be deployed. This overall plan is aimed at providing the basis for the range of 8 agencies to work together in the use of the available resources and to avoid competition in seeking additional investment for the inner city.

Partnership Contribution

It is proposed that the direct DICP contribution to this six year strategy will be in three areas of activity as follows

1. provision and pursuit of overall agreed long term strategy,
2. co-ordination of the activities of the different entities in relation to the elements of their activity that relate to the agreed plan and
3. direct investment in the core infrastructure necessary to implement the principal strategies.

Each of the local initiatives has access to existing resources which can be identified to avoid duplication and to target delivery. The Government National Plan and the recent national partnership agreement contain commitments for funding that are relevant to the objectives of this plan. In addition the key statutory agencies represented on the Partnership have control of budgets that can be directed to meet the needs identified in the inner city.

In the implementation of this six year strategy it is envisaged that the DICP will perform the following principal functions:

1. Provide the strategic focus, coherent policy and leadership necessary for responding to local needs identified as priorities.
2. Seek and maintain the commitment of the local initiatives to the implementation of the agreed strategy.
3. Identify the resources available from national and local sources needed to implement the strategies.
4. Participate in partnership structures both locally, regionally and nationally, to influence and change relevant policy
5. Provide investment to maintain, develop and co-ordinate the necessary community based infrastructure.
6. Support the community networks, Drugs Task Forces and Integrated Service Process in the delivery of their action plans.
7. Liaise and participate with the key statutory initiatives including the Docklands Authority, the IAPs and the statutory agencies in relation to their activity relevant to the brief of the partnership.
8. Convene and develop the groups and infrastructure necessary to implement the strategy
9. Monitor and review the delivery of the overall strategy and the local activity contributing to the implementation of the plans in order to ensure local benefit.

1. Community Regeneration
   1. Community Gain
   2. Social Integration
2. Tackling Educational Disadvantage
   1. Education Needs
   2. Further Education & Youth Provision
3. Employment and Enterprise
   1. Employment Access
   2. Enterprise Support

Strategy A Community Regeneration

The DICP sees community regeneration as the harmonisation of a social and economic development process in which investment is strategically targeted at communities that have suffered degeneration as a result of the neglect and withdrawal of both private and public investment. Community regeneration should improve the quality of life of the community and bring meaningful benefits to local people through a holistic approach that integrates issues such as health and welfare, education and training, employment and enterprise, environmental improvement, arts and culture. The strategy is developed in response to the exclusion of local communities from decision-making processes, and social problems such as drug misuse and scarcity of resources.

Two priority measures have been identified under the community regeneration strategy:

1. community gain and
2. social integration.

Measure 1 Community Gain

The overall aim of this measure is to ensure that the inner city community gains real and sustainable benefits from local development and regeneration programmes. Instead of profits accruing solely to private developers, the goal is to secure entitlements and improved quality of life for local people, particularly the long-term unemployed. These entitlements will include jobs that are negotiated through local labour clauses, public/social housing and affordable housing, green areas or premises made available for community use. Community gain aims to equip local people with the skills to organise and negotiate for a better living environment.

The DICP will use its resources strategically to have maximum impact through direct investment in the development and strengthening of an inclusive, assertive and representative community-based infrastructure. This infrastructure will operate as a catalyst to lobby, advocate and influence a strategic, integrated and collaborative approach to respond to the social and economic needs of disadvantaged communities.

There are four actions outlined under this measure.

1.1 Enhanced resources for low-income families and communities

1. In order to enhance efficiency, a more integrated and collaborative approach to the delivery of State services to low-income families will be developed. New and improved services will be targeted at the housing areas and individuals most in need. Working with the relevant statutory and community 10 agencies, DICP will encourage the replication of the best practices from the ISP model in the four quadrants of the inner city.
2. Community Regeneration programmes, targeted at selected flat complexes, will be established in each of the inner city quadrants for the purposes of reducing anti-social behaviour, improving the use of isolated areas, and enhancing the safety and security of local residents. This will be achieved in collaboration with the local authority, FÁS, tenants' associations, communitybased organisations and area networks. The Partnership will invest directly in a number of housing complexes to support the development of local organisation.

1.2 The provision of adequate community facilities and amenities

1. Investment will be made in physical infrastructure for sports, cultural and leisure activities, with the aim of increasing the number of outdoor and indoor recreational and play facilities for low income communities. A needs analysis will be carried out prior to investment. Community-based organisations, Dublin Corporation, the Youth Facilities Fund, and local Drugs Task Forces will be requested to support this action.
2. DICP will invest in innovative initiatives in low income communities that serve to enhance the quality of life for low-income families and individuals. These will be determined in response to local need and in collaboration with the community sector.

