Ballyhoura Development recently hosted a stakeholder working lunch in Charleville, bringing together partners and agencies involved in the ongoing CITICESS Project Ballyhoura Breakthrough Pilot and the Community Safety Project in the North Side Estates.

The session provided an opportunity to review progress to date, discuss emerging priorities, and strengthen collaboration between stakeholders working to support families and communities locally.

Developing a Community Safety Approach

A key focus of the session was the ongoing development of the Community Safety Project, delivered in partnership with Cork County Council and Respond through the Battview Matters Community and Family Support Project, with funding provided by the Department of Justice, Equality and Migration through the Community Safety Fund.

Work is currently underway with local residents and stakeholders to develop a Community Safety Plan for the North Side Estates, ensuring priorities are informed by lived experience and grounded in the realities of the community.

This approach reflects a shift towards preventative, locally driven responses and stronger coordination between services, agencies and community actors.

Alongside this work, a range of community-based activities continue to take place, supporting engagement, building trust and strengthening connections within the area.

Strengthening Collaboration and Next Steps

The working lunch also provided an opportunity to share overall progress across both the Ballyhoura Breakthrough Pilot and the Community Safety Project, with discussion focused on learning to date, emerging priorities, and opportunities for greater alignment between initiatives.

In relation to the Community Safety Project, engagement with local residents remains ongoing, with the development of a draft set of proposed actions identified as the next key step. Continued support and buy-in from partner agencies will be critical to progressing implementation.

There was also a strong focus on sustainability and long-term policy alignment. As both the pilot and community safety work continue to demonstrate positive outcomes, stakeholders discussed how these approaches can be further embedded within existing policy and service frameworks.

This includes exploring pathways to:

• Embed the model within statutory provision
• Secure longer-term resourcing
• Ensure continuity of supports for the community beyond current funding streams

As with previous stakeholder engagements, the importance of maintaining a strong collaborative approach was clear. Bringing together a targeted group of stakeholders in a working format supported open discussion, shared problem-solving and a continued focus on practical, action-oriented next steps.

Ballyhoura Development will continue to work closely with partners, services and the local community to progress both the  CITICESS Project - Ballyhoura Breakthrough Pilot and the Community Safety Project, with a shared aim of delivering more coordinated, responsive and effective supports for families in the North Side Estates.

 Social Safety Approach Project

CITICESS Project