What We Do
What does Laois Partnership Company do?
Although it has operated in the county since 2008, many people do not know what Laois Partnership Company (LPC) does. This may be because several different agencies were involved in its creation, such as Laois LEADER, Portlaoise Community Action Project, and the social inclusion programmes from Mountmellick Development Association and Cúl Le Cheile in Portarlington.
With so many moving parts, there is no one answer to the question, “What does Laois Partnership Company do?” This is because LPC delivers a variety of programmes and supports to local communities, all with the aim of improving life in Laois.
Based at its headquarters on New Road, Portlaoise (the site of the old St Francis School), LPC is the local development company for County Laois, which uses its funding to identify what parts of the county can be improved. The company adopts a bottom-up approach to local development, meaning its focus is on addressing the grassroots issues affecting communities and responding to social needs as they arise. For instance, in response to the arrival of people from other countries who may be fleeing war or persecution, LPC recognises the urgency for facilitating English language classes, integration measures, and help in acquiring job skills.
At the heart of LPC’s mission statement is giving individuals and groups the means to adapt and develop for themselves, empowering them to take control of the projects that will best benefit their communities. Two of the principal targets of the LPC programmes are Social Inclusion and Rural Development.
What is Social Inclusion?
As its name suggests, Social Inclusion is any programme or scheme that aims to better include people in our society. It could be that a community in a disadvantaged area has been overlooked in national development plans, or it could be New Arrivals from another country who want to integrate through employment opportunities or English language classes. Social Inclusion also strives to include people with disabilities, those struggling with mental health difficulties, or anyone who feels excluded from what is happening around them.
Among the Social Inclusion initiatives facilitated by LPC are the Camross Lunch Club, which is a social gathering where older people can enjoy good food, music and companionship; board games clubs, where people come together to share a common interest while building new friendships; or arranging for a group of Irish Wheelchair Association users to visit a working farm as part of the Social Farming programme. Another recent project is the Connect Café, where people can drop in to a community setting such as a parish centre for a cup of coffee and a chat. Connect Cafés are a part of the Social Prescribing programme, which aims to reconnect people with their communities to improve their health and wellbeing.
In addition, there is the Social Enterprise Development programme, which supports businesses that are set up to address a relevant social need and where all income is reinvested back into the business. An example of this is Bloom HQ in Mountrath, which is a co-working space designed to keep business local.
What are Rural Development projects?
In a county with so much natural splendour, Laois has many rural areas ripe for development.
Chief among the Rural Development department is the LEADER programme, which supports communities and businesses across Laois to build on what they have in their local area. The programme provides financial grants to groups keen to improve their community or budding entrepreneurs who are setting up a business.
One such beneficiary is Camross Parish Development Association, who used their grant for the fit-out of a community building in the village as a multipurpose hub. Other recipients of LEADER funding are Ballykilcavan Brewery and Glamping Under the Stars, both of which have established themselves as thriving local businesses.
Beside the LEADER programme, Rural Development has two adjacent sections, Rural Recreation, which deals with amenities such as the county’s wooded areas and walking trails, and the Rural Social Scheme, which provides a supplementary income to part-time famers or their family members.
What else does LPC do?
The work carried out by LPC benefits all ages, from children taking their first steps right up to people on a pension enjoying their autumn years. The company helps to nurture the children of Laois through two community childcare facilities that operate in Portlaoise, O’Moore Place Preschool and Afterschool and Birchgrove Afterschool, while work placement is available at other childcare facilities around the county through the Community Employment Childcare Scheme.
There are also work placement opportunities through the Tús Scheme, which helps get people on Social Welfare back into the workplace by arranging employment with voluntary groups and sports clubs.
For elderly people living alone or in isolated areas, there is Laois Services to Elderly People (LSTEP), which provides home repairs and maintenance or the installation of personal alarms. This helps older people to enjoy more independence in their advancing years, safe in the knowledge that there is someone they can turn to for support and assistance.
How can we help you?
This is just a general overview of some of the ways that LPC is working to improve the public amenities of the county, but the company is always looking for new opportunities to help individuals and communities to grow. Do you live in a part of the county that you feel has been overlooked? Do you have an idea that could benefit your community or the county as a whole? If so, get in touch with Laois Partnership Company today by emailing [email protected] or calling 05786 61900.
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