Presentation given by Seamus Boland, CEO of Irish Rural Link on 2nd June 2011 to the Community Leadership Programme.

1. Community and social
inclusion
Sustaining active inclusion as part of
community development
JUNE 2011
Seamus Boland Irish Rural Link

2. Why Community?
 One generation plants the trees; the next gets the
shade. (Chinese Proverb)
 This is the duty of our generation as we enter the
twenty-first century: -- solidarity with the weak, the
persecuted, the lonely, the sick, and those in despair. It
is expressed by the desire to give a noble and
humanizing meaning to a community in which all
members will define themselves not by their own
identity but by that of others (Elie Wiesel Holocaust
survivor)

3. Social Exclusion
A process whereby certain groups are
pushed to the margins of society and
prevented from participating fully by
virtue of their poverty, experience of
discrimination, marginalisation within
society.

4. Social Inclusion
 Ensuring the marginalised and those
living in poverty have greater
participation in decision making which
affects their lives.
 Allowing them to improve their living
standards and their overall well-being.

5. Who?
 Groups who visibly fit into this category include
Travellers, migrants, people isolated by virtue
of distance, very poor education, disability,
age, caring responsibilities.

6. Well Being (NESC 2009)
 Person’s well-being relates to their physical,
social and mental state. It requires that basic
needs are met.
 That people have a sense of purpose, that they
feel able to achieve important goals,to
participate in society and to live the lives they
value and have reason to value.

7. How it is achieved (NESC 2009)
 Is enhanced by conditions that include financial
and personal security, meaningful and
rewarding work, supportive personal
relationships, strong and inclusive
communities, good health, a healthy and
attractive environment, and values of
democracy and social justice.

8. Social inclusion Promotion: The
experience.
 Many rights under the heading Equality have
been earned through the courts in Brussels.
 Social inclusionists tend to use high powered
language and some times can be seen as
preachy or Political correctness gone mad
 Communities may sometimes resist the
concept

9. Social inclusion Promotion: The
experience.
 When a child of nine observes that “most of my
relations never get a job interview because the
use this address (associated with high
disadvantage) or
 A Traveller family does not do mainstream
education because they are seen as different
or
 A family does not participate in community
activities, sports etc because of poverty

10. Social inclusion Promotion: The
experience
 A youth club cannot be formed because the
hall committee believe it would be a risk to hall
itself
 Older people living alone without access to
transport cannot participate in local events
 Community plans are decided by those who
turn up.

11. Participation
 Social inclusion does not happen unless there
is a blue print for full participation by all in the
community.
 Barriers perceived or otherwise may exist and
must be removed.
 Then freedom not to participate is acceptable.

12. Participation
 Participation in the decision making process
by the ‘Community sector is new and is largely
associated with participation in the National
social partnership process.
 There is the county forums and a range of
agencies which allow community access.
 But there is no blueprint for participation

13. Participation issues
 Training for participation is ad hoc and scattered.
 In the nineties training came through a number of FAS
programmes.
 Later the Partnerships and Leader would provide
training.
 The decline in community funded programmes will
diminish the resources necessary to provide training.

14. Solutions
 The implementation of national policies that support
inclusion.
 The implementation of existing legislation
 The promotion of community participation good
practice
 Social inclusion is built in to community planning
 Independent resourcing of organisations dedicated to
social inclusion promotion

15. Questions
 What would be a good test of social inclusion in a
community?
 How can you work to ensure that a community plan is
fair to everybody
 Do we need to be told by funders or people in power
how to be fair to one another? Is inclusion only on our
group’s agenda because of funding.

16. Finally……..
 This is the duty of our generation as we enter the
twenty-first century: -- solidarity with the weak, the
persecuted, the lonely, the sick, and those in despair. It
is expressed by the desire to give a noble and
humanizing meaning to a community in which all
members will define themselves not by their own
identity but by that of others (Elie Wiesel Holocaust
survivor)
Seamus Boland Irish Rural Link