Sharing knowledge and bringing together diverse perspectives on Dublin's future.
The Project
The Goal
The aim of the project was to create an online community directory which will allow and facilitate the connectivity between different individuals and groups in Dublin. Click here to visit website
Local Task Force
The Dublin City Council (DCC) was the lead for this project, supported by Code for Ireland and community groups.
The Process
The website was a result of a collaboration with Code for Ireland and community groups supporting the creation of the online community directory.
Existing Dynamics
The pilot project was based on a government policy plan of 2012, named "putting people first", which is an action program for effective local government in Ireland.
The pilot project could be connected to the Local Government Reform Act 2014, to the local economics and community plans and a public participation network, but should be supported by community officers in charge, who are not interested so far.
Obstacles
The availability of trained human capacities was limited, so most of the support came from volunteers. This meant that the process of implementation was slower and had a higher turnover risk.
Resources
The Website for Collaboration is based on gathering information for different communities, activities, and projects. The essential resources for the project were skills and expertise in different aspects such as social communication skills and strong visual design and communication skills.
The project availed interns from University College Dublin (UCD) to process the flux of data received from different sources. The role of the interns was essential as they provided a large part of the workforce needed. Their commitment was also highly valuable for the project.
Strokes of Luck
An existing initiative similar to the concept of the project made it easier for communities to appreciate the idea. This initiative created an existing space with many interested stakeholders and communities and allowed the project organisers to present the project idea directly to them.
The Achievements
Short-term Results
Launching the online community directory, which will host as a space for communication between the different groups of the community.
Long-term Benefits
In the long-term, it is expected to strength the social capital of the different communities visible on the directory and create effective participation between communities and local authorities. This will allow for the creation of sustainable solutions for urban spaces.
Key lesson learned - Johanna explains
"In order to best utilize the resources of the project, participatory planning is essential. It is important to involve target communities in the initial stages in order to include them in all steps of the project. When projects are involved with different types of communities, it is important to find the right tools that attract attention and increase the interest in participation. Using appropriate visual communication designs can increase interest in the project concept. Planning is essential to guarantee the utilization of the right resources, such as volunteers, at the right time."
Johanna Varghese, Dubin City Council