1.3 Targeted investment at low-income communities

1. Four community environmental initiatives, such as conservation and recycling projects, will be supported, one in each quadrant of the inner. This will be achieved in collaboration with Dublin Corporation, tenants' groups and community-based organisations, using the expertise and good practice existing environmental projects.
2. Community Employment, Social Economy Programme and Whole-time Job Initiative (WTJI) will be used strategically to lever additional resources to support social economy Initiatives in targeted areas. Negotiations will take place between DICP, FÁS, the Inner City Employment Service, communitybased organisations and area networks to realise this ambition.
3. DICP will work with Dublin Corporation, voluntary and community housing associations, homeless organisations and relevant CBOs to increase the number of social and public housing units available to low-income families in the inner city.
4. A collaborative community/private sector initiative focusing on Information Technology will be developed at a local level in the inner city. This will increase opportunities and investment in new technology in targeted areas. The Chamber of Commerce, IBEC, and community-based organisations and networks will have a role in achieving this goal.

1.4 Investing in arts, sports and leisure in low-income communities

1. Efforts will be made to strengthen an inner city community arts and cultural infrastructure through the development of an integrated strategy to increase investment in this sector. As a result, the number of people employed in the sector and the number of local people participating in these activities will expand. FÁS, Dublin Corporation, The Arts Council, CAFÉ and Renaissance 2000 are the potential partners in this venture.
2. DICP will seek to establish a sustainable Community Trust as an independent source of finance to support innovative and creative projects in the community sector. A working group will be established to investigate the feasibility of the Trust, and unite players from the community, local authority and private sector.

Measure 2 Social Integration

The purpose of this measure is to enable individuals, groups and communities to actively participate in identifying and addressing local needs that have emerged as a result of social, economic and cultural exclusion. The overriding ambition is to improve quality of life and combat all forms of exclusion as a result of inequality, injustice and discrimination.

2.1 Community participation in local development programmes

1. Training programmes for statutory personnel will be developed in collaboration with the community sector in order to improve public service provision in disadvantaged communities. Community development trainers and consultants will be involved in the design and delivery of such programmes.
2. Four initiatives will be developed that enhance local democracy through advocacy, lobbying and political empowerment. This will result in increased participation by inner city residents in the local and national democratic process. DICP will work with community-based organisations, area networks, local politicians and universities to implement these initiatives.

2.2 Capacity building

1. Technical support will be provided to local community-based networks in order to consolidate and strengthen the existing infrastructure. This support, which will be channeled through organisations such as DICP, Community Technical Aid, the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs, and specialist local development consultants, will increase the capacity of networks to influence local development programmes and implement area action plans.
2. Local leadership and mentoring programmes for local authority tenants will be run, with the aim of assisting them to have a more assertive involvement in the management of their estates. This training will operate in conjunction with DICP, Dublin Corporation, FÁS, Community Technical Aid and other specialists in capacity and leadership training.
3. Inner city initiatives that strengthen the management, institutional capacity and skills of tenants' organisations implementing projects in local authority 12 tenant estates will be supported, leading to a more effective and efficient delivery of community based development interventions in local authority housing and flat complexes.

2.3 Supporting and enabling the integration of excluded individuals and groups

1. In order to increase participation by women at all senior decision making levels of the local development process, DICP will work with women's groups and networks, community-based organisations and relevant statutory agencies to run training programmes in leadership/capacity building that specifically target women.
2. DICP will support the development of an infrastructure to co-ordinate and advocate the rights and needs of tenants' associations in the public and private rented sectors. Greater monitoring and regulation of the private rented sector will be carried out in order to support the rights and entitlements of vulnerable and low-income families in that sector. DICP will work with Threshold, community networks, Dublin Corporation and other relevant statutory agencies, as well as private landlords to increase the satisfaction ratings of low-income families with their private rented accommodation
3. An infrastructure to address the diverse social, economic and cultural needs ethnic minorities and foreign nationals will be developed to provide greater support mechanisms for the integration and inclusion of ethnic minorities, including refugees and asylum seekers. Relevant ethnic or foreign national organisations, statutory agencies, local community-based networks, and voluntary and community organisations will be key players in developing this responsive infrastructure to support the inclusion of the target group.

2.4 Strengthening community social fabric / combating disintegration

1. Investment will be targeted at initiatives that highlight and advocate the need for increased public and social housing for the inner city.
2. Four collaborative programmes will run to enhance the social fabric of local communities in the inner city and increase the linkages between community organisations from the different inner city quadrants, with the objective of improving strategic and co-ordinated collaboration between inner-city community networks.
3. Investment will be directed towards initiatives that support low income individuals with special needs, such as people with drug use problems, young people at risk, ex-prisoners, lone parents, people with disability, and homeless people. The aim here is to increase the social and economic inclusion of vulnerable groups into the local community.

