PEACEPLUS

Three thematic strands have been selected upon which to design the content of the PEACEPLUS Action Plan for Donegal are:
 
•    Local community regeneration and transformation 
•    Thriving and peaceful communities
•    Building Respect for All Cultural Identities
 
Under Theme 1 Investment Area 1.1 Co-designed Local Community PEACEPLUS Action Plans have been allocated €110m, Donegal County Council has been awarded an indicative allocation of €7,635,396.00. The PEACEPLUS Local Action Plan provides the scope to incorporate projects which will span across a range of different sectors and activities including:
 
•    Youth development Programmes
•    Health and wellbeing
•    Community Regeneration Projects
•    Redevelopment and reimaging of new and existing community facilities for shared usage
•    Initiatives to building positive relations
•    Social innovation/ enterprise initiatives
•    Education and skills development Programmes.
•    Programmes that increase social inclusion and promotes civil leadership 
 
Actions within the localised plan will span the range of social, environmental and economic interventions. These programmes will also increase social inclusion and promote civil leadership and make a significant and lasting contribution to peace and reconciliation. The PEACEPLUS Action Plans will be implemented through models based on proactive local community engagement and collaboration.

As part of the PEACEPLUS Programme there is a requirement to establish a PEACEPLUS Partnership in each Local Authority Area.  Donegal County Councill established a PEACEPLUS Partnership as a sub-structure of the Local Community Development Committee as was the position under Peace IV. The principal role of this Committee is to oversee the design and implementation of a co-designed process in the County which will be used to inform the development of an overarching PEACEPLUS Action Plan.
 
The Local Community Development Committee agreed the establishment of the PEACEPLUS Partnership (28 members) from the following sectors as detailed below:

The Partnership comprises of the Following:
•    5 Elected Members from each Municipal Districts and the Chief Executive or his nominee (Pillar 1)(6)
•    5 nominated public sector representatives (Pillar 2)(5)
•    7 social partners representing the different geographies of our area (e.g., Municipal Districts area or county wide)(Pillar 3)(7)
•    10 social partners representing PEACEPLUS and other social inclusion Target Groups (Pillar 4)(10).
 
The formulation of the Co- Design Action Plan for Donegal will enable and empower local community partnerships, to select and deliver priority projects on a cross-community basis which will result in shared and inclusive local services, facilities and spaces and will make a significant and lasting contribution to peace and reconciliation.

Donegal County Council’s new PEACEPLUS Action Plan 2022- 2027 : Schedule of Public Consultations
 
Donegal County Council is coordinating a consultation process with the wider community to develop a  PEACEPLUS Local Community Action Plan for Donegal. The Plan, informed by a local community engagement process, will enable and empower communities to assist in the development of priority projects and programmes for Donegal under the PEACEPLUS Programme, which will result in shared and inclusive local services, facilities and spaces; and make a significant and lasting contribution to peace and reconciliation.
 
Stage 3 Public Consultation Process
 
Stage 1&2 of the consultation process is now complete. This included a number of public and online events taking place across each Municipal District from February to June 2023, alongside an online survey, and the publication of an Indicative Report.
 
The aim of Stage 1 engagement process was to identify needs, gaps, and strategic opportunities by developing concept ideas to feed into the formulation of a co-designed action plan for Donegal. Prioritising where delivery may have most impact, and where peace building, transformation and cultural diversity needs may be greatest.
 
Stage 2 invited you to further engage by taking part in information sessions. These events presented the findings of Stage 1 and provided the opportunity to further input by submitting Concept Forms to formally gather ideas relevant to this programme and assist the Partnership in creating a list of project ideas that might fit with the funding opportunity under PEACEPLUS Theme 1.1.
 
The co-design process to date has included:
 
 
 
Following the completion of Stage 1 & 2, we are now commencing the final Stage 3 Public Consultation Events, to submit an application to SEUPB by a closing date of 14th December 2023.
 
We will continue to work with all stakeholders in identifying  projects to be included in the submission to SEUPB. We would like to invite you to participate in the final round of workshops to finalise the development around projects on a thematic basis. Stage 3 workshops will discuss the final steps of co-design for Themes Two and Three; and for Theme One provide information on the submission process including criteria.
 
Final PEACEPLUS Stage 3 Consultation Event: Wednesday 11th October 2023 12pm-4.30pm, at Letterkenny Public Service Centre.
 
The final PEACEPLUS workshop will take place on Wednesday 11th October, at Letterkenny Public Service Centre. This event follows on from previous Stage 3 workshops in each Municipal District which presented the findings of the returned concept forms and survey.
 
At this upcoming event, a final outline of projects co designed with the community for themes 2 and 3 will be presented, followed by discussions to refine project designs. This engagement has been essential in formulating a co-designed Plan for Donegal in order  to submit a bid of around €7.6 million to the SEUPB (Special EU Programmes Funding Body).  These potential projects will aim to make a significant difference to cross-community engagement, peace and reconciliation and work toward creating a cohesive society within Donegal.
  
