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Contracts signed for social inclusion programme
S
SOCIAL inclusion projects took centre stage this week after a new programme came into effect from January 2018.
The Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme 2018-2022 (SICAP) follows the previous SICAP 2015-2017 Programme, which saw an overall investment of €4.8 million in social inclusion projects throughout Kerry between 2015 and 2017.
Among the many projects which have benefited from SICAP include the “Steps to Success Programme”, the Kerry Social Farming Project, the Men’s Sheds and Revamp projects.
The programme continues to focus on reducing poverty and promoting social inclusion and equality through supporting communities and individuals using community development approaches, engagement and collaboration.
SICAP 2018 is based on the current programme with a number of key changes. The redesigned programme reflects Ireland’s changing social and economic landscape, including the context of reduced unemployment and a general economic recovery. The new programme design has been informed by the results of a national consultation process which took place in the first half of 2017.
The tender process for the appointment of programme implementers has been completed and the award of the contracts was approved by Kerry’s LCDC in November 2017. The funding agreement with the successful Programme Implementers, namely North East and West Kerry Development, South Kerry Development Partnership and IRD Duhallow, was signed recently at County Buildings.