Supporting and Empowering People

What do we do at CLDC?

To answer this, we’d like to share some stories about the people, projects, and communities that we are proud to support, and the impacts that our work has had in our local communities.

You can read more about our programs, see more recent news, or find out more about our organisation by clicking the links or exploring the top menu.

Thanks for being here!

I am writing this…with a great sense of gratitude and appreciation for all the help, preparation and assistance that was given to me by Monei and Sean [CLDC Staff].

 I have great career aspirations and I am so glad that I got to encounter people who helped me realise that they are indeed attainable. During my meeting with Sean I remember us brainstorming very thoroughly and openly about the direction that I would like my career to take. We edited and fixed my curriculum vitae and he prepped me with industry questions and answers for when the opportunity of a job comes, I should then find myself ready.

A lot work was put into assisting me and for that I am eternally grateful. I can proudly say that I secured a very good job with a very reputable telecommunications company through all the work and dedication that was poured into me. I really wish people could take advantage of the resource basin that is found within CLDC for their own betterment, because I am a living testament of this.

I really hope this short testimonial does serve as proof of the fact that the work that you do is indeed valuable and that it may reach others who might find themselves at need.

Terence, a CLDC client

“Can I formally acknowledge and Sincerely Thank you all in Clare Local Development Company. Freshtoday has grown exponentially over the last 10 years. This would not have been possible without your massive help. A massive thank you from The Mulcahy Family in Shannon and all in the Freshtoday Team.”

Fresh Today are an established market leader in the preparation and delivery of healthy school lunches throughout the country. For over 10 years we have been preparing food for the children of the Irish Deis Schools. An integral part of the Irish education system, our lunches help ensure school children throughout the country are well-fed and focused on the day ahead.

Our state-of-the-art facilities serve to reassure parents, principals and children, that their lunch is made to an exceptional standard.

It takes a village to raise a child – We are proud to be part of that.

FRESH TODAY - Participants in the CLDC Social Enterprise Network

CLDC takes great pride and pleasure in supporting emerging Social Enterprises in county Clare. We provide opportunities for people and enterprises to learn from each other, and connect them with resources, information, and opportunities.

The greatest gift we can have in our life, is to be able to give life to somebody. Days like today [the North Clare Jobs Fair]….a hub like this, a fair like this, a get-together like this, you can’t really put a price on it.  It’s to bring people in, together. … It gives an opportunity to put an importance into people, and to put importance to what they’re doing.

Joe Queally, RNLI

Watch a video from the North Clare Jobs Fair
“It was like iScoil caught me when I was falling,” says Ashleigh. “They allowed me to be my true self. It’s all about what you can do with them, not what you can’t do.”
Ashley O'Neill

iScoil is a program for young people, for whom the formal education system just doesn’t work.  CLDC — in conjunction with Tulsa Education Support Service and Shannon/North-West Clare Family Resource Centres — support the iScoil in Shannon and Ennistymon. CLDC provides financial backing and guidance for this project, and the FRCs deliver the wrap-around support for these young people and their families who are referred by TESS. The aim is that when they are finished, we can integrate them in to Youthreach, Community Training Centres or other suitable education or training providers.

Ashley is one of 5 young people we have facilitated with iScoil. “School was hard for me,” she said. “I think a lot of young people struggle with it.” Click to read the article!

CLDC is very proud to have helped Moo'ghna Milk become a reality!

Jackie and John Vaughan of Moo’ghna Milk just opened their third milk vending machine in a church car park!

“With the low milk prices at the moment, the vending machines are saving us.”

A family-run dairy farm in north Clare is able to stay in business by selling directly to local people through milk vending machines located in a local car parks. 

“We knew that we’d never be able to get this off the ground ourselves, so we approached [the LEADER team at CLDC] and told them about the plan,” says John.

In addition to bringing people local, fresh, healthy, high-quality milk, Moo’ghna milk also has a positive environmental impact.

The use of glass bottles, or bottles brought by the customers themselves, results in a significant local reduction of the amount of plastic packaging being used.

“We are eight months in now and we think we have the guts of 100,000 containers saved from the landfill,” says John. 

Read the Moo'ghna Milk story here

Since September (2023), I’ve had regular meetings with Tommy. The sessions have provided me with much needed support and guidance on my career goals and aspirations. I find this type of support very beneficial to my unique set of circumstances.

I provide much needed support to three of my bachelor uncles who are each living alone with long-term progressive illnesses. Each of them is illiterate and rely on me to provide support in this area, along with other much needed assistance. The meetings with Tommy allow me to do this in a way that I can do this, while keeping my own personal career aspirations in focus, too.

I believe that every person especially the elderly in our community, deserve much-earned respect and care and comfort in these tumultuous times. The meetups with Tommy provide me with much-needed support personally to ensure I can fulfil that role in my family….but also from a career path perspective, it is keeping me focused on maintaining momentum with my career goals. I am very grateful for the service provided.

Sharon Kinnane, LAES Client

The CLDC Local Area Employment Services (LAES) team

The LAES team support people all over the county, in many ways, to overcome the barriers that keep them out of work. They meet individuals for ongoing 1:1 sessions, with a person-centred approach, and provide them with mentoring, guidance and support, as well as skill-building  and employment opportunities. 

(From top left: Ken, Yvonne, Renata, and Damien.  Bottom row: Monei, Mary Frances, and Tommy)

 

Stories from our Programs
Poetry shows us what is possible

Poetry shows us what is possible

The poem you see here was written by Daniel Meehan, a participant in our “Stepping Stones” programme. Stepping Stones is a personal development programme that supports people to develop both personally and professionally. Daniel shows us poetically the impact that...

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What is a Social Enterprise??

What is a Social Enterprise??

Although there are many definitions, the bottom line is...A social enterprise is an enterprise [or business] whose objective is to achieve a social, societal or environmental impact, rather that maximising profits for its owners or stakeholders.   Social enterprises...

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CLDC Staff give moving interview on ClareFM

CLDC Staff give moving interview on ClareFM

"When you think that life is over, in this moment you find people who will show you that NO, you are ALIVE, you must live. You must start. You must live your life." We are very proud of our staff who spoke on ClareFM this morning! Have a listen here (11min) to hear...

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Impacts from LEADER program 2016-2023

Impacts from LEADER program 2016-2023

CLDC rolled out a very successful LEADER program from 2016 - 2023. Have a look at the impact, in numbers! LEADER is an EU wide rural development programme supporting the growth and development of rural communities and businesses, and protecting the rural environment....

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