Implementation

The community regeneration strategy is considered as the lead strategy for the partnership action plan. This is asserted on the basis that the measures are specifically targeted at the communities and individuals most effected by poverty and low income. The actions outlined above are drawn from the four local action plans as produced by the local community networks. The overall objective of the strategy is to achieve a measurable impact on the quality of life of the residents of the inner city. The implementation of the strategy will require the development of additional local infrastructure specifically located in the larger local authority housing areas and a significant investment of public funds.

Effective implementation will also require a high level of integration between the statutory agencies and the local development activities now underway. The Partnership will pursue a strategy of improving the coordination of these activities with the intention to more effectively target the resources and programmes made available. This approach will involve the cooperation of the drug task forces, integrated area plans and the local community networks. The best practices emerging from the Integrated Services process will be identified and implemented in support of this approach. All of these organisations will be requested to identify potential resources for investment in the strategy. Additional resources will be identified with the assistance of the relevant government departments and statutory agencies. The national plan and the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness sets out additional public funding relevant to the above actions. Negotiations will be undertaken by the Partnership with the named departments to secure direct investment in the community regeneration strategy.

Targets will be agreed in relation to the direct partnership investment. The Partnership working groups will oversee the implementation of the different measures set out in the plan. The Partnership community regeneration officer will have overall responsibility for the successful implementation of the strategy.

Monitoring

Activities will be monitored on an ongoing basis, using both internal and external review processes. Organisations contracted to deliver programmes and initiatives will report to DICP as per the terms of the contract.

Performance indicators will include quantitative data such as:

1. the number of local people benefiting from actions;
2. the number of training programmes provided;
3. the number of people participating in training;
4. the number of new initiatives operating;
5. types and quality of services provided;
6. type and number of jobs created in the social economy;
7. the level of public and private sector investment in the area.

Qualitative indicators will also play an important role in monitoring the progress of initiatives. These may include levels of satisfaction among the community or target groups in the local are, a greater sense of security for inner city residents, and greater environmental awareness.

Monitoring will be overseen by the DICP Community Regeneration Worker.

Strategy B Tackling Educational Disadvantage

The education strategy is divided into two key measures, namely

1. education needs and
2. further education.

This strategy is developed in the context of high levels of educational disadvantage in the inner city. For example, 36.6% of the local population has no formal or Primary education only, while for 43.8% of the population, education ceased at or before the age of 15. Very few of the indigenous population succeed in accessing a Third Level education.

Measure 1 Education Needs

The objectives of this strategy include the promotion of preventative education, addressing gaps in provision, removing barriers to participation, supporting parental and community involvement, specific targeting of resources to high need groups and expanding quality early education opportunities for pre-school children. Overall it aims to develop a mechanism for the improved co-ordination of education in the local area so that services can respond quickly and effectively to the specific educational needs of local young people.

In order to respond to these and other issues, the DICP Action Plan has developed six key measures:

1.1 Co-ordination and expansion of statutory provision

A key objective of this measure will be to achieve a more integrated local provision through engagement with the Department of Education & Science in order to ensure that statutory services can provide a focused and relevant response to the educational needs of inner city young people. This will include:

1. Proposed re-organisation of the schools inspectorate to be addressed by the Department, with emphasis on introducing two specific inspector roles for inner city schools.
2. Proposals aimed at meeting identified gaps in statutory provision, such as low access levels to the psychological assessment services.
3. Promotion of projects to secure the use of local statutory educational resources for community education activity and to ensure community representation on boards.
4. Development of the curriculum relevant to current needs in the inner city.
5. Implementation of a new Departmental approach to tackling exclusion in inner city schools.
6. Specific proposals to increase the number of administrative principals in inner city schools will be presented to the Department.

These actions will be implemented through the Education Needs Working Group and in conjunction with the schools networks and the local community networks. Additional investment will be sought from the National Development Plan allocation to the Department of Education and Science. A formal link will be established with the Department through their representative on the DICP Board and progress will be reviewed on an annual basis.

1.2 Integration and development of local educational services

The successes achieved to date through a more co-ordinated approach among inner city schools will be further enhanced. This will involve the continued development of the primary and secondary school networks and more coherent local inclusive structures to improve education provision and participation. The actions will include:

1. Further development of the Primary School Initiative to include additional primary schools in the network and to introduce new approaches to improve the quality and impact of the provision.
2. An existing network of post-primary schools will also be assisted to establish a second level initiative which will introduce new practices and approaches to second level schools.
3. Support will be given to establish local Educational Task Forces or fora involving community and educational interests to develop an inclusive education strategy for each of the four quadrants.
4. Local schools will continue to be supported to develop information technology (IT) tools for use in education delivery.
5. The Partnership will seek to establish a discretionary fund for schools to enable them to provide additional extra curricular education for pupils.

