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SOCIAL INCLUSION STRATEGY FOR GALWAY COUNTY COUNCIL
The objective is to develop a Social Inclusion Strategy for Galway County Council that will establish new ways of working at all levels in the council in order to reduce social exclusion in the county. The Social Inclusion Strategy will seek to influence policy direction and the delivery of services provided by the Local Authority throughout the county.
The Social Inclusion Strategy will ultimately reflect the council’s commitment to ensuring that its plans, policies and objectives are framed in the context of addressing social exclusion in a proactive and integrated manner. To ensure relevance and impact, the Strategy will be based on ensuring that social inclusion ‘thinking’ becomes part of everybody’s work and obvious extension of roles.
Introducing a Social Inclusion Strategy is expected to be of benefit to Galway County Council and the communities and individuals it serves in a number of ways, including:
Encouraging the delivery of a more integrated service to communities Increasing the visibility of the Council in addressing social inclusion. Increasing responsiveness to local need and ensuring the Council becomes more proactive in addressing poverty and social inclusion Ensuring a more efficient use of resources. Increasing access to services from local communities Adding value to the mainstream work of the council in delivering better service. ‘Embedding’ a social inclusion focus into the mainstream role of the council. Developing the social capital potential of communities. Reducing poverty and social exclusion in Galway through the introduction of more socially inclusive policies, objectives and actions within Galway County Council.
The Social Inclusion objective is to improve the quality of life for all citizens of the County through a more responsive and inclusive service that recognises and supports communities to play an active part in society.
Themes identified in the Social Inclusion Strategy
SOCIAL INCLUSION AWARENESS RAISING
Galway County Council will work to achieve a positive and proactive approach among staff to address social inclusion issues by creating a greater level of awareness of individual and organisational responsibility.
ACCESSIBILITY OF COUNCIL SERVICES
Galway County Council will strive to increase the accessibility of its full range of services through an enhanced understanding and awareness of the needs of its customers.
EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE
Galway County Council will seek to ensure that its policies and procedures send a clear equality message by strengthening the principle of diversity into recruitment and selection and by promoting a culture and ethos that acknowledges and celebrates diversity in the workplace.
CORPORATE PLANNING AND FUNDING
Galway County Council will seek to incorporate social inclusion planning in the design and delivery of its services and include social inclusion objectives in its statements of policy and strategy. The Council will also seek to ensure that adequate resource and funding is allocated on an annual basis for social inclusion programmes, services and initiatives.
ENHANCING COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION, SOCIAL CAPITAL AND LOCAL GOVERNANCE
Galway County Council will seek to develop the social capital of communities in a spirit of partnership, which enhances local democracy and participation.
BUILDING SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES
Galway County Council will seek to strengthen local communities through the provision of community assets and resources through engagement and proactive support.
UNIVERSAL ACCESS AND THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT
Galway County Council will promote the concept of universal access through the adoption of the Barcelona Declaration and incorporation of lifetime design principles in all future development.
SUPPORT LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS AND ENHANCE QUALITY OF LIFE
Galway County Council will seek to meet the needs of low-income groups in the delivery of its services and to target resources at those in most need.
COLLABORATION WITH EXTERNAL ORGANISATIONS
Galway County Council will seek to meet the needs of low-income groups in the delivery of its services and to target resources at those in most need.
Many issues and challenges remain in building a social inclusion focus into the mainstream within Galway County Council.
Strategy - Does the council have a clear sense of purpose in this area?
Structure - How do we reflect the importance of social inclusion works in the council? Do our structures enable a social inclusion focus? Are structures flexible enough to deal with change?
Systems - How could the Council improve/support social inclusion? How are decisions made, are policies contributing to social exclusion?
Staff - Whose responsibility is it? Who takes leadership? Are resources available?
Skills - Does the Council have the right skills mix to develop social inclusion initiatives? what additional skills are required?
Style - What is the Council’s relationship externally? How well do we promote our role in social inclusion? How are we perceived? Do we apply self-critique?
Shared Vision - What does the Council stand for in Social Inclusion? Is there clear agreement about what is important? Are local social inclusion strategies in place?
The challenge confronting Local Government is to determine its contribution not just in combating social exclusion, but the ways in which it reinforces social inclusion, builds citizenship and social capital. Current reform processes have led to significant change within Local Government, involving new demands, new roles and new structures.
New Demands - An enhanced focus on social inclusion presents additional challenges to the role of Galway County Council in tackling problems of deprivation and social exclusion.
New Roles - The role of Galway County Council is changing and includes a new responsibility of incorporating the principles of the National Anti-Poverty Strategy at local level which can build links between national level strategies and local anti-poverty action.
New Structures -Integrated and co-ordinated approaches are now required to address poverty at local level through ensuring that systems are developed to prioritise combating poverty.