Time    Themes    Projects
12pm-2pm    Theme Two    Larger and smaller projects
2.30pm-4.30pm    Theme Three    Larger and smaller projects
 
Download stage one Indicative Report & Stage 3 Presentations 
 
PEACEPLUS Plan Indicative Report Stage 1
PEACEPLUS Stage 3 :Theme 1 Presentation
PEACEPLUS Stage 3 Themes 2 & 3 Presentation
 
Key Document & Guide Theme 1 : Local Community Regeneration & Transformation

DCC PEACEPLUS theme 1 Application Form (Closed)
DCC Capital Projects Selection Criteria

Please read the PEACEPLUS background and briefing at relevant websites including SEUPB and Donegal County Council.
 
PEACEPLUS Survey Closed 
An online survey was available to allow you to have your say or share your views on the development of Donegal’s Local PEACEPLUS Action Plan. This ensures that it reflects the needs and aspirations of individual citizens, local businesses, community and voluntary organisations and other key stakeholders within the County.

Click here to complete the survey (Closed)
 
It will take no longer than 10 minutes to complete.
 
Email: PEACE@donegalcoco.ie or Tel: 07491 53900 for further information.
 
See the Council's website for updates
 
Donegal County Council wishes to thank all those who contribute to this consultation Process, your input is invaluable to the development of the PEACEPLUS Action Plan for Donegal.

The details below provide an outline of the activities submitted in Donegal ‘s application  to the SEUPB based on the co-design process and funding criteria.

The objective of the PEACEPLUS Plan for Donegal, has resulted in the co-design of 32 innovative priority initiatives that enables sustained cross community integration and collaboration that will  result in improved, shared, and inclusive local services, facilities, and spaces, and that make a significant and lasting contribution to peace and reconciliation.

The AP will be centred around three core themes:

• Local community regeneration and transformation (Six infrastructure investments countywide)
• Thriving and peaceful communities (Eight countywide programmes and five MD focused)
• Building respect for all cultural identities (Eight countywide programmes and five MD focused)

The Programme outputs & results aims to deliver environmental improvements, support economic development, foster connectivity, tackle social exclusion, promote increased  community cohesion, shared heritage & culture, promote intergenerational activities, health & wellbeing & support community peacebuilding.

The Plan will create several sustainable shared spaces that will stimulate and support peacebuilding and relational work for decades, strengthen the capacity and skills of community-based organisations, deliver initiatives on a cross community, intercultural and cross border basis that change behaviours and re-set relations.

The County will embrace a diverse and intercultural future where people from all backgrounds feel they belong equally and can contribute to their full potential together.

The tables below contains summary  information regarding  projects included in the application to the SEUPB. Most of the projects will be advertised by open, competitive tender. Relevant organisations and local community groups are encouraged to submit tender bids, to win the various contracts once the process goes live later this year .

Theme 1: Local Community Regeneration & Transformation

Designed to empower local people to transform and regenerate communities through infrastructure investment on a cross-community basis.

Donegal’s specific objective,  to create six co-designed accessible, transformative, and sustainable community shared spaces, that facilitate communication, connection, co-operation, and interaction among users & stakeholders. The spaces are catalysts for bringing communities together and drive intercultural, cross-community & cross-border interaction to build lasting relationships and contribute to peacebuilding.

The new, multi-purpose, environmentally positive community developments  include:

• Newtowncunningham Playpark, Sensory Garden & Multi Use Games Area .
• The Boat Yard Project Ballyshannon
• Loughanure Community Playpark
• Fintown Community Playpark
• Glencar Outdoor Community Recreation Facility
• Drumboe Community Park Development

The Community Regeneration and Transformation Theme makes up 40% of the  programmes and includes six countywide  projects. It will target  2500 participants.

Theme 2 : Thriving & Peaceful Communities:

Programmes will focus on wellbeing, connectedness and empowerment which brings about positive change.

Donegal’s co-designed Action Plan will deliver thirteen co-designed transformative programmes, which will facilitate communication, social connection, co-operation and interaction among participants and stakeholders. The Programmes and activities are a catalyst for bringing communities together and will drive intercultural, cross-community/border interactions,  building lasting relationships contributing to community wellbeing and  peacebuilding.

Donegal specific objective is to raise the profile and acknowledge issues that still need to be addressed from the peace process, that impact on building cohesion and an intercultural future; and support good practice projects improving community relations, inclusion, leadership, relationship building, cultural commonalities, and the lives of young people at seminal moments.

The Thriving & Peaceful Communities Theme makes up 30% of the programmes and includes thirteen  Countywide Peace  Programme . It will target 2575 participants.

Theme 3 : Building Respect for all Cultural Identities

Programmes focus upon providing support to those most marginalized and underrepresented groups within our communities.

Donegal’s Co-designed Action Plan will deliver thirteen transformative programmes, which facilitate communication, connection, co-operation and  interaction among participants and  stakeholders. The programme activities are a catalyst for bringing communities together and will drive intercultural, cross-community interactions that increase levels of mutual understanding, trust and respect, and builds lasting relationships that contribute to peacebuilding.

Donegal’s specific objective is to foster a greater sense of belonging by recognising cultural and religious differences as positive, and by embracing diversity generally; and to increase skills, change behaviours and attitudes, which will reduce sectarianism and racism, reduce poverty and exclusion, and promote a positive intercultural future for all.

The Building Respect for all Cultural Identities theme makes up 30% of the  programmes and includes thirteen  Countywide Peace  Programme. It will target 2575 participants.