These actions will be implemented through the Primary School Initiative (PSI), the Second level schools network, the Dublin Inner-city Schools Computer (DISC) project and the local community networks. The Partnership will invest directly to support the co-ordination and development of these projects. Additional funding will be sought from the education measures in the National Plan through the Department of Education and Science allocation for social inclusion.

The Partnership's Education Needs Working Group will oversee the implementation of the measure. The contracts with the different projects will include performance indicators and monitoring procedures.

1.3 Educational interventions at pre-school level

Significant investment for pre-school provision has been committed through the Partnership over the past four years. However the level of local need remains high. The value to the long-term development of the child through quality childcare and early education has been widely acknowledged. In the inner city, community-based services are an important provision for early education. It is intended to continue to support the expansion and quality improvement of facilities in the area. This will include the following actions:

1. The further development and expansion of pre-school and early education initiatives and networking activities will be promoted and co-ordinated.
2. Support will be provided for initiatives that promote the development of parenting skills, especially in young parents. Innovative training programmes for parents, such as training in the value of creative play, will be supported.
3. New facilities located in local authority housing areas will be supported, in an effort to improve accessibility to parents.
4. Support will be provided for the most appropriate training options for staff and parents to achieve the optimum development of the education and creative learning content of inner city childcare services.

This will be achieved by support for the development of a forum of childcare providers and direct investment by the Partnership for the co-ordination of these initiatives. FÁS, CDVEC, ERHA and relevant third level institutions will be requested to provide appropriate training and development support. Improved linkage with the primary schools will be promoted.

Additional investment for capital provision, staffing and training will be sought from the relevant authorities and especially from the Department of Justice, Equality, and Law Reform.

1.4 Early school-leaving

The most critical aspect of educational disadvantage in the inner city is the level of early school leaving whereby many young people are leaving school without any formal qualifications and often without adequate literacy skills. The increased numbers of students opting to leave school early in the inner city is a particular problem. There is a range of reasons as to why this is occurring. Preventive measures need to be developed within the schools and within the communities and youth services to encourage young people to remain in education. A number of actions will be pursued including:

1. The development of new initiatives arising from the Education (Welfare) Service in the inner city which identify specific priority areas for additional intervention.
2. Negotiations will take place with the VEC regarding the potential use of Youthreach resources to provide an incentive for students to remain in the education system.
3. A Therapeutic Counselling Service will be established for a network of primary schools with the aim of providing the necessary psychological supports for children and families affected by acute problems in the home and/or community.
4. Support will be provided for the further expansion of the Community After- Schools Project model as developed in the inner city with the support of the Partnership.

The co-operation of all of the relevant providers will be sought in order to focus on this issue as a priority over the next four years. The development of new initiatives and approaches both within the individuals schools and through community-based activities will be encouraged. Investment to support new projects will be sought from the Departments and agencies with access to funding from the National Plan.

The Partnership's Education Needs working group will oversee the implementation of this measure. The schools networks will be expected to concentrate on this issue as a priority. The other local development organisations will also be requested to respond to this challenge.

Measure 2 Further Education and Youth Provision

This measure focuses on assisting young people out of school, adults and schoolleavers to access relevant activities, training and support, provided by either community or statutory groups. The emphasis will be on people who are at risk, have literacy difficulties or basic education requirements, young people in need of training including those already at work, those interested in progressing to further education, unemployed people seeking access to the labour market and on meeting the needs of young people through the provision of youth services and facilities.

2.1 Programme development and accreditation

New methods of provision and accreditation are necessary to meet the requirements of those most in need of educational interventions and to enable progression to work-related training and further education. This will be provided through:

1. A variety of recognisd basic education programmes relevant to specific groups of participants will be negotiated or supported.
2. The expansion of successful models of literacy training linked to labour market schemes or suitable to individual circumstances will be provided in association with relevant agencies and groups.
3. New forms of appropriate accreditation that have currency with local employers, including accreditation for prior learning, will be promoted.

The introduction of these innovations will require the active collaboration of each of the local education providers. The Partnership's Further Education working group will oversee the implementation of this measure. The Department of Education and Science and relevant agencies such as CDVEC, the Dublin Adult Learning Centre and FÁS will be approached to support new initiatives targeted at different locations in the inner city with the aim of local delivery.

