Pillar Groups

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Groups or organisations who join Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown Public Participation Network choose to be part of one electoral ‘college’ or Pillar Group that best represents their aims and activities. There are three Pillar Groups: Social Inclusion, Environmental and Community & Voluntary.

Criteria for membership of the Social Inclusion Pillar

  • An organisation/group’s main objectives and activities must focus on poverty reduction, community development, equality or social justice issues.
  • The organisation must have activities in line with a social inclusion approach to community building and have those who experience poverty and social exclusion on its management/organisational structure.
  • The organisational structure of the organisation/group must not have representatives appointed by any government department, semi-state body or local authority. However, this does not exclude individuals from sitting on the board in a personal capacity.

Suggested list of eligible groups for membership of the Social Inclusion Pillar:

  • Disability groups
  • Ethnic minority groups
  • Family support groups (FRC’s)
  • Older people’s groups
  • Groups promoting equality
  • Youth services and groups
  • Mental health/suicide prevention groups
  • Advocacy and information groups
  • Urban disadvantage groups
  • Information groups
  • Traveller groups
  • Women’s groups
  • Literacy groups
  • Social justice groups
  • LGBT groups
  • Children’s services and support groups
  • Community development groups
  • Rural isolation and disadvantage groups
  • Drug and alcohol support
  • Groups supporting engagement and participation on inclusive activity, sports, arts, Men’s Sheds etc.

Criteria for membership of the Environmental Pillar

Groups or organisations who wish to be part of the Environmental Pillar must first be members of the National Environmental Pillar. The National Environmental Pillar is a Social Partner and an advocacy coalition of 27 national environmental NGOs, which has been nominating local people to represent the environment on a range of local bodies since 2009.

Eligibility criteria for membership of the Environmental Pillar

  • The primary objectives and activities of the organisation must be Environmental (i.e. ecological) protection and/or environmental sustainability.
  • Single issue protest groups are not eligible for membership
  • The organisation must have accounts or a Balance Sheet/Profit and Loss account from at least one of the previous two years
  • The organisation must be able to demonstrate a substantial level of activity in promoting its aims and objectives over a period of at least 12 months prior to application for membership
  • The organisational structure of the organisation/group must not have representatives appointed by any government department, semi-state body or local authority. However, this does not exclude individuals from sitting on the board in a personal capacity.

Suggested list of Environmental areas/activities for membership of the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown Environmental Pillar:

  • Permanent protection of wildlife
    –Species specific care – protection /rehabilitation/reintroduction
  • Organic horticulture or education
  • Environmental education or protection
  • Environmental sustainability
    –Resource efficiency and recycling
  • Invasive alien species prevention/removal

Click here for a list of National Networks whose local groups who will automatically be eligible to join the DLR PPN Environmental pillar.

Criteria for membership of the Community & Voluntary Pillar

  • The primary objectives and activities of the group or organisation must focus on community responses to local issues/concerns.
  • The group/organisation must have activities that promote overall community well being.
  • The organisational structure of the member groups must not have representatives appointed by any government department, semi-state body or local authority; but this does not prevent any person sitting on the board in a personal capacity

Suggested list of eligible local groups for membership of Community Pillar:

  • Residents groups
  • Self-help groups
  • Community Councils
  • Issue based groups
  • Youth groups
  • Community Associations
  • Sporting / leisure clubs/groups
  • Voluntary campaign groups
  • Arts groups
  • Broad based Service provision groups
  • Playground Associations
  • Active retirement groups
  • Festival groups
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