Year: 2016

         

 

The Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) 2015-2017 is funded by the Irish Government and co-funded by the European Social Fund and includes a special allocation under the Youth Employment Initiative

Excellent supports are available through a number of different organisations for businesses in South Kerry. This was the message from a number of speakers to the large attendance at the South Kerry Back to Work Enterprise Allowance (BTWEA) networking event in Killarney last week.

CEO of South Kerry Development Partnership Ltd. Noel Spillane highlighted the importance of businesses maintaining contact with the SKDP Enterprise Officers in order to ensure they have full details of the supports available to them. “In addition to the supports offered under the BTWEA programme, the new RDP Leader programme will be inviting expressions of interest later in the year  and LEADER will provide grant assistance for eligible businesses to expand further and details will soon be available on the SKDP website” Noel said.

Maurice Lawlor of the Department of Social Protection re-iterated the point that extensive supports are available to businesses but he highlighted the need for people to have a sustainable business idea in order to be able to avail of such supports so the business can survive beyond the support the scheme gives. “It is a big step to take starting your own business and you should be congratulated and encouraged for taking it” Maurice said. Maurice outlined the range of supports that the Dept. of Social Protection can provide to those businesses established through the BTWEA and to employers who recruit those who are long term unemployed.

Aoife O’Reilly of South Kerry Skillnets highlighted the range of training supports that are available to businesses and the advantages of undertaking such training. “This subsidised training can help provide both you and your staff with key skills to enable your business grow and expand into the future and such training can be arranged to suit your specific needs” she said.

Heidi Grimwood of TOA Digital Marketing reminded those present that it in general takes seven contacts with a potential customer before you actually make a sale therefore it is very important that you use as many channels as possible to get your message in front of your potential customers. “Identifying your potential customers properly is also very important as this will enable you target your message more effectively to them” Heidi added. Getting the right message to the right audience will bring the right results she said, adding that joining business networks also opens up new business opportunities.

Helen Courtney Power from Killarney Credit Union pointed out that the credit union is a potential alternative to the main stream banks in terms of providing funding to businesses. “We base our decisions on your ability to pay rather than the level of shares you have in your account but we will be seeking a business plan etc. in line with what you would be expected to provide to any other potential funder or for a grant application” she said.

Following the formal presentations, those present were encouraged by Noel Spillane to network with the other attendees over tea and coffee as he said it was likely many of those present were dealing with similar issues and facing similar challenges that they could potentially assist each other in resolving. It might also open up new business opportunities Noel concluded.

           

The Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) 2015-2017 is funded by the Irish Government and co-funded by the European Social Fund and includes a special allocation under the Youth Employment Initiative

The importance for new small businesses in maintaining links with key service providers was stressed at a networking event hosted by South Kerry Development Partnership in Killorglin recently. The event was aimed at giving businesses, started up through assistance under the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance programme, the chance to meet with other entrepreneurs and to find out what potential additional supports were available to them.

SKDP Enterprise Officer Anne O’Riordan congratulated all of those present on having the courage to set up in business for themselves. “There seems to be a renewed vibrancy again in the economy and these new businesses will hopefully benefit from that” Anne said. She highlighted the importance for these new businesses in linking in with all of the services available through SKDP and added that where SKDP cannot assist them, they will be referred on to the appropriate service provider to ensure they get the best possible assistance.

Other speakers at the event included Suzanne Ennis from the Tralee/Killorglin Credit Union who outlined the services credit unions offer to small businesses and highlighted that as members, these businesses were in fact shareholders in the Credit Union also. Heidi Grimwood of TOA Digital Marketing stressed the importance of having a proper on-line presence for small business owners. She also noted the importance of using more direct methods of communication with customers such as e-mails as these go directly to the person’s personal mail box and thus can communicate your message more directly.

Tracey Teahan of South Kerry Skillnets outlined the opportunities for small business owners to avail of reduced cost training for both themselves and their staff through the Skillnets initiative. “This training can help to greatly improve the skillset and the efficiency of small businesses” Tracey pointed out, adding that the reduced costs meant that it was possible for all small business owners to access such training in a very cost effective manner.

SKDP Enterprise Officer Joanne Griffin advised those in attendance of both the Enterprise Support grant and the South Kerry Development Partnership Capital Grant that are available to businesses started up with support through the BTWEA programme and SICAP funding. “These grants are only available to businesses while they are on the scheme so I would encourage all of you to plan for the future and help ensure your success through applying for the assistance available through utilising these grants” Joanne said.

