The first Newbridge Forum to discuss the economic crisis was a lively and very interesting night. It was organised by Newbridge Community Development and held in Hotel Keadeen on September 16.
Ideas flowed when over 100 people gathered to raise issues that were important to them and to discuss them in detail. A follow-up Forum meeting will take place in Hotel Keadeen this Wednesday, September 30, at 8pm. You are all invited to attend, particularly those who attended the first meeting. Again it is an opportunity to meet people, talk together and thrash out issues that concern us all.
Range of topics
There were lots of very interesting topics suggested for discussion when the Forum was opened by Eoin McDonnell, a trained facilitator and Director of OakTree Coaching, which is based in Newbridge. The topics included a local food buying club, a discount voucher scheme run by local shops, tapping into individual and community resourcesfulness to meet the challenges ahead, securing urban status for the town council and facilities for young peoople.
When people divided into seven different groups to discuss the general issues that were raised there were many concrete suggestions on what people could do.
Skills database
In the first instances people put forward general topics.
One suggested involved Newbridge building a database of skills and professions within the town, both among the employed and unemployed. Such information could be used to attract new business or industry to the town. Navan in Co. Meath very successfully gathered this information and used it to market their town some years ago. It was stressed that the human resources we have in Newbridge are among the town’s strongest asset.
This theme was raised again and again when speakers stressed Newbridge needed to rely on talents within the town and its own resources to meet the current challenges.
Vouchers promoting business
The possibility of a Newbridge town currency was raised that would encourage people to do business locally. It was suggested a first step could be to have a business voucher scheme, which could involve discounts available to local people when they do business in Newbridge.
Difficulties in getting places on retraining courses were also raised. As a result those out of work just sit and home as no suitable course is available for them. A suggestion that a Fas course be run in retro-fitting homes to ensure they are more energy efficient was made. Grants are available to people to do this work but there is a need for a course to train people in the construction trade to do this work.
Youth facilities
There was concern expressed at the lack of facilities for young people in Newbridge. This meant many just had to hang around the streets and it was said there was very little to motivate them outside of school. The speaker also was concerned at drugs being sold in the town.
A skills swap scheme being promoted through one of the local primary schools was mentioned. This involves people volunteering to do something for someone else and, in turn, having some task completed for them. Everyone has something to give was the comment by the speaker who said this scheme could work by someone providing babysitting for example.
Costly food
The affordability of food was another issue raised with the speaker suggesting a Food Buying Club could ease costs and also support local producers. Local farmers would benefit through accessing a market in their locality and people would have fresh food sourced within their own community.
Social inclusion
Disability issues and awareness of others were also raised. Not parking in a space reserved for a person with a disability and trimming overhanging hedges are important for people with a disability and greater awareness was requested.
Inclusiveness of people with a disability and particularly an intellectual disability was also raised. The question was asked how can Newbridge promote inclusion in areas such as employment, leisure and through attitude change. “It doesn’t cost a penny to be inclusive”, was the speaker’s comment.
Unemployment
The difficulty of losing social welfare benefits while taking up part-time employment. The need for information on this area was raised as to how many hours a person could work, while retaining benefits.
Isolation can be a major issue for people who have become unemployed so the issue of networking and networking meetings was raised. Putting people in touch with one another was raised as a way to limit this social isolation.
A one-stop Resource Centre could be a means of bringing people who are unemployed together. Services are available, the speaker noted, but what is missing is a focal point. She said this could be a location where a coaching service, skills for job interviews and other assistance could be provided. The importance of having a contact in a local social welfare office was raised to help source information.
Promoting Newbridge
The need to promote Newbridge as a town and to look to upgrade the local government status of the town council was raised. At present Newbridge Town Council doesn’t have planning powers, collect rates or build houses. This developed into a significant topic with people pointing out Newbridge doesn’t get all the rate income that is collected from business in the town and local services aren’t properly resourced.
The suggestion that Newbridge have a Town Development Manager was raised. This is someone who would look at overall promotion and development in the town and who could develop the town such as Kilkenny had done in the past. The need for civic awareness among all residents and setting achievable goals was also raised. The lack of a town courthouse was also raised.
Creating hope
Despite the difficult times, it is important people have hope. A speaker said people experience anxiety, depression and feel they are stuck in a very difficult situation. St Conleth’s Parish in Newbridge is working to create a sense of hope among people.
The need to involve young people in all aspects of Newbridge life was raised. The speaker said too often young people were wrongly labelled and added it is up to everyone to involve young people more in debate and activities.
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