Let's Develop Our Vision for Community Wellbeing for This and Future Generations - What community groups said at the East Waterford PPN community ...
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Let’s Develop Our Vision for Community Wellbeing
for This and Future Generations
What community groups said at the East Waterford PPN
community workshop held online 10 November 2020.1. 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?
• That we have health services, including the hospital, that can function for the region.
• Equal access to healthcare for all, include 24/7 cardiac care, child and adolescent mental health
services, appropriate number of doctors, nurses, psychologists, psychiatrists, health care
professionals. Identify and address the health needs of the community.
• A clean physical environment for all to enjoy.
• Bring all unused local authority owned land back into use in partnership with communities for
community amenities. This is particularly important in the inner city.
• City living must be matched with safe play areas for young people and children.
• Make greater use of community gardens, allotments beaches, trails, nature walks and so on as a
mental and psychological support for people and communities. What we have we exploit, love,
know and use. Address the shortage of green spaces.
• Encourage more befriending of those in your community and forging ongoing links – especially
among older adults and young people.
• Address and resource problems with dis-association in society and within our communities.
• Make all kinds of music venues (outdoors, community, communal) free and accessible.
• Use arts and culture to support mental health and tie it in with other aspects of city living, life,
resources and assets.
• Protect and enhance what we have.
• Fresh air, exercise, walking, etc. are important.
• An integrated community is a healthy community (new communities).
• Create the space for safe cycling, educate cyclists on safe cycling. Reduce associate dangers.
• There is an information deficit on health services and facilities. The HSE should put together a
widely available directory. Social prescribing services need to be more widely available.
• Services are oversubscribed and we need regional Mental Health services.
• Digital divide
• Booklets/info to houses
• Forms to hard and confusing to fill out, jargon
• Facilities for those who are not into sports. Gym parks/Skateboard Parks
• Loneliness not just with the elderly.
• More conscientious living – not parking on footpaths, not leaving wheelie bins on footpaths, avoid
overflowing bins.
• More trees with seats under the trees, more biodiversity (pollinator friendly shrubs) and a small
eco wooden structured playground, catering for all ages, landscaping more amenities, fitness
equipment for adults. Create mini-People’s parks across the city.
• We need imaginative and well-planned development to create a vibrant healthy community.
• There is a huge information deficit.
22. 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?
• More joined up thinking between agencies is required (WAP, WLP, LCDC, LEO, LES, WIT,
WWETB, etc.) as to what the next developments are and how we can tap into them, push them.
• With North Quays how to exploit this for the good of Waterford? Training people for all aspects of
it, building and on from there. Relevant courses now.
• Goods and services need to be provided, by Waterford people and businesses existing and new?
• Encourage small scale enterprises.
• Start up more apprenticeship schemes in anticipation of future requirements. Discuss this issue
with schools.
• Develop a programme of passing on skills - basket weaving, traditional music etc (involve new
communities); encourage more (targeted) English language training.
• Transport provides an excellent service in some places but is too expensive.
• The need for 2 buses to get across the city is ridiculous.
• Need to regenerate the settled and mature housing estates with younger families
• Explore more park and ride opportunities.
• Pedestrianize more city spaces.
• Address high unemployment and youth unemployment. A long-term interagency response is
required – ETB, WIT, Fás/Solas.
• Promote entrepreneurship and self-employment, provide up skilling opportunities for this.
• Invest in local services and facilities to support an active economy.
• Target supports for NEETS, in particular early school leavers.
• Reduce the stigma of Apprentices vs IOT vs University
• Greater emphasis on life skills.
• The biggest potential lies in the pieces of land that are still unused and could serve better
purposes, and in the people in our communities who cannot find jobs related to their main
interests.
• There are many areas around Waterford that need to be cleared from waste and many talented
people who struggle to develop their skills. There are no efficient platforms who would help
members of our community reach their best job opportunities.
• Small business start-ups need to be nurtured, supported and encouraged- maybe in conjunction
with WIT with workshops to encourage students and others to develop ideas into good business
opportunities. Too many graduates leave.