        

The Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) 2015-2017 is funded by the Irish Government and co-funded by the European Social Fund and includes a special allocation under the Youth Employment Initiative

A large group of family and friends attended the launch of “An Independent Life”, a DVD showcasing the daily activities of a group of young adults who are supported by the Kerry Parents & Friends Association in Killarney recently. The DVD was produced by Tadhg Hayes and funded by South Kerry Development Partnership Ltd. through the SICAP programme.

The 20 minute DVD gives a snapshot into the lives of the young adult participants including their involvement in the work, home and social settings. It is planned to make it widely available in the coming weeks.

Instructor with the KPFA Batt Healy said they wanted to make the DVD to highlight that people with disabilities have the same yearnings around independent living and relationships as everyone else and to showcase their capacity in both working and life situations. “This DVD will help us send out the message that these young adults have the same rights and desires as their peers and we have received a very positive response to this message” Batt said. He said that approximately 25 of the young adults they support are actively engaged in paid employment, work experience or voluntary work and this helps them achieve greater levels of independence.

One of the participants Anthony Jones, who is the longest serving staff member in McDonalds in Killarney having worked there two days a week for 14 years, said really enjoyed being involved with the DVD. “It is something I would love everyone to see” Anthony said.

Another participant Stephen Brosnan said that it gives them a chance to show employers their skills. He also works in both Heatons and Elverys Sports in Killarney. “I also wanted it to show how relationships and friendships are important to me and that my job and the pay helps me to be independent” Stephen said.

SKPD CEO Noel Spillane said the organisation was delighted to fund this project under SICAP and said that the key goal of SICAP is to promote inclusion. “This DVD highlights the ability of the participants rather than their disability and provides them with a voice to articulate their aspirations and wishes” Noel said. He added that the project was a real example of inclusion.

DVD producer Tadhg Hayes said he was delighted to work on the project and chose to make it in such a way as to provide the participants with a voice to show the wide range of activities they are involved in as well as some of the challenges they face. “The KFPA staff undertake excellent work and the businesses who employ these young adults also contribute very strongly but also receive positive benefits which I felt it was important to highlight” Tadhg said.

Mairead O’Sullivan, Education & Training Officer with SKDP said that this project also recognises the energy and willingness of the staff of KPFA to enable the young adults they work with to have choices in their lives like everyone else. She also paid tribute to Tadhg Hayes for his work and commitment in producing the DVD on a shoestring budget. “This DVD is a very strong tool for these young adults to showcase their skills and voice their choices” Mairead said.

Copies of the DVD are available from KPFA or can be accessed through Youtube through the link https://youtu.be/gkX3UsnXOcw .

Photo with thanks to Michelle Cooper-Galvin

A seminar on ‘Financing For Community Growth’ attracted a large attendance of Community and Voluntary Sector organisation representatives to Nagle Rice Community Centre in Milltown this Tuesday night.

The event was organised by Clann Credo and supported by South Kerry Development Partnership Ltd. and was aimed at providing the most up to date information to the sector on the opportunities open to groups on topics such as accessing grant aid, loan finance and marketing of Community projects and initiatives. Among the speakers at the event were Susan Gallagher, Social Finance Executive Clann Credo, SKDP CEO Noel Spillane and Tom O’Leary of O’Leary & Associates.

Susan Gallagher outlined the options available to groups through Clann Credo with regard to both bridging finance and both medium and longer term loans. She also provided them with some examples of projects in Kerry that had accessed funding through them. Clann Credo are celebrating their 20^th anniversary this year.

SKDP CEO Noel Spillane gave a detailed overview of the LEADER programme and how LEADER funding could support Community projects. He added that he hoped the new programme would be up and running in Kerry in September.

Tom O’Leary highlighted the many opportunities to groups around fundraising including some online options to target the diaspora. He noted that groups could often benefit from seeking services from companies rather than just direct funding.

Don Myers, Chairperson of the Nagle Rice Community Centre,  gave an insight into the work the Nagle Rice Community Centre Group had undertaken to bring the Nagle Rice Community Centre project to fruition. He noted that they had to cross many hurdles along the way but he said it was worth it and that they were very proud of their achievements in developing the centre.

The presentations from the event are available on the links below.

SKDP CEO Noel Spillane Presentation on LEADER

Susan Gallagher CLANN CREDO Presentation

Fundraising – Tom O’Leary Presentation

SKDP LEADER Team Contact Details:

Cahersiveen Area:

Maureen O’Neill, RDP Co-ordinator; West Main Street, Cahersiveen: Phone 066 9472724// 087 6944432 // [email protected]

Killorglin/Killarney Area:

Seán de Buitléar, RDP Officer, Library Place, Killorglin: Phone 066 9761615// 087 2670689 // [email protected]

Kenmare/Killarney Area:

Don Colbert, RDP Officer; 21 Henry Street (1st Floor), Kenmare: Phone 064 6641930// 086 9736941 // [email protected]

 

                                           The Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) 2015-2017 is funded by the Irish Government and co-funded by the European Social Fund and includes a special allocation under the Youth Employment Initiative.

