Doohamlet District Community Development Association DDCDA

2006 Founder members knocked door to door to invite people to first meeting County Monaghan Partnership facilitated at outset First meetings set out aims and structure of the organisation First committee formed with over 20 committee members Constitution drafted

2007 First real projects undertaken by the DDCDA in 2007 Funding received from Co. Monaghan Partnership for Community Audit Questionnaires delivered and collected from all households in the area Required significant committee member involvement – helped committee “gel” Audit report has formed basis for funding application and projects

2007 Community Audit 109 page document Over 300 questionnaires distributed 75% return rate Forms basis of projects and funding applications

2008 Strengthened the committee by attending; – Effective Meetings Training – Cultural Diversity Training Small grant from Monaghan Co Co – Christmas event was run for 1 st time. Has been run every year since. Grant applications made for projects in 2009

Current Projects – CLP Project Participated in IFI/NICVA Community Leadership Programme 5 DDCDA members attended the programme and awarded Certificate in Community Leadership 2 DDCDA members completed further study and awarded Certificate in Management Practice from University of Ulster Developed website and community newsletter through the project

Current Projects – Community Newsletter 4 Issues over 18 months 4 Page printed newsletter delivered to every household Information on local issues Very positive feedback

Current Projects - Website

Main Doohamlet Homepage with links to subpages for local groups Group pages set up as blogs to facilitate regular updating – unfortunately not being updated regularly Training to be arranged to encourage groups to update regularly Plan to develop local business directory via website - may create regular revenue stream to finance DDCDA activities

Current Projects – PEACE III €50,000 Peace III funding secured by DDCDA for community Aim: Build positive relations at local level Project Titled “Doohamlet Community All Together Forever” 10 local groups including DDCDA involved Project commenced in Autumn 2009

Current Projects – Peace III Events held include; – Project Launch – Daycare Public Information Day – National School Musical – Youth Club Activities – IFA trips to Ploughing Championships – Ladies GAA events – Christmas Santa Visit and Lights – Improvements to the hall – DDCDA received Laptop for community use

Current Projects – Lake Project Proposes to develop leisure walk and fishing stands around the lake Sub-committee set up in 2008 Secured funding from Leader for feasibility study in 2010 Feasibility study underway Hope to apply for further funding to develop project is feasibility study is positive

Other General DDCDA Business Projector received from Monaghan Community Network Made EIRGRID proposed interconnector planning maps available to local community Represented community at EIRGRID oral hearing Made representations to National Broadband Scheme to have broadband services improved in our area Successfully lobbied Monaghan County Council on local road issues

Future Projects Continue with lake project Initiate project with Hall Committee for major upgrade of hall facilities – will be a major and complex construction project Eirgrid 2011 – Keep community informed of proposals

DDCDA Overview In existence 5 years Already participated in broad range of projects Working toward 2 major infrastructure projects (Lake walk and Hall improvement) Success of the DDCDA would not have been possible without the assistance received fromfrom many local supports; Monaghan Community Network, Co. Monaghan Partnership, Leader....