About Offaly Community Forum
Offaly Community Forum Mission Statement

“To encourage, support and promote the inclusive participation of the community and voluntary sector in the development of Offaly”

Offaly Community Forum is a network of over 370 community groups across the county..
Overall management of Offaly Community Forum is undertaken by the Management Committee. This committee is elected by the membership at local and county-wide meetings. Representatives are elected to represent the ‘voice’ and views of the Community and Voluntary sector on the decision making bodies in Co. Offaly at these meetings.
Each Year the Forum compiles a work plan which guides the work of the Forum each Year.

Forum Priorities for 2010- Action Plan

• Mental health awareness (Click on this to link to content below)
• Awareness on legal highs & head shops (Click on this to link to content below)
• Volunteer Centre (Click on this to link to content below)
• Diploma in Community Development Practice (Click on this to link to content below)

1. Issue: Mental health awareness-High rate of Suicide in South & West Offaly

Objective:

• Raising awareness of those in the community who may have mental health issues & need support.
• Get young people to discuss the problem of suicide in Offaly
• Support the community by organising a series of ‘SAFE TALK’ information evenings in conjunction with HSE Suicide training Officer for the Midlands.
• Work to wards promoting positive mental health and reducing the stigma associated with mental illness.

Partners: Youth Clubs, BB Big Sister, Foroige, HSE Josephine Rigney, Padraig Boland VEC, Youth worker, Community Forum.

The Community Forum set up a focus group in relation to this issue, which is a good example of a bottom up approach as the request to dedal with this issue was raised at an area fora meeting in West Offaly. This request for support on the problem was relayed to the Management Committee. A Forum sub group was formed in Feb 2010- members include Community activists, HSE Suicide training officer, Gardai, Youth leaders & Youth workers. A number of actions were prioritised and have been completed since.

2. Issue: Awareness on legal highs & head shops -The availability of legal highs in Offaly

Objective:
Make people aware of the dangers of buying substances from headshops.

Action:

• Community request for information & awareness
• March meeting of the Forum MC agreed to host 3 information evenings on legal highs
• Work with HSE Health Prom, Gardai, MRDT, Edenderry Group, Family & Res. Centre Birr
• 3 venues in June/October 2010 Birr & Edenderry
• National speakers in Tullamore final event

Partners: Schools, Gardai & Parents Associations.

3. Supporting Voluntary Groups- Set up a Volunteer Centre in Offaly

• Forum priority for years which as a result of the Cohesion process and community representatives on the new Integrated Company for Offaly– OLDC, the need for a volunteer Centre became a priority for the new Company and therefore they were able to allocate some staff time to developing this service.
• The Community Forum Support Worker has worked with Volunteer Centres Ireland to set up a recognised Volunteer Centre for Offaly www.volunteeroffaly.ie. The Community Forum was the reason that this service is now available in Offaly.

4. Diploma in Community Development Practice

• In conjunction with NUIG and Offaly Local Development Company, Offaly Community Forum is supporting an outreach Diploma course in Community Development Practice for Offaly. The Forum members feel there is a need for further education for community activists to develop their knowledge and skills in terms of the contribution they can make to their communities and sustain their efforts to the future in the community.

5. Example of working with local agencies
Links with Midland Regional Drug Taskforce (MRDT)

• 2009 Dial to Stop Drug Dealing Campaign- National Campaign, Midlands focus on rolling out this campaign in Athlone & Portlaoise only.
• Offaly Community Forum had a representative on the MRDT who recognised the importance and need for Offaly towns to be included in this campaign.
• Result: Offaly was included in campaign with leaflet drop & banners & advertising in Birr, Edenderry & Tullamore. The Community rep ensured that all 3 towns in Offaly were part of this campaign.
• Joint approach of Offaly Community Forum & MRDT working together.
• Offaly was most successful Midland County to participate in this Campaign through the collaborative work with the MRDT, Gardai and Community Forum activists.

6. Policy Issues in 2009

• Older persons Personal alarm & security grants, Offaly Community Forum lobbied the Minister, Munitir na Tire and The Wheel to support the reinstating of this grant scheme.
• Playground Policy for Offaly Co. Council & OLDC, Offaly Community Forum outlined their recommendations to the Housing SPC on this issue re. playground maintenance and the responsibilities on the voluntary group to maintain the playgrounds.
• Housing & homeless issues raised at SPC level

7. The Forum & working with the CDB

• Access to the C& V Sector in Offaly
• Set up focus groups to roll out projects in response to issues in the Community
• Promote work & activities of CDB agencies (e.g. CEB /Economic sub group Publications, training schedules, CCC training & events etc.)
• Consultative body for the C& V sector in the County
• Attend our monthly meetings
• Working together to get real results