Let's Develop Our Vision for Community Wellbeing for This and Future Generations - Waterford PPN

Let’s Develop Our Vision for Community Wellbeing
                  for This and Future Generations

Why are we collecting the views of community groups?
Waterford PPN is working with its members to produce a shared vision for the future wellbeing of the
Dungarvan/Lismore MD for this and future generations. This vision will be used to inform the work of the PPN and its
representatives.
Community wellbeing combines a number of issues such as health, social and community development, the
environment and public participation. All the different aspects of community wellbeing are captured in the diagram
set out below. We want to hear your organisations or group's ambitions and aspirations for our community around
these issues.

As part of the consultation process Waterford PPN held a workshop in The Park Hotel, Dungarvan on February 25th
2020. The inputs made by representatives of PPN member groups at that workshop are presented here for your
information.

There is now a 2-week opportunity for those who were unable to attend the workshops to contribute their views, or
those who were present but have additional inputs they want to make. This can be done online or by printing off
the form and posting back to us.

All the responses received will be collected and considered with those from the workshop presented here and
incorporated into a Draft Vision for Community Wellbeing. This draft vision will be made available for feedback from
all PPN member groups before being finalised and published.

This document
This document includes all the inputs that were made at the Dungarvan/Lismore Workshop presented under the
headings where they were made. They have been grouped by themes where this appeared to be helpful, but please
note that these themes are only provided to help make the material more accessible.

                             What community groups said at the
                         Dungarvan/Lismore MD community workshop
                                   On February 25th 2020
                                       The Park Hotel
                                        Dungarvan

 Environment & Sustainability
How do we value our natural environment and man-made heritage? What can be done to conserve, protect and restore these?
How can we interact with the environment in a sustainable way and hand it on to the next generation in a better state?
Education
        Education on the difference between rural and urban.
        Teaching policies and system.
        Education in growing, cooking, earth science, at the core of the (education) system.
        Education throughout life; home, pre-school, primary, etc.
        Educate farmers and fishermen on sustainability and best practice to protect the environment.
        More education and protection of our environment.
        Education of the effects of fossil fuels.
Energy
        For solar powered/ LED lighting in public buildings, schools, community centres.
        Heating of water by solar power in public buildings.
No pollution
        To improve quality of untreated water using continued monitoring and testing.
        Smokeless fuel policy.
        Tighter controls on fossil fuels.
Transport
        Sustainable transport options
Information and awareness
        More signage and public information on environmental policies and change.

       Sustainable signage.
Minding nature
           Policy of sustainable grass cutting
           Biodiversity programme embedded in the community.
           Coastal/ beaches biodiversity pollinators to be developed.
           Cut back on poisons/ pesticides etc. to protect our wildlife
Waste
   Reduction
     Policy of zero waste shopping; coffee cups, water, butchers, milk, etc.
     Get rid of single use plastics.
     No more election posters.
     Recycling
           More recycling options
           More cost effective recycling options
           Cost effective County wide white goods/ bulky goods e.g. mattresses
           Vision of recycling culture.
     Waste
         Promote a vision of a Waterford that does not accept dumping.
         Zero tolerance in dealing with dumping offenders
         Anti-dumping visual signs phrased positively.
     Enforcement
         More transparency with the collection provider enforcement.
         Where does our waste go?

 Social and Community Development
How can we be an inclusive community where we support each other and ensure no one is left out? What are the important
social services and facilities we need to live well from childhood to old age?

Good planning
    Integration strategies GAA clubs, Tidy Towns, swimming, etc.
    Local Area Plans need more community input.
Safe, accessible public spaces
           Public toilets
           Footpaths safe.
           Public access to disability parking; need more spaces in relevant parking areas.
           Accessibility of public spaces.
           More extended and accessible cycle lanes accessible so all can use.
           Making communities accessible via transport.
Waste
    Clear simple guidelines on recycling. There is too much ambivalence and confusion. A County-wide
       education programme, adverts on different media, etc.
Opportunities for youth
           More stuff for teenagers
           Youth centres/ activities
           MACRA
Connected communities

   Youth and older people sharing skills.
       Use social media to help connect people.
       Information sharing/outreach; people don’t know what’s out there.
       Combat rural isolation, sharing community notices and events.
       Social media – let people know what is going on.
       Know your neighbour.
       Have more allotments to provide positive meeting spaces.
       Make voting easier and more accessible.
Volunteering
    Culture of volunteering
    Garda vetting
    Parking for older volunteers
    Extend the old-age travel to cover parking.
Multicultural community
       Develop a sense of belonging/ sense of home.
       Cultural exchange / welcome.
       Strategy to engage with Direct Provision centres and assimilated families.
Funding
       Bursaries for accessibility to sport, e.g. affordable summer education programmes.
Community facilities
       Flushing Cafés throughout the County (menopause)
       Thriving community centres for every town/ village that are accessible to all.
       Drop-in community centre.
       Community group outreach.
       25m public swimming pool

Health (Physical and Mental)
How can all members of our community enjoy the best possible physical and mental health? What about people with special
needs, older people and carers?