• Apprenticeships in restoration, conservation and retrofitting, with funding from the Green New
Deal could lead to a transformation of the city through bringing vacant older properties back into
usage, preserving the historical architecture of the city and bringing new life into.
• Transition jobs and careers for older people. Older people should not just be encouraged to
volunteer. Value their skills.
33. 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?
• The rising tide of private investment must be met with public, social and community investment.
• More widespread Community and Voluntary open days in co-op style where clubs can come
together to pitch for new members.
• Support migrants to set up their own or join sports teams?
• Accessible meeting spaces are currently far and few between. Much more required throughout
the city.
• Increase the number (or promotion of) local festivals in different areas of the city and county.
Encourage residents explore the hidden communities of Waterford.
• A community-based organisation of initiative to support people to gain employment and to find out
if they qualify for the job and if not, where can they go to be trained or retrain.
• Explore the community gain potential for the North Quay’s development.
• Reiterating the need for joined up thinking. What is the plan beyond 2030 and onto 2050. Identify
the opportunities to fill these caps.
• Significant resources are required to be dedicated towards Community Development. Large
amounts of people are so far removed from what is happening due to being marginalised, their
ability or disability, ethnic background, education, or economic status. We cannot forget these
people.
• Invest in community organisations, community groups, retaining what works well and be open to
new ideas. We must invest in people, not just on steel or infrastructure.
• Most leisure centres/facilities are on the outskirts of the City. We need a plan to develop and
deliver on the needs of the inner city.
• Directory of groups in my area for those new to city or those wanting to volunteer
• Increase the sense of belonging for non-Irish citizens, there is a perception of ‘closed doors’ in
accessing community groups and services.
• Rollout a programme to tackle unconscious bias.
• Community space, gardens, allotments, events, leisure facilities etc. are seen as having huge
potential to support the building of sustainable communities.
• Lack of community facilities in the city.
• COVID-19 measures and restrictions are having a huge impact on communities organising.
• Reducing the reliance on motor transport and ensuring that those without access to motor are not
left disadvantaged.
• Energy efficient homes and retrofitting needs to become the norm – appliances, insulation,
maintenance, etc.
• Our communities should cater from cradle to grave. Coordinate older person’s services similar to
children’s services.
• Many structures and programmes that our community members can rely on, including SICAP,
LCDC and PPN have initiatives that are usually handled in a professional and friendly manner,
encouraging good ideas to be developed. Nevertheless, it is necessary to form stronger
connections between business (jobs availability) and the potential of our community members.
44. Participation, Democracy and 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?
• Practice partnership instead of tokenistic involvement.
• There is a general vibe that Waterford City and County Council are poor at carrying out
consultation and making their intentions clear ahead of time – this then leads to communities not
accepting the change or ‘the council shooting themselves in the foot.
• Communities need to be brough along the journey from the start in local decision making.
• Many find it challenging to contact local services, including the council.
• There is a perception that the public is not interested in the operation of the local authority.
• There is a perception of a lack of trust in the council, politicians and the Government.
• Greater register to vote campaigns are required to make local democracy meaningful. Better
management of the voting register.
• The PPN Representatives sought additional training and induction on items including
preparedness for meetings, advocacy, lobbying, conducting meetings, negotiation, and public
relations.
• Participation and democracy are seen as important. Participants believed that we should all stand
our ground.
• Greater partnership between agencies, communities and the PPN is important.
• Decisions need to be made in the open, with an opportunity to influence, feed in and be heard.
Communities need to be taken seriously. The language and environment of structures needs to
be more accessible.
• Induction into your role when you join a community group, need supports and knowledge.
• Funding needs to be allotted fairly to public services across the board (especially around
Hospitals).
• Suggestions on having a directly elected Mayor.
• Local governance structures such as the local authority and regional assembly should provide
more proactive education about their role.
• Consultation often feels hidden and technical. More Plain English consultation and better online
facilities would help.