2.2 Encouraging participation and progression

A significant number of local residents have left school at primary level and without qualifications. This is presenting a major barrier to accessing the labour market and increases the social exclusion of the individual. The Partnership has supported the growth of adult education provision over the past decade. A new impetus is required to increase participation at a more local level. However, further education must also be made attractive and accessible to those most hard to reach and most in need of educational opportunities. It is intended to provide a range of new courses and activities aimed at identified need. This will involve:

1. Research carried out to identify gaps in the provision of adult basic education in the inner city in order to make a case for more targeted funding by agencies.
2. Outreach and promotional activities at local level will be supported, aimed at facilitating participation by educationally disadvantaged people in current adult education activity in the inner city.
3. Provision of foundation courses in basic education with part-time options will be promoted, to further enhance accessibility, especially for people with caring responsibilities.
4. Guidance services for those in education and training who wish to progress to other options will be developed through local groups and the relevant agencies.

This intensive approach will require the investment of additional funding from the Department of Education and Science under their Social Inclusion programme. An expanded local infrastructure will be required capable of delivering new initiatives in the areas of greatest need. The Partnership's Further Education working group will oversee this priority.

2.3 Support for youth attainment and access to further education

The level of access to third level by inner city residents is among the lowest in the country. Even when a position in a third level college is obtained there are serious obstacles presented to students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Progress from primary to secondary level also presents difficulties for some students and the lack of an incentive to remain in further education after leaving school has resulted in low participation. In an attempt to address these difficult issues the following actions will be pursued:

1. Co-operation between schools, third level colleges and businesses will be promoted in order to ensure good quality employment, training and progression opportunities for all school leavers. This will be based on the Schools Business partnership approach previously supported by the DICP and Dublin Chamber of Commerce.
2. A programme aimed at improving the transition between primary and secondary level will be introduced for PSI schools and complementary second level schools. This will be based on the successful model previously developed with the DIT using EU funding. 20
3. Improved access to funding subsidies to facilitate third level participation by inner city students will be developed based on the successful approach for support of local residents who obtain places with the DIT.
4. Ways of providing financial supports for long-term unemployed adults accessing third level education will be established in conjunction with the city centre institutions.

The Partnership will seek to improve the present position in conjunction with the organisers of the above initiatives. This will require investment from the National Plan and the private sector. The school and community networks will be expected to participate in this approach. The successes achieved to date through these initiatives will provide the basis for future action.

2.4 Development of youth services

The widespread availability of narcotics and participation in anti-social activity presents an attractive lure to many of the young people resident in the inner city communities. The provision of worthwhile activities and diversions for young people is an effective way of countering these negative experiences. There remains a shortage of good quality youth facilities in the area, particularly in the public housing areas. The range of existing provision is generally under-funded and poorly co-ordinated. The following actions will be promoted:

1. DICP will aim to develop a more co-ordinated approach to the delivery of youth services at community quadrant level.
2. The provision of youth workers will be targeted to areas of greatest need.
3. Linkages between schools, the Youth Services Board, local community networks, and local development initiatives will be developed to enhance and expand provision through new projects.
4. Support will be provided for new and expanded youth centres, facilities and services located and targeted at areas of greatest need.

The Partnership will work with Dublin Corporation, the Youth Services Board, the local Drug Task Forces and the community networks to achieve a significant improvement in the provision and co-ordination of youth facilities and services primarily through the use of the Youth Facilities Fund. The existing providers will be encouraged to co-operate in targeting their resources to meet needs as identified in the Partnership strategic plan. The Partnership will seek to provide resources to support co-ordination through the local community networks.

Implementation

The above measures have been developed through the two education working groups in the Partnership. They are prioritised in response to the needs identified in the action plans produced by the four local community networks. They will be implemented in the context of the six year strategy agreed by the Partnership Board. They are intended to achieve a long term improvement in relation to 21 educational attainment in the inner city and to address the level of educational disadvantage identified by the Partnership in the analysis of current needs. Many local people are experiencing poverty and exclusion as a result of the barriers created by low educational attainment and the failure to ensure that they obtain a good education. The scale of educational disadvantage among inner city residents presents a significant challenge to the local community, voluntary and statutory providers who wish to address the consequent problems. However, the Partnership acknowledges that this is a fundamental problem that requires to be tackled if the social and economic circumstances of large numbers of local residents are to be improved in the longer term.

There are already a number of good quality local initiatives provided by the community and statutory sector. The main primary and secondary schools have achieved a high level of co-operation over the past five years with the support of the Partnership. The lack of adequate public investment has undermined and blocked the development of the level of accessible quality education that is required to reverse the disadvantages experienced by local residents. The Partnership will commit funding to provide a core infrastructure to support the delivery of this strategy. However there are significant gaps in the current provision. This will need to be met from additional investment from the National Plan in particular through the Department of Education. The Partnership will seek to ensure that this investment is obtained and targeted at those most in need and to the level necessary to implement the above measures.

