The Fund In Your Area

North Cavan Community Development Initiative, Co. Cavan

The North Cavan Community Development Initiative is a forum of six community groups from different traditions, each located in small villages in North Cavan, which had previously operated in isolation.

In 2002, the International Fund’s Communities in Transition programme, which seeks out areas with weak community infrastructure and works to improve community capacity and social cohesion within these areas, encouraged the groups to work together for the good of their wider area.

As a result, the North Cavan Community Development Initiative was formed and since then it has been working to deliver a wide range of programmes to meet local needs across the areas, supported by the local Community Development Officer appointed jointly by the participating community groups.

These programmes include the provision of educational and leisure activities, the delivery of new capital programmes and support for youth projects. The Initiative has also developed a Support for the Elderly and Vulnerable Scheme, supported by the Rural Social Scheme, which has provided several households with odd-job and maintenance support. In addition, the Initiative participates in the rural transport scheme, which has enabled people in the area to access transport services to Cavan town.

The Communities in Transition programme has enabled the participating groups to break down negative perceptions of one another and to build new, cross-community relationships, which have enabled the groups to attract additional resources and to develop and deliver joint plans and activities for both their local areas and for the wider region. The project also engages with other groups on a wider cross-border cross community basis.