Training Needs Assessment Reports for the Community and Voluntary Sector Launched

The Minister for Community Development, Integration and Charities, Joe O’Brien, has officially launched three training needs assessment reports for the Community and Voluntary Sector.

All three reports are available on the department’s website

The assessments of training needs were undertaken within the framework of the government’s five year strategy to support the community and voluntary sector in Ireland 2019 – 2024, Sustainable, Inclusive and Empowered Communities. This sets out a long term vision for government policy and support in relation to community and local development, and contains a number of actions relating to the training needs of the sector as a whole.

In furtherance of the strategy objectives, these three assessments, undertaken by Pobal on behalf of the Department of Rural and Community Development, and in consultation with the C&V sector, provide an analysis along with key findings and recommendations for the sector’s training needs. They relate specifically to:

• Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs);
• Small Community and Voluntary Organisations;
• Boards of Charitable Organisations.

The reports provide a basis in the pursuit of the best practice for central government, as well as state bodies and the C&V sector to progress appropriate support for training needs across the sector.

The Training Needs Reports set out a range of recommendations to identify and meet the training needs, implement a formal programme to meet these needs, and support capacity building in groups and organisations. Among the recommendations are:

• provision of training on the development of local economic and community plans (LECPs), inter-cultural awareness and engagement of marginalised communities in local planning processes (which have been delivered);
• provide governance training that meets the differential needs of the boards and trustees of organisations; and
• an increased awareness of training available relevant to small community and voluntary groups.

Full details