Health Services
    Rural GPs; people can’t be expected to travel for miles for a GP.
    Care Doc needs a networked approach with access to patient files.
    Efficient and available Care Doc service.
    Creativity and craft and art in the care system.
    Social prescribing (doctors) using green prescriptions.
    Fully resources health centres across West Waterford; Lismore, Cappoquin, Tallow.
    Improvements in our health system.
Mental Health Supports
   Stronger supports for mental health.
   Education in school to develop self-awareness; a drop in centre and campaign.
Recreation and sports amenities
    Cycleway Dungarvan to Lismore.
    Light up part of the greenway; Waterford city to Kilmacthomas for walking, running, cycling in winter to
       boost health and social interaction.
    25m municipal swimming pool.
    Access to public swimming pool

   25m swimming pool to accommodate swim clubs, triathlon club, life-saving (none in Dungarvan at the
        moment- disgraceful being beside the sea) sea swimming club, affordable swimming for people not able to
        pay hotels, affordable for people with disabilities, will bring people and money to the town, and good for
        physical and mental wellbeing.
Community services
    Community alert with panic buttons to combat social isolation. Who could be added as a contact? To give
     peace of mind.
    “Panic button” extended to volunteer service, similar to first aid responders.
    First Responder network; training, sustainability and accessibility.
    Enable Transition Year students to volunteer in hospitals, care homes, etc.
    Co-ordinated effort to include older people in their community/ telephone service to check in on older
     people after weekend “Good Morning Lismore”!! properly run and financially supported to reduce rural
     isolation.
Combating isolation
    Being able to have access to all the “good things” happening e.g. age-related services. Share on community
      Facebook pages.
    Agri sector, rural isolation.
Social integration
     Integration of different communities e.g. Syrian and others.
     Greater support for socially marginalised groups to be active in sport e.g. Sanctuary Runners.
     Those in direct provision supported to join and integrate into their community.
     Older & younger members of the community learning skills from each other e.g. knitting/crocheting/IT skills.
Transport
     Active travel: investment in infrastructure to support walking and cycling.
     School travel plans to allow kids to walk to school safely.
     Safe segregated cycle lanes.
     Connected access through housing estates to surrounding roads.
     Transport to bring people into the town: hopper buses for people to access in the town.
Accessibility
             Accessible buildings and transport.

  Participation, Democracy & Good Governance
What is necessary to ensure that our local government structures support the wellbeing of our community for this and future
generations? What is necessary to ensure that we have a voice in the decisions that affect us, and that all voices are being
heard?

Local Authority – concerning:
   Participation
            More females in politics.
            Ease of access; the system discourages people from getting involved.
   Communication and Transparency
            More participation from the top down.
            Lack of feedback.
            Visibility of what is available that someone can say we have dealt with this.
    Fairness
            We feel democracy in general.
            Flexibility – does it go both ways; don’t discourage one group or individual over another.

Having a local voice
            Town Council; make decisions on the ground level, not waiting for the government.
            Being able to highlight issues to Councillors and TDs to bring to national level.
Community Representation
        The Public Participation Network is unknown in the community.
        Take responsibility for your own request; if it’s not forthcoming, follow it up.
Successful community groups
        Expertise cost when someone moves on from a role within any organisation, it is important to be able to
         access the expertise they had built up. Groups need to work out a way of keeping that.

        Link to environment and sustainability; -education, -change management, to move forward and make new.

 Values, Culture & Meaning
What is needed to ensure that everyone feels, and actually is, included and valued, and that our different values and cultures are
respected and nurtured? What are the important parts of our culture that we want to hand on to future generations?
Our Irish Identity
        Appreciation of the road we have travelled
        Not to lose our identity.
        Pride of our town and County.
        National anthem.
        Irish language.
Mutual Respect and Understanding
        History from all perspectives including all different cultures.
        Keep our religion, mutual respect.
Protecting our heritage
        Keeping our heritage sites.
        Place names should be preserved.
        Option for place names in Irish and English.
Keeping our traditions
        More education on old cultures and skills.
        Keep traditional skills alive and integrating these into the younger community.
        Rural and agricultural background.
The arts
        Music.
        Keeping our drama.
        Irish dancing.
Enjoying our environment
        More greenways and make these accessible.
        The sea.
Facilities and services
        More accessible facilities.
        Keep our libraries.
Community action
        Encourage our volunteering culture.

   Encouragement to join community groups.
Funding
       Easy access to funding.
       Sponsorship.
       Cultural investment sometimes isn’t a good business decision but is necessary.
Education
       Education workshops for all ages.
       Education links to environment and sustainability. Education is continuous re: changing/ evolution.
       Needs-led; discover, progressive, adaptive education.

  Work, Economy and Resources
How can our communities thrive economically, with good jobs, and supports for enterprise, business and for people not in work?
What resources do we have and are they used effectively without causing harm to social and environmental sustainability?

Community facilities
       Community space – lack of
       Multi-purpose, all-inclusive centre
       Lack of funding to upgrade existing community buildings.
       Community leisure facilities.
Education and training
       Designing forward thinking education programmes for future generations.
       Life long learning.
       TúS (community scheme) to take on more training courses.
Volunteering
       Mentoring programme for volunteers to assist organisations.
       Easy access to volunteering locally.
       National vetting system, annual vetting.
Infrastructure
       Decent broadband in rural areas.
       After hours transport.
       Rural mobile phone coverage
       Linking villages via transport
1 Stop shop for information
       Physical hub/ centre (with human interaction) and website for ALL information.
Support for people with disabilities
       Support for hidden disabilities.
       Wheelchair accessibility for all buildings and buses.
Social enterprise
       Social and community enterprise.
       Access to community enterprise.
Supports for disadvantaged communities
       Homeless shelter
       More empowering of disadvantaged communities.