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The GIFT Project is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)

CCJ – Its Purpose and ProcessesDunhill Ecopark June 18th 2014

Ciaran Lynch, CCJ Board member

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Six Aspects of CCJ

• Why CCJ?• Its Principles• Its Activities• Its Structures• Its Achievements• Its Plans

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• In order for the current economic situation to improve there is a need for an increased level of enterprise development in Ireland.

• There are many people who have ideas for successful enterprises but who are inhibited from pursuing their ideas even to the extent of exploring them with enterprise support agencies.

• The development of an enterprise often requires access to various physical and land-based resources. These resources may well be available within a community but may be under-utilised or inaccessible.

• Very few voluntary organisations have the primary task of identifying, promoting and supporting the establishment of job-creating enterprises within their areas.

• Enterprise development agencies do not have the resources to provide the extent of support that would be needed to bring potential projects to an agency-ready stage of development.

• The encouragement of owners of both ideas and assets in a low-key, neighbourly, non-threatening way, has the potential to mobilise resources

• A huge reservoir of knowledge, experience, skills and talent lies within communities but a mechanism for the sharing of that community knowledge and experience is required.

Why CCJ?

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CCJ PrinciplesSharingCollaborativeLo

cal

Widesp

rea

d

Structure

d

Botto

m-

up

Employmen

t-Focused

Voluntary

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Activities

• The activities of CCJ can be divided into two categories– Those based within individual communities– Those providing support to community-based organisations

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Activities Within Communities

• Establishment of an organisation or commitment of part of an organisation to implement CCJ model– Community Audit– Community Meetings to Identify Opportunities– Voluntary Mentoring– Activating the Potential of Community Assets– Sharing Ideas– Representing Potential Businesses to Agencies– Target of a minimum of 10 new jobs per community stimulated

by the CCJ model

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Activities Supporting Communities

• Central support element that -– Develops and tests new models for local enterprise

• More of some of these later– Gathers best practice– Develops tools for local groups to use– Runs the website and newsletter– Creates relationships at home and abroad

• Government• Newfoundland• ConnectIreland• Canada• Irish Social Enterprise Network

• Will provide training and a support network

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Structure

• A volunteer run CCJ core organisation in every community to implement the model

• A mass of organisations and individuals supporting and sharing as members or patrons

• A voluntary CCJ committee in every region• A national board to support the national effort, maintain

communication and tools and make representations and policy inputs

• A small paid executive to manage and support the structure

• Technology as a key enabler

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Board

District

Community

Ind and Orgs

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• Organisation established as a registered company• An active Board established and meets regularly• Received the support of those willing to be patrons• 30 meetings of interested people held nationwide• Website, logo and brand developed• Four newsletters published• Applications for funding submitted• Many conferences and workshops attended and addressed• Support received from third-level Institutes and others

– DCU– LIT– WIT– UCIT

• Support provided by Dunhill Enterprise• National and international connections made• All done on a voluntary basis

What has been done to date

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• Recruit eight pilot CCJ community organisations and through them implement the CCJ model and tools

• Modify and enhance the tools and model on the basis of the pilot experience

• Recruit another 20 CCJ community organisations• Recruit 100 CCJ members overall• Promote and maintain the website• Continue to develop the pilot projects• Establish an executive if funding obtained• Hold a series of regional launch events• Continue to develop national and international links

What we will do in the next year

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And now a small video summary..

https://vimeo.com/92448982

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• Speak with any of the CCJ Board Members present

• Go to the sign-up desk outside

• Visit www.ccj.ie for more information and to join

To learn more or to join….

The GIFT Project is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)