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The PEACE-funded Shankill Shared Women’s Centre in Belfast has been officially recognised as one of the top projects in Europe for promoting inclusion and delivering life-changing impacts within the local community it serves. “To be recognised and win out of 266 applicants from across Europe is just incredible,” said a project representative in a celebratory message to supporters.

The Clare branch of Women’s Collective Ireland (WCI) fresh from a successful open day, held yesterday, now invites women from across the Banner County to connect with their project, to explore upcoming training and events, and to discover how to get involved in empowering women across the county. One of the empowering upcoming initiatives is a new practical training programme called ‘Rock the System: Women Changing the Story’ which begins on October 8th, running for eight weeks. A free course, it promises a blend of in-person, field trips and online experiences.

The CWELL programme, a University of Limerick diploma designed by communities for communities, is providing training for people interested in helping the areas they live in. "The acronym CWELL stands for Community, Wellness, Empowerment, Leadership and Lifeskills. Those were the themes that came out in the initial collaborations with the parish. They became the core of what CWELL is about," said Eileen Hoffler, a community engagement facilitator with UL. It began in St Mary's Parish and has expanded to include other regeneration areas of Limerick, and Eileen says it offers a lot to people who are often already involved in the community.

As part of Dublin City Council's Inclusion and Integration week in May, it hosted a photography exhibition featuring the diversity of its own staff. This is probably a first for local authorities and the idea could easily be taken by others, or by community organisations, or by any entity in fact. The exhibition entitled 'Humans of Dublin' was held in the Civic Offices and it provided a fascinating glimpse into the life experiences of 12 council staff members by telling their stories of inclusion and integration.

Older people are becoming homeless... Women are doubly at risk... People can't afford to live on a pension... Food banks have become mainstream...

THE emergence in 2024 of far right or populist political figures in Dublin like Malachy Steenson, Gavin Pepper and Gerry Hutch, shows what Ireland's political future might look like if deprived communities continue to be neglected. That's one of the findings of Dublin City Community Co-op's newly published advocacy paper, titled: Poverty and Populism - Is Dublin City a Canary in the Coalmine?

Leitrim may find new fame as the origin of a game generating national and international interest. The boardgame Letter Lingo makes time go faster while people are learning or improving their English, for example in Failte Isteach groups. They are also having more fun because of the game, and as word has spread demand has soared. Looking a little likes ‘Snakes and Ladders’ it was launched in April by Leitrim Development Company (LDC) and already people are signing up to join waiting lists for the game.

As Pride came to a close for this year, we spoke with Oisín O'Reilly, CEO of Dublin's Outhouse, a LGBT+ community resource centre and cafe, who sees cause for optimism as well as despair. Chastened by the Trump administration's targeting of companies that pursue a DEI agenda, some of the corporate backing for Pride evaporated this year. While that could be interpreted as a worrying sign of the times, Oisín doesn't see it like that. "I think there's a little bit too much on the 24% (of companies that cut their involvement) and not enough on the 76% who have stuck with us. There's a good news story there,” he said.