Community meeting to take place in ballycommon

North Tipperary's Community & Voluntary Association (CAVA) Chairperson Maura Carey is urging a large attendance at CAVA's public meeting in Ballycommon and she expounds the value and potential of voluntary effort and community empowerment. 

Maura stated: 'Since the downturn in the economy from 2009 to 2014, it has been widely documented that communities have been disproportionately 'hit' in relation to other sectors in society regarding direct state sponsorship via organisations such as Pobal, etc, with the notable exception of the North Tipperary Leader Programme.  In the early years of the recession the economist Colm McCarthy produced a report which identified community based projects where funding could be redirected in order to help the economy get back on its feet.  There was perhaps some merit in this line of thinking as the country was in dire straits at the time. 

'Thankfully we seem to have come through safely and are now looking to a brighter future.  One very notable absence from the debate though is the contribution that community based volunteers have made and are making to the local and national economy.  There are many state financed community organisations which depend on volunteers in order to deliver a quality service, there are also numerous community councils and other community groups in North Tipperary who are doing great work in relation to boosting the local economy through projects in tourism, business, the environment, social inclusion measures, sport, and many more, and not to forget the countless number of individuals who for example, look in on an elderly neighbour so that they can live in their own community for longer for no monetary gain for themselves.  Volunteering is something that is engrained in the Irish psyche and one could argue that maybe because it is so prevalent that it is sometimes undervalued.' 
North Tipperary Community and Voluntary Association will host a gathering of community based people at the community centre in Ballycommon on Wednesday October 14th at 7.30pm. This is an opportunity for people who are active in their local communities to get together and maybe find out what is happening in other communities in North Tipp.

'CAVA feel that information sharing within communities is important as is sharing of experiences that other communities have had regarding projects that have been undertaken,' Maura stated. 'There will also be guest speakers at who are prominent in community circles and who have a great knowledge of community affairs. There will be a Q+A session also where issues that are affecting communities can be raised and discussed in a public forum. 
'Communities are dependent on voluntary input, and perhaps it is time that this voluntary contribution is acknowledged and valued not in a monetary sense, but in recognition of the good work that is being done throughout communities in North Tipperary.'