The Partnership education working groups will oversee the implementation of the educational disadvantage strategy. The Education Co-ordinator will have overall responsibility for the Partnership contribution. The management committees and the co-ordinators provided through the Partnership investment will have a significant role to play in the successful delivery of the different elements of the strategy as set out above. The strategy will be pursued in conjunction with the local community networks, the local development initiatives and the relevant community, voluntary and statutory providers. A formal liaison with the Department of Education and Science will be established through their Board representative. It will be necessary to develop a formal link to the allocation of funding from the National Plan to the Department of Education, Department of Justice, Equality and Law reform and the local agencies CDVEC, FÁS and other statutory agencies. This is necessary to ensure that the required resources and the level of funding are delivered and targeted to the inner city areas of greatest need as identified by the Partnership.

Monitoring

Actions developed under this strategy will be monitored by the DICP Education Co-ordinator with the support of the two education working groups. Attention will be paid to the changing statistical profile of the local population, in terms of earlyschool leaving, access to third level education, youth services and pre-school care, and literacy levels. Data on the number of administrative as opposed to teaching principals, community representation on boards, and changes to the curriculum will also be collated.

Specifically, the numbers of people benefiting from programmes will be analysed, as will the types and quality of educational provision, training and pre-school care.

Progress will be measured holistically, with emphasis on attitudinal change, and the attainment of less visible objectives such as an increase in the responsiveness of the State sector to local needs.

Strategy C Employment & Enterprise

The dual strategies of supporting access to employment and promoting enterprise development will be used to enhance employment options for local people. This strategy has been developed in recognition of the strong correlation between unemployment and poverty and the fact that many local residents are underemployed in low-paying jobs, which impacts on their quality of life. There is a need to create new businesses, especially within the social economy. Continued development of the existing infrastructure that supports access to employment and promotes enterprise development will be used to enhance employment options for local people. The primary beneficiaries of this strategy will be long-term unemployed inner city residents, or those in danger of becoming long term unemployed.

Measure 1 Employment Access

Maintain and expand the existing Inner City Employment Service (ICES) structure, improve communication channels and data recording, support development of welfare rights service, and monitor changing needs & new work opportunities. ICES services are professionally delivered by staff teams strategically located within the four quadrants of the inner city.

1.1 Targeting & outreach

1. Employment Information Services for long-term unemployed people providing a range of information on employment rights.
2. Employment Information Services providing relevant information to employer clients.
3. Local outreach to unemployed people, particularly targeting hidden client groups of long-term unemployed people to increase their levels of participation in the ICES network.
4. Local outreach services targeting employers to improve their participation in ICES network.

1.2 Linkages with employers

1. Employer liaison services on behalf of inner city unemployed clients and employers.
2. Access & Placement on FÁS Community Employment Projects.
3. Access & Placement on Whole-time Job Initiative Projects.
4. Networking with individual employers, employer networks & specific employers cluster groups.

1.3 Special needs groups

1. Employment guidance services offering intense local support services for inner city residents who experience significant barriers preventing them returning to the workforce.
2. Participation in Traineeships Integrated partnership methods responding to the employment needs of the long-term unemployed and the staff recruitment needs of employers.

1.4 Links to employment

1. Provision of mediation & progression processes designed to help the ICES target groups enter, or re-enter the labour market.
2. Job Placement Services (public & private sector jobs).
3. Access to Pre-Employment Technical and Personal Training Options.
4. Access to Pre-Employment Education Options.
5. Training & Access to Fast Track to Information Technology (FIT) Courses & Internships.
6. Training & Access to Fast Track to Information Technology (FIT) Taster or Feeder Courses.
7. Training & Access to Inner City Local Labour Initiatives.

Measure 2 Enterprise Support

Support for enterprise development at pre-start through to commercial stages, to include training, information and financial support. Identification and tracking of clients through the system. Linkages with the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs.

2.1. Training & financial assistance for new business

1. Access to Induction, Training & Mentoring at Pre-Enterprise development level.
2. Develop a mediation process dedicated to Pre-Enterprise clients.
3. Consolidate the induction and initial training service provision for the target group clients on Pre-Enterprise programmes.
4. Provide a comprehensive Client Tracking Monitoring and Aftercare system.
5. Strategies to encourage women entrepreneurs.
6. Support for enterprise creation in the social economy and traditional trading.

