COUNTY MONAGHAN JOBS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP - CASTLEBLAYNEY

Co. Monaghan Partnership
Monaghan rd Castleblayney Co. Monaghan
(042)9749500

WHAT IS A PARTNERSHIP COMPANY ?

Monaghan Partnership is one of 38 Partnership Companies established in areas of high socio-economic disadvantage within the Republic of Ireland. They are supported under the National Development Plan 2001-2006, but also have the capacity to access funds from other sources.

WHAT ARE THEY ESTABLISHED TO DO ?

Monaghan Partnership will seek to create a Partnership incorporating the Community, Voluntary, Statutory and Social Partner Sectors. The Board of which will devise and implement a dynamic local development strategy for Monaghan. This strategy will target the needs of the most marginalised. It will seek to co-ordinate and enhance the provision of state services to the area. The principal objective is:
"To counter disadvantage through support for communities which make a collective effort to maximise the development potential of their areas, which are capable of a sustained effort to implement a plan and which have committed an appropriate level of resources to that process".

It is anticipated that the Partnership:

"Will impact positively on the special needs of the socially excluded, the long-term unemployed and those at risk of becoming long-term unemployed."
Partnership Companies around the country are the primary mechanisms through which these objectives will be achieved.

WHAT IS THE FUNCTION OF THE PARTNERSHIP ?

The functions of the Partnership Companies are to bring together the community, statutory and social partner sectors; to draw up a local development plan aimed at countering disadvantage; and to support and monitor the implementation of the agreed plan.

WHEN WAS IT FORMED ?

County Monaghan Partnership was formed in April 1996 to tackle social exclusion and deprivation in Monaghan.

WHAT WORK DOES THE PARTNERSHIP FOCUS ON ?

The Board of the Partnership identified three main focuses for its local development strategy: Services to the Unemployed, Community Development and Community Based Youth Initiatives. The local development plan of the Partnership details a range of strategies within each of these action areas. The Partnership is also involved with four Committees/working groups: Agriculture, Education Forum, Services to the Unemployed and Community Development.
The Partnership also proactively works with the four issued based networks in the county: Youth Network, Disability Network, Equality Promotion Network and Women's Network. A network is a structure that brings together a number of different groups working in a similar area. These networks provide a forum for the exchange of information, ideas and experiences. Networks can identify and develop models of good and best practice. This can particularly assist the development of new and weaker member groups who can benefit from other st ronger member groups in the network.

WHO IS THE PARTNERSHIP WORKING TO SUPPORT ?

In relation to target groups, the plan specifically mentions a number of groups who are experiencing particularly high levels of marginalisation and/or inequality: Unemployed, Travellers, women, people with disabilities, lone parents, Smallholders, Older people, Young people and Asylum seekers. The plan recognises the need to provide people from these groups, and their representative organisations, with relatively high levels of support and assistance.