Lord Mayor Community and Voluntary Awardees: Social Inclusion, Advocacy and Integration

Organisations making a difference to people’s health and wellbeing in Cork have been shortlisted under the Social Inclusion, Advocacy and Integration category of the awards.

Those shortlisted include Ballyphehane/Togher CDP, Gay Project and Open Door Restaurant.

Ballyphehane/Togher CDP

Core funded by Cork Kerry Community Healthcare and working in partnership with many other public services including Cork City Council, Tusla, and the Department of Social Protection, the CDP, as described by project co-ordinator Siobhán O’Dowd, “is a small project, with a big heart, a warm embrace for all who engage with it and a wide reach”.

An Cliabhán Community Childcare in Ballyphehane/Togher CDP s 30 children each week in their early learning and development. At the same time, their parents and guardians can avail of family , community education, additional employment opportunities or sometimes just some much-needed ‘me-time’.

Over 250 adults are ed to engage in community and access education including arts and crafts, computer skills, and health and wellbeing programmes through Ballyphehane/Togher CDP’s partnerships with Cork ETB, HSE South, Read Write Now, Ballyphehane Day Care, Ballyphehane Community Centre, Turners Cross Community Centre and Tory Top Library.

s for older adults include Ballyphehane/Togher CDP’s Healthy Heart Walking Group, peer group activities programmes and secure grant aid funding, as well as network outings and seasonal gatherings.

Older adults who are less mobile can the virtual community chat café or 'Singing for the Brain' and be ed with a digital bank of technology from the CDP and some tutoring on how to get the best out of smart technology.

Access to the Senior Alarm Scheme also helps keep older people living independently for longer in their own homes and close to the community that sustains them.

Community development is at the heart of the CDP which s people to create their own responses to issues that affect them.

Speaking to The Echo, chairperson, Cathy Kelly, said: “Despite deep roots anchoring us in this community, among the cherry blossoms, the project has always been a warm and welcoming hub that has an open door for everyone and a generous definition of community, creating space for everyone who wants to belong whether you’ve lived here all your life or are newly arrived. And you can always depend on being offered a cuppa.” 

Project co-ordinator, Siobhán O’Dowd, said: "It’s a huge honour and joy to be nominated for the Lord Mayor’s Social Inclusion, Advocacy and Integration Award especially in this our 30th anniversary as it recognises the work of the whole project, with volunteers and staff team who combine to offer the broadest range of s to those who experience the most challenges.

“As well as the regular programmes available at the CDP, of the project team also contribute to city-wide initiatives such as Cork Healthy Cities, Age Friendly City, Shine a Light Suicide and Mental Health Awareness, Cór na Laoi Community Choir for Health, Cork Kerry Health and Well Being Community Referral, CESCA – Cork Equality Network and Cork LGBTI+ Inter-Agency Group because we know that collectively we can contribute much more to achieving social inclusion.

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”

Gay Project

Gay Project is one of the oldest and proudest LGBT+ organisations in Ireland, celebrating its 40th anniversary this month.

The work of Gay Project is to provide information and to gay men, bisexual men, men who have sex with men (MSM), trans and queer men and their families; to promote mental, sexual, physical and emotional health; to , enable and enhance the development of the LGBT+ community; to raise awareness in the wider society of the issues that disproportionately affect the LGBT+ community; to inform and contribute to relevant policy-making and advance LGBT+ civil rights; and to raise awareness amongst others in the wider Irish society of the issues that disproportionately affect gay men, bisexual men, men who have sex with men (MSM), queer and trans men.

The Gay Project runs numerous events and programmes, including GOLD Café which is an opportunity for older gay men to meet, socialise and chat with other men of a similar age; Rainbow Diverse Abilities which is an 18+ social safe space for of the LGBT+QIA+ community with disabilities and/or neurodiversity; and Drag School with Mia Gold ed by the ETB which is a programme that aims to enhance Cork’s continued history and contribution to the art of drag in Ireland.

Gay Project also provides education and training and are available to provide talks in schools and workplaces on LGBT+ issues.

Speaking to The Echo, Gay Project manager, Konrad Im, said: "As someone who started out in Gay Project as a volunteer in 2015 and was inspired by my predecessors such as Dave Roche to formally enter into studying community development, the staff and volunteers in Gay Project have been like family to me.

“I think awards like this are a fantastic way to show recognition to the many volunteers working with us weekly that keep the Gay Project open enabling us to provide to those that need them most."

Chair of the Board of Directors of Gay Project John Buttimer said: “Being nominated for a Lord Mayor’s Community and Voluntary Award is really important for us in Gay Project as it is a reflection and recognition of the important work, we do on the ground across Cork city and county and of the active role we play in our communities.

“Ireland was a different country when Gay Project was founded in 1984. In 1984, homosexuality was criminalised and people who were identified as LGBT+ were actively discriminated against in relation to housing, employment, entitlements, access to health and recognition of relationships. 

"The work of Gay Project has been to work with and advocate for of our community who are LGBT+ so that they are enabled to participate fully in Ireland’s social, economic, cultural, political and artistic life.”

Open Door Restaurant

A multi-award-winning prisoner-run pop-up restaurant operated by inmates who have completed Cork Prison’s practical culinary skills programme has been shortlisted for this year’s awards in recognition of the diverse work and training opportunities available to prisoners in custody seeking meaningful engagement.

The Irish Prison Service, in collaboration with the Department of Tourism & Hospitality at Munster Technological University (MTU) and Irish Association for Social Inclusion Opportunities (IASIO), recently hosted the third installment of The Open Door Restaurant initiative at Cork Prison.

Governor of Cork Prison Liam Spacey said he is “immensely proud” to have been nominated for this award for The Open Door Restaurant at Cork Prison.

“For many of those in prison, they have not had opportunities for education and training or through circumstance have not always been able to recognise or avail of opportunities,” he said.

“Everyone who takes part in a course in prison has made a conscious decision to make positive changes in their lives.

“Those who have completed The Open Door Restaurant course have industry-recognised skills which will greatly enhance their chances of finding employment in an industry that has employment opportunities.

“Gainful employment is not just a job to those leaving prison. Gainful employment gives them a foothold back in their community and allows them to make a positive contribution to that community after prison.

“They can be a positive influence and role model to their children and the young people in their lives which is what real rehabilitation is all about.” 

Head of the Department of Tourism & Hospitality at MTU, Dr Noel Murray, said the initiative speaks to the value of education and the transformative impact it can have on people’s lives and described the programme as “a powerful mechanism to provide employment opportunities for participants, as well as creating a sense of optimism for those in custody, as well as their families”.

“We are exceptionally proud in MTU to be involved in this initiative and are humbled to be nominated for this specific award, as it speaks to many of the values we aim to instill in our graduates."

Programme coordinator of The Open Door Restaurant, Colm Carey of IASIO highlighted how the practical skills and training delivered through the collaboration participants with unlocking potential while in custody.

“As a stakeholder, we are honoured and very proud to be shortlisted in this specific category as the words social inclusion, advocacy and integration very-much align with the ethos and objectives of IASIO as an organisation and the clients we represent in custody and the community.”