• People feel forgotten about when elections are over.
• Government agencies, services and local Government need to listen to the people and act when
concerns raised. Submissions should be taken on board where planning, infrastructure and traffic
flow changes are being considered, and consultation reports should be published that address all
concerns and proposals raised.
• Our local Government structures should have a gender balance – both elected and executive.
• Mandatory timeframes for responses should be implemented when the public submits queries.
• Specific efforts should be made to include vulnerable groups in public consultation.
• Decisions should demonstrate how they have been made for the common good.
• Elected representatives at all levels should have more clinics.
55. Values, Culture and 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 the future generations?
• More education in schools about our values, culture and meaning to be from and/or live in
Waterford.
• Local authority to explore taking the lead on working with schools to develop local values, cultures
and meaning curriculum.
• Demonstrate shared common cultures, values and meanings - bring in local festivals and
particularly new communities. What unites us.
• Education for young people embracing multi-culturalism, city history, values, heritage, etc.
• Lear more about multilateralism in school, and how this translates/reflects our culture.
• The arts could lead a Waterford Memories type process.
• Outside performance spaces and places that facilitate sharing values, culture and meaning.
• Address the digital divide to assist in shaping values and culture.
• Respecting values, culture and meaning that aren’t our own.
• Revisiting generational skill sharing that has disappeared in recent generations.
• Promotion of local history to the locals.
• Local Authority should lead greater coordination, promotion and communication on
events/festivals, lectures and culture and the new communities.
• We need to celebrate all cultures in Waterford.
• Local authority should work with local migrant council and traveller council to develop culture and
values initiatives.
• Increase the prevalence of street art across the city, including street theatre – beyond the annual
Spraoi festival.
• Make videos for a multimedia platform.
• Respect for ourselves and others, differences in people and their culture
• Keep and promote more of our heritage sites. Keep them maintained, make them more
accessible and ensure they are respected.
• Provide safe spaces and public toilets.
• It is important that individuals feel connected to the community
• Maintain character with the rest of the buildings when building or rebuilding old buildings.
• Reinforcement that sustainable communities enable culture, values and meaning.
• Maximise citizens engagement with the Viking Triangle, Millennium Museum, Bishops Palace and
Reginald’s Tower.
• Waterford has the only surviving native Gaeltacht in the East of the Country. This needs to be
embraced and developed, in partnership with its service town.
• Culture needs to be accessible – Greenway, Mount Congreve and the Gaeltacht are only
accessible if I have transport.
66. Environment and 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?
• Adherence to and mainstreaming of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• Public water fountains, less waste bins, promote culture of leave no trace, accessible water in all
public buildings and spaces.
• Educate and inform people about the environment, culture, physical activity, recycling, retrofitting,
upcycling, recycling public spaces places, buildings.
• Identify and promote the economic opportunities that sustainability unlocks.
• Process and highlight of all this activity, behaviour and developments in mainstream media and
local community radio/newsletters.
• Make sure people clean up after their pets.
• Rollout a public bike sharing scheme and a car sharing scheme.
• Transition to electric cars.
• Move away from putting profit before people.
• Emphasise upcycling.
• Educate children and adults to respect their environment surroundings.
• Better waste management along the Greenway and shared public spaces.
• Evoke emotion to get people to fall back in love with their county.
• Leadership on this must come from all of society.
• Eradicate single use plastics, accessories, paper, etc.
• Follow national and EU regulations more stringently.
• Instil personal responsibility
• More enforcement required from the local authority and an Garda Síochána.
• Increase prominence of and roll out more incentives from the local authority.
• A low emission transport plan should be formulated to change the balance from car to active
transport and public transport options.
• The greenway is wonderful, but it is primarily for recreation.
• With good planning, the city and towns can become safe places for everybody, young and old to
move safely around.
• Collaboration with licensed refuse collectors is required, incentivising waste reduction.
• Stop the use of harmful chemical weed killers.
• Designate wild green areas.
• Implement the 15-minute rule – all services being available on foot or bike within this area.
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