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<p align="center"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><strong>Thematic Workshop:</strong></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><strong>
Local Communities as Agents of Change: The Significance of Participation in Governance &amp; Planning
28<sup>th</sup> March 2007
</strong>Hosted by NIRSA, NUI Maynooth in association with Southside Partnership &amp; Meath CDB</span></strong>

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<span style="font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The second thematic event to be jointly hosted by NIRSA, NUI Maynooth, Southside Partnership and Meath CDB took place on Wednesday, 28<sup>th</sup> March 2007.&nbsp; Entitled, <em>Local Communities as Agents of Change: The Significance of Participation in Governance and Planning</em>, this 1-day workshop was attended by approx 25 people representing SPAN partners, local government agencies, locally elected representatives, and local development agencies.
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">As a follow-on to the November 2006 event, <em>New Opportunities for Active Citizenship through Multi-level Governance and Strategic Territorial Planning</em> (click <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.iclrd.ie/ff/pages/span_eventnov2006.html">here</a></span> for further details), this second workshop addressed some of the issues and challenges raised at the initial workshop, held on 29<sup>th</sup> November 2006, and proposed new ways of engagement for communities, thus maximising the impact of their involvement.&nbsp; It was practical in its focus and, through case studies and action learning, this 1-day event considered:</span>
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 	<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">how communities can best engage with decision-makers and the planning process so that their concerns and viewpoints are taken into account,</span></li>
 	<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">the various approaches to citizen participation and the strengths and weaknesses of each, and</span></li>
 	<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">how best to engage with the more disadvantaged communities so that they actively participate in planning and governance matters.
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<p align="center"><img src="http://www.iclrd.ie/ff/images/local_comm3_mar07.JPG" alt="" width="593" height="444" border="0"></p>
<p align="center"><span style="font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>Selection of Delegates from </em></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><em>Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, NUI Maynooth and Galway County Council</em></span></p>
<p align="center"><img src="http://www.iclrd.ie/ff/images/local_comm4_mar07.JPG" alt="" width="592" height="444" border="0"></p>
<p align="center"><span style="font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>Ali Madanipour presenting with delegates listening</em></span></span></p>
<p align="center"><img src="http://www.iclrd.ie/ff/images/local_comm1_mar07.JPG" alt="" width="592" height="443" border="0"></p>
<p align="center"><span style="font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>Ali Madanipour presenting with delegates listening</em></span></span></p>
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Relevant Documents:</span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="http://www.iclrd.ie/ff/documents/Local_communities_mar07/Report%20Workshop%20-%20Local%20Communities%20as%20Agents%20of%20Change%20.pdf">Report of Thematic Event – <em>Local Communities as Agents of Change</em></a><em>
</em></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="http://www.iclrd.ie/ff/documents/Local_communities_mar07/00%20-%20Recap%20%26%20Programme%20Overview%20-%20BBartley.pdf">Workshop Programme</a>
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Session 1: <a href="http://www.iclrd.ie/ff/documents/Local_communities_mar07/01%20-%20Participation%20Strategy%20-%20SDavoudi.pdf">Public Participation Strategies</a> – Prof. Simin Davoudi
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="http://www.iclrd.ie/ff/documents/Local_communities_mar07/02%20-%20Public%20Participation%20Lessons%20-%20AMadanipour.pdf">Public Participation: Case studies from Newcastle &amp; Birmingham</a> – Prof. Ali Madanipour
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Session 2: <a href="http://www.iclrd.ie/ff/documents/Local_communities_mar07/03%20-%20Planners%20View%20-%20RCremins.pdf">Opportunities &amp; Challenges from Planners Perspective</a> – Richard </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Cremins
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="http://www.iclrd.ie/ff/documents/Local_communities_mar07/04%20-%20Councillor%27s%20View%20-%20NBhreathnach.pdf">Opportunities &amp; Challenges from Councillor’s Perspective</a> – Cllr. </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Niamh Bhreathnach
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="http://www.iclrd.ie/ff/documents/Local_communities_mar07/05%20-%20Voluntary%20Sector%20View%20-%20MCullen.pdf">Opportunities &amp; Challenges from NGO Secto</a>r – Mary Cullen</span>