K&T Bakery, based in Cahersiveen was this week chosen as one of the three representatives from the Southern Region to go forward to the national finals of the ILDN Enterprise Awards in September. The business which was supported by South Kerry Development Partnership Ltd. (SKDP) through the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance Scheme (BTWEA), currently employ 15 people in addition to themselves in the business and expect to expand this number further in the coming year. It has been in operation since October 2014 and currently sells directly to the public and also supplies some local businesses.

Business owner Katarzyna Gwis, who is running the bakery along with her husband Tom, said they were delighted and very surprised to get the award. “There was really strong competition from the other 12 businesses in the Southern region so we did not expect to be selected” she said. Katarzyna said that she feels the business will benefit from the award as the publicity will help get the business known to many more people. She said they are now looking forward to taking part in the national final in Dublin in September.

Speaking following the awards ceremony which was held in Cork, SKDP CEO Noel Spillane congratulated business owner Katarzyna Gwis on her success to date and said he hoped they will go on now to win the overall award in September. “This business is an excellent example of the success achieved by many such small businesses in South Kerry supported by SKDP” Noel said. He added that the BTWEA, administered in the region by SKDP on behalf of the Department of Social Protection, has provided significant opportunities for unemployed people with business ideas to take the first step in developing their own enterprises. “Such small enterprises are the back bone of rural areas such as South Kerry in terms of providing long term employment and it is fantastic that the hard work and success of businesses such as K&T Bakery is recognised though this awards programme” he said.

SKDP was also represented at the event by James Sheehan of James’ Barber Shop based in Killorglin while NEWKD were represented by Maura Sheehy of Maura’s Flowers and Doireann Barrett of the Gluten Free Kitchen Company.

This is the first year of the Enterprise Awards programme developed by the Irish Local Development Network to recognise the contribution made by small businesses throughout the country and to highlight the support provided to such businesses by Local Partnership Companies.

The decision by Kerry County Council to put a maintenance scheme in place to provide payments to landowners to undertake maintenance work along the proposed South Kerry Greenway has been welcomed by South Kerry Development Partnership Ltd. (SKDP).

The proposed scheme, which will be administered by SKDP, will see landowners along the route securing a minimum payment of €300 a year with an additional €2 per meter of greenway they will maintain. It is estimated that the average payment to landowners will be in the region of €600 a year. The work will include strimming, keeping the route free of litter and ensuring gates are kept closed to ensure animals do not cause a hazard on the route. Landowners will also inspect the route and maintain fencing, gates and trail furniture regularly to ensure they are not damaged so as to help ensure the greenway is maintained to the highest standards.

Speaking after the announcement of the maintenance scheme, SKDP CEO Noel Spillane said that he was delighted that it had been put in place. “This is something we would have favoured and recommended from the outset of this proposed project in order to help deliver economic benefit from it directly to the landowners” Noel said. “We already administer a similar scheme along the Kerry Way and part of the Beara Way and it has proven to be hugely beneficial in terms of both ensuring the walking trails are maintained to the highest standards possible but in also helping deliver a direct economic benefit to the landowners who maintain the routes.

Just over 170 landowners could benefit from the new maintenance scheme but Noel Spillane pointed out that it will operate on a voluntary basis and there is no obligation on the landowners to sign up for it. “If they choose not to participate then SKDP will undertake the work on those sections instead” he said pointing out that Kerry County Council will have responsibility for all structural related work and replacement of fencing and trail furniture along the proposed route if required. “All participating landowners will be provided with training and the necessary materials to undertake the maintenance of the route and will be fully covered by insurance.  Every effort will be made by SKDP to keep the maintenance scheme as farm friendly as possible” Noel noted.

Noel Spillane appealed to those landowners opposed to the CPO process to reconsider their position in view of the proposed maintenance scheme and also given the economic importance of the project to the South Kerry area. “A thorough consultation process by Kerry County Council, supported by SKDP failed to secure the agreement of all landowners required so unfortunately Kerry County Council have no alternative but to proceed with the CPO process if the Greenway is to proceed” Noel concluded.