2.2 Information & promotion

1. Develop a Client Needs Analysis function to capture all initial service and support needed by each client.
2. An outreach & promotion service will be established to inform clients of their peers (and to inform them of the products & services provided by Pre- Enterprise clients).
3. Develop a focused outreach strategy to inform the DICP client target groups of the comprehensive range of support services available & dedicated to assist commercially viable enterprise clients.
4. Develop an Client Needs Analysis function to capture all initial service, training and support needed by each client.
5. Develop clearer methods & systems to capture client throughput & outcomes.

2.3 Mentoring and client networking

1. Further development of an outreach & promotion service to inform the clients of their peers (and to inform them of the products & services provided by commercially viable enterprise clients.
2. Develop a focused network to address the ongoing issue of the lack in the inner city area of affordable incubation space required by inner city based commercially viable enterprise clients.
3. One-to-one business mentoring.

Implementation

The employment and enterprise strategy will primarily be implemented through the re-focusing and targeting of the Inner City Employment service and the enterprise support services. These services will operate in the context of an employment action plan to be completed for the inner city in collaboration with the service providers and the local networks. This employment plan and Partnership investment in the local services will be in the context of the delivery of the overall Partnership action plan. The services and additional activities will be quadrant based to reflect the local organisation in the inner city area and the identified communities. New skills training provision and personal development options will be necessary to attract local unemployed people to the labour market. It is expected that the services and activities of both the local community and the statutory sector will be targeted at those most in need and who are interested in accessing the available jobs in the public and private sector.

The successful implementation of the strategy will require the active participation and collaboration of the employers and those involved in supporting and preparing unemployed people for work. The statutory agencies including FÁS, CERT, Department of social welfare and the VEC will be requested to identify their services and activities that are relevant to meeting the needs highlighted in this strategy. The further development of active labour market national programmes will be pursued through the Partnership to ensure that they remain relevant to current needs in the inner city. The additional resources allocated in the national plan will be identified for application to the inner city through the statutory and community and voluntary services and activities.

Performance Monitoring

Performance monitoring will be carried out in collaboration with each ICES agent to ensure that targets are achieved and the service is delivered as outlined in the Service Level Agreement. Performance Indicators will include:

1. Take Up Indicators - Number of clients by, for example, age & gender;
2. Result Indicators - Number and type of client placements and progression; Number of employer clients; Number of referrals and other progressions.
3. User Reaction Indicators - Client satisfaction ratings of the ICES service
4. Process Indicators & Quality Service Benchmarking Analysis - Methods used to gather data & measure the activities undertaken by the ICES staff teams

Additional monitoring will be carried out by the DICP Service Level Agreement Monitoring Sub-Committee, the Employment & Enterprise Co-ordinator and through external evaluations of the service.

Implementation Infrastructure

Organisation Structure

Each of above strategies requires a dedicated infrastructure capable of focusing on the specific measures and facilitating the delivery of the overall strategy. The core infrastructure at present includes the local network co-ordinators, four local development workers, the educational initiatives operating at each level, the employment and enterprise support services, and the social economy job coordinators. The Partnership staff provide a key co-ordination role for each of the individual strategies and for the overall Partnership approach. There are a number of gaps in infrastructure necessary to deliver the plan. In particular, these include adequately resourced project organisations located within the main flat/housing areas and referral/advice service dedicated to tackling educational disadvantage.

In order to fulfil the brief of addressing long-term unemployment and regenerating the inner city, the DICP will need to maintain and augment its present infrastructure, work towards ensuring a greater co-ordination of services and campaign for a greater investment in the area. In addition over one hundred people continue to participate in a total of eight working groups. DICP representatives also link with a variety of additional groups operating in the area, such as the Integrated Services Process the two local Drug Task Forces and the four Integrated Area Plans.

In preparation for the next six year period, the DICP reviewed and modified its working group structure in 1999. Membership was revised and expanded and clear terms of reference were drafted for each group.

DICP working group structure

Tier 1

1. Board

Tier 2

1. Social Economy/ CE Monitoring Sub- Comm.
2. Executive comm.
3. Service Level Agreement Monitoring subcomm

Tier 3

1. Community Regeneration
2. Educational Disadvantage
3. Employment & Enterprise
4. Implementation Infrastructure

Tier 4

1. Community Gain
2. Education Needs
3. Employment Access
4. Social Economy
5. Social Integration
6. Further Education
7. Enterprise Support
8. Integrated Planning

In addition, separate groups have been formed to deal with specific issues, including an independent Inner City Childcare Network, and sub-groups comprising Whole-time Jobs Initiative Managing Agents and Inner City Employment Service Chairs. Equality issues are the responsibility of the entire working group structure, rather than solely falling within the remit of any one grouping

The effective delivery of the action plan will require a high level of co-ordination and commitment. DICP recognises the diverse players operating in the local development environment and is aware of the need to ensure that a strategic and integrated approach is adopted by all the key development organisations to 28 ensure the various initiatives have optimum impact on their targeted beneficiaries. In this respect the DICP will investigate ways and means of coordinating the different initiatives in order to promote integration and additionality while minimising duplication of service provision and retaining the autonomy of the different initiatives and organisations.

