Civic Responsibility Initiative

Key Task

This project is aimed at all Fingal residents and is intended to promote the concept of personal responsibility for actions and attitudes, as well as creating a clear sense of identity for Fingal.

Benefits

Enhanced civic participation
Greater sense of neighbourliness and mutual aid
Improved awareness and understanding of social inclusion
Valuing the inherent heritage of the county
Greater participation in cultural, community and sporting life.

Sub Issues

Voter Turnout
Young citizens council
Pollution / littering / re-cycling

Methodology

January – June 03: Work with FCC Community, Libraries and Corporate Affairs Depts re promoting increased voter turnout for upcoming local elections.

Work with FCC Environment Dept, local schools, community forum, to develop an ongoing anti-litter campaign in Swords and other identified black spots across the county.

Stakeholders

Fingal County Council (various Depts)
NAHB
Garda Siochana
Local schools / DES
National Children’s Office
An Taisce

Work Programme for 2004

Raising awareness on voter turnout, and environmental issues.
Establish Fingal Young Citizens Council

Required Resources

In terms of awareness raising campaigns each key local or national organisation should be targeted to allocate adequate funding from their own budgets.

Re FYCC it is likely that a specific funding proposal may need to be drawn up and funding sought from a number of different agencies and organisations e.g. FCC, National Children’s Office, NYCI, etc.

Links to original Strategy

This Project links a number of disconnected actions within the strategy taking in 6 of the 8 original themes such as, county identity, transport, housing, health and social services, lifelong learning, and environment. See appendix for relevant actions.

Risks

The risks are that member of the Board will think that this is not worth putting time, energy & money into as it is an intangible type of project. However, the awareness raising aspects may not cost that much if they can be incorporated into much of the ongoing activities of member organisations.

The Fingal Young Citizens Council however will require substantial buy-in from the County Council and from the DES / local schools if it is to be successful. However I believe that this could be one of the real winners of the FDB in terms of added value and innovative approach.