There is strong interest in securing potential jobs in the hospitality sector if the turnout at a “Foot in the Door” event in Killarney last week is anything to go by. The event organised by South Kerry Skillnet was aimed at providing people with an interest in taking up employment in the sector with information as to the types of jobs and opportunities available. In addition, those attending were informed as to the possible training opportunities that are available to them in order to develop relevant skills. Speakers at the event held in the Killarney Plaza Hotel included representatives from the industry as well as the training sector and those present were also addressed by a recent Skillnet training programme graduate Sam Donnelly from Killarney. Attendees were also given demonstrations in some of the key basic skills required by employees in the hospitality sector.

South Kerry Skillnet Manager Aoife O’Reilly said she was delighted with the turnout and the interest being shown by jobseekers in hospitality sector given there is strong demand within the sector for employees with the right skills. “All of the recent graduates on our Skillnet training course secured jobs and some of the employers who attended this Foot in the Door event had jobs available for people who had relevant skills” Aoife said. She added that she would like to thank all of the speakers at the event.

One of those who have secured employment following the Skillnet Training course, Sam Donnelly said that he would recommend such a training course to anyone. “To be honest, I was not really interested when I started out on the course but as it went on I really started to enjoy it”. “It gave me the chance to learn a lot of new skills such as bar tendering and it also showed me that there are real chances to go on and get new skills to develop a career in the sector” Sam said. He added that he now hopes to get further education and training while continuing to work so that he can go on and further his career in the hotel sector in particular.

Aoife O’Reilly added that they hoped to run further training courses either later this year or early next year given the strong demand for staff.

The Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) 2015-2017 is funded by the Irish Government and co-funded by the European Social Fund and includes a special allocation under the Youth Employment Initiative.

Four Kerry businesses were this week selected to represent Kerry at the Munster regional competition phase of the Irish Local Development Companies Network national enterprises awards competition. The businesses, two representing South Kerry Development Partnership Ltd. and two representing North, East & West Kerry Development, were chosen from an overall entry of circa 40 businesses from across the county in what is the first year of the competition. The South Kerry winners were James’ Barber Shop and K&T Bakery while the North Kerry winners were Maura’s Flowers and The Gluten Free Kitchen. All of the businesses who entered were set up since 2011 with assistance from the Local Development Companies through the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance scheme in conjunction with the Department of Social Protection.

Welcoming everyone to the event, SKDP CEO Noel Spillane stressed the importance of the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance scheme in providing unemployed people with the opportunity to set up their own businesses. What clearly came across from the applications received for tonight’s awards was the importance of the BTWEA/SEA funding in providing what many applicants termed as a ‘safety net’ as they established their businesses ” he said. Noel added that these small businesses were the backbone of the economy of regions such as Kerry and it is vital that they are given all the support possible to help them succeed.

Maurice Lawlor of the Department of Social Protection described the event as a celebration of the businesses involved pointing out that the entrepreneurs that set them up took big risks and should be recognised for their courage in taking the step from unemployment into starting their own businesses. “The overall Social Welfare Budget is circa €20bn a year and the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance programme is a very valued part of this spending” he said. Maurice also noted that large locally owned businesses already exist in Kerry which proves there is opportunity for these smaller enterprises to grow. “I would encourage people to recognise the potential of the businesses they have started and to think bigger & better” he said.

NEWKD CEO Eamonn O’Reilly congratulated all the businesses who took part in the event and said that he was sure the award winners would represent Kerry very well in the next stages of the national competition. “It is great to see the families of the business owners here tonight also and the support of both family and friends is very important to these new businesses when they are getting up and running” Eamonn said. He also encouraged the businesses present to take the opportunity to network with each other saying that some of them were involved in complementary business areas and could potentially work together in the future.

The national final of the competition is due to take place in Dublin in September.

The BTWEA/SEA schemes are funded by the Dept. of Social Protection and the Local Development Companies are supported by the Social Inclusion & Community Activation Programme (SICAP) in rolling out the schemes.

Are you  over 30 and could do with taking some time out just for you??

Then the Time for You workshop may be just what you are looking for. Dealing with Stress, Emotional Well-being & Relaxation, Coping & Resilience and Personal Development & Mindfulness Mediation are the topics that will be covered over this 4 week workshop session.

The workshops are free to attend but prior registration is required. For full details please click Time for You Poster

South Kerry Skillnet is hosting a Foot in the Door Event for people who may be interested in securing a career in the Hospitality Sector. The event aims to provide participants with an understanding of the opportunities that are available in the industry as well details on how to acquire the relevant skills. Some employers will have jobs available at the event for people who already have relevant skills.

Date: Thursday 5th May

Location: Killarney Plaza Hotel

Time: 9.30am to 1.30pm

Cost: FREE OF CHARGE (Please register in advance)

For Full Details please click Foot in the Door Event Brochure