Issue No. 34 | August 2024
South West Mayo Development Company CLG
Empowering Communities - Enriching Lives
In the Loop Newsletter
Our Ready to Work Programme was launched recently by Minister of State at the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth with special responsibility for Disability Anne Rabbitte TD.
The programme is designed to support people with disabilities to find paid employment for up to a maximum of eight hours per week. The programme will provide personalised progression plans and individualised training to develop essential skills needed for participants to secure and thrive in employment. The launch event was extremely well-attended by local service providers, stakeholders, and businesses, evidence of the community’s strong support and enthusiasm for the programme.
The programme also aims to support employers in recruiting, retaining, and progressing employees with disabilities through their employment. By providing ongoing support, the Ready To Work programme ensures that both employees and employers can achieve sustainable success. In her keynote address, Minister Rabbitte TD emphasised the importance of such initiatives in driving local economic development and supporting individuals, and their families, in their career journeys. “The Ready To Work programme is a testament to the commitment to foster meaningful paid employment for individuals with disabilities in our community. It is a vital resource for stakeholders, those seeking work, and employers, and I am confident it will make a significant impact,” she stated.
Greg Barry Employability Mayo said “In our 20 plus years of service we have always recognised that there was a cohort of job seekers who could not avail of our service as the criteria set was not obtainable. We were delighted to partner with SWMDC on the Ready To Work programme and to work on a model that would plug that gap and to enhance and complement our service, and other services, in the community. We look forward to working closely with Ready to Work and to enhance employment opportunities for job seekers with disabilities in the county.”
Noreen McGarry, SWMDC Board Member said “On behalf of the Board of Directors we are delighted to see the Ready To Work Programme being launched this morning. This is a great opportunity to address the lack of representation of people with disabilities in the workforce. We wish the Ready to Work Team well as they begin this important work.”
The Ready to Work programme is co-funded by the Government of Ireland, through the Department of Social Protection, and the European Union. For more information about the Ready To Work programme and how to get involved, please contact us at info@southmayo.com or 098 419 50.
Living Well Programme Autumn/Winter 2024 Schedule
We are delighted to announce our Living Well Programme Autumn/Winter 2024 schedule.
This is a free (HSE-funded) group programme for adults living with any long-term or chronic health condition. It takes place over six weekly workshops (6 x 2.5 hours) – and aims to help participants learn new skills to manage their health and wellbeing.
For further information or to register your place, please contact Fiona Cunnane, Living Well Programme Co-ordinator on 087 718 5615 or fcunnane@southmayo.com.
Western Region Drug & Alcohol Task Force Training Programme Schedule
The Western Region Drug & Alcohol Task Force has developed their September/October 2024 schedule of training programmes covering a wide range of topics and themes.
These include SAOR: Screening & Brief Intervention for Problem Alcohol and Substance Use, an Overview of the European Drug Report (2024) and Community Addiction Studies.
Effective Responses to Cocaine is a 16-week course that will being in early 2025, and more information and application forms will be available in late September 2024.For more information, please see www.wrdatf.ie, or contact info@wrdatf.ie for more details.
Staff Updates
Harold Slok is moving on from SWMDC after over six years working with the company. Harold worked in the EROC Ballaghadereen and in later years on the Covid-19 and influx of Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) as a result of the war in Ukraine.
We also bid farewell to James Buckley who has worked with SWMDC over the past 18 months as Marketing Assistant under the Tús programme. James’ creative contribution has hugely improved the SWMDC brand and his innovative ideas and creative spirit have elevated our online social media presence and company newsletter.
We wish Harold every success in his new role with Western Care. Beir bua agus beannacht Harold agus James!
We extend a warm welcome to Nadeem Cherbatji who started with SWMDC in August 2024 and will work in the EROC Ballaghadereen as Health Liaison Worker.
As our team grows, we have more job opportunities coming up in SWMDC. Please keep an eye on our website and social media channels for updates.
Minister of State Alan Dillon TD & Minister of State Dara Calleary with members of the SWMDC Board & Staff, local Councillors, and representatives of Mayo Local Action Group (LAG) at Balla Sensory Garden Launch
Saturday, the 31 August 2024 saw the official opening of the new Balla Sensory garden by Minister of State, Alan Dillon TD. This new community facility was supported under the LEADER 2014-2022 programme, with funding of over €36,000.Norita Clesham, LEADER Project Officer and LEADER Finance & Administrator, Majella Mulchrone, worked with the group to access this essential funding,
From Expression of Interest stage to final project completion and payment, the community volunteers worked with SWMDC, and other stakeholders including Mayo County Council, As I Am (Ireland’s Autism charity), Giorria Environmental Services, and Mayo Local Action Group (LAG) to ensure that the garden met their ambitions.
This project is part of a wider initiative in Balla, which is planning to secure ‘Autism Friendly Town’ status. It also builds on the work of Balla Tidy Towns, which received a national Inclusive Community Award in 2021.
Minister Dillon was joined on the day by Minister of State Dara Calleary TD, and several local Councillors who have supported this project from the very start. SWMDC is delighted to be associated with this project through LEADER and our social employment programmes, the Rural Social Scheme and Tús Initiative.