This implementation strategy will be divided in to two areas of activity:

Providing a Local Community Based Infrastructure

This objective aims to support existing services that have a key role in addressing disadvantage, so that they continue to develop to meet emerging needs.

1. Maintaining & developing local infrastructure

1. Direct investment in a core infrastructure and small-scale physical infrastructure;
2. provision of technical support;
3. promoting the use of information technology;
4. provision of leadership training

2. Strengthening inner city community-based networks

1. Support for quadrant development networks and mainstreaming core staff;
2. developing womens networks and inner city Childcare Network;
3. linking initiatives and
4. supporting innovative initiatives

3. Investing in the Social Economy to provide additional infrastructure

1. Promotion of social economy initiatives such as CE and WTJI;
2. targeting investment at gaps in community care;
3. promote mainstreaming of community development support staff and local job creation in community arts and
4. environmental protection.

Promoting Integrated Planning

The objective of the integrated planning approach is to consolidate and expand a viable and sustainable local infrastructure relevant to the delivery of this strategic plan by the co-ordination and integration of the various local development programmes operating in the inner city. These include the four Integrated Area Plans, two Local Drugs Task Forces, Dublin Inner City Partnership, two Integrated Services Projects, the Youth Facilities Fund and the four Community networks. The overall aim is to facilitate a more effective and strategic approach to local planning, development and community regeneration. This approach will also take account of the local government reform.

1. Inner-city structures and co-ordination of strategic planning

1. Support development of a new structure capable of responding to the social and economic needs of the inner city.
2. Promotion of initiatives that support the coordination and integration of complementary development initiatives.
3. Developing appropriate linkages with statutory agencies.
4. Provision of an agreed development framework to ensure local benefit from activities undertaken

2. Developing linkages with similar partnerships

1. Developing linkages with and participation in networks of area partnerships, in Dublin and elsewhere,
2. Drug Task Forces,
3. Dublin Employment Pact,
4. Dublin Development Board

3. Influencing regional and national policy

1. Research and dissemination of information on best practice and changing local needs;
2. participation in structures to promote new policy responses;
3. awareness raising through accessible information.

Monitoring & Evaluation

The Partnership has operated to date through a process of continuous review, internal and external evaluation and the development of monitoring and performance indicators to measure the impact of activity supported by the Partnership. It is intended to continue to encourage and develop this approach to ensure the best use of resources and to measure impact. The means to achieve this in relation to the direct investment of the Partnership is already well developed. The other local initiatives such as the drugs task forces and integrated services process have also introduced means to measure performance. The integrated area plans have established monitoring committees to undertake this task.

The present situation is unsatisfactory in so far as it introduces duplication of effort and increases the demand for commitment from the individuals involved in the different initiatives. This is a waste of valuable resources. It is proposed to seek to extend this collective monitoring approach to the wider range of initiatives in order to introduce a more effective method to review implementation. This will also provide the means to identify gaps in provision in relation to new needs being identified and will help to retain the flexibility of approach and capacity to respond which is the key advantage of adopting a partnership approach to the issue of tackling disadvantage. The intention is to identify which organisation is more relevant to the individual response required and to agree on the best method of subsequent delivery. This approach will also encourage increased participation in the different structures already set up and should help to improve the overall effectiveness. Co-ordination of this approach in relation to the six year agreed strategy will be a key role for the Partnership in the future.

Appendix I Intended Beneficiaries

1. pre-school children of unemployed parents
2. primary/ secondary school children from most disadvantaged areas
3. early school leavers
4. teenagers out of school
5. probation offenders
6. lone parents
7. unemployed residents
8. people excluded because of their sexual orientation
9. work-less households
10. local authority estates
11. senior citizen tenants and estates
12. ex-prisoners
13. heroin/ methadone addicts
14. private rented subsidised tenants
15. homeless people
16. refugees/ asylum seekers
17. participants on State programmes
18. women returners
19. women in low income households
20. tenant/ resident organisations
21. community networks
22. community/ voluntary providers
23. partnership associates

Inner City Employment Service

DICP Funded ICES Personnel:

1. Four Managers
2. Eight Mediators
3. Four Employment Guidance Advisors
4. One Employer Liaison Officer (Half Time)
5. Two Pre-Enterprise Officers
6. Two JI Co-ordinators

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