Announcement of Community Benefit Clause Initiative
9 May 2016
Community Benefit Clause offers unique local opportunity for St. Teresa’s Gardens and Dolphin House regeneration
An tArdmhéara Críona Ní Dhálaigh will officially launch the Community Benefit Clause in Construction Works Initiative for the St. Teresa’s Gardens and Dolphin House regeneration projects at Dolphin Community Centre, Dolphin House, Rialto on Monday, 9th May, 2016 at 2.15pm.
Work on Phase 1 of the Dolphin House Masterplan and St. Teresa’s Gardens is due to commence in the second half of this year. Through a Dublin City Council initiative, developed in partnership with the Office for Government Procurement, both construction contracts will include on-site employment and training opportunities for long-term unemployed people.
For the first time a Community Benefit Clause has been included in the conditions of contract for a construction project delivered by a local authority. It comes from a commitment by the St Teresa’s Garden and the Dolphin House and Park Regeneration Boards that local community gain benefits be included in the contracts for these regeneration projects.
Ardmhéara Críona Ní Dhálaigh is a member of both regeneration boards and has championed the Community Benefit Clause as Council policy and at community level. In April 2014, Dublin City Council unanimously adopted her motion to include such clauses in future City Council procurement contracts, as a means to promoting vocational training, education and employment for young people and the long-term unemployed.
According to an tArdmhéara “I am delighted that the community gain motion is now being implemented in the regeneration of St. Teresa’s Gardens and Dolphin House. The inclusion of the community benefit clause strengthens the commitment to social and economic regeneration that will directly benefit individuals and families from both communities.”
Offering targeted training and employment opportunities, this initiative can have a substantially positive impact on those experiencing long-term unemployment. Inclusion of the Community Benefit Clause explicitly stipulates that 10% of the hours on site will be filled by people who have been unemployed for a continuous 12 month period and that 5% of the hours will be allocated to training and apprenticeship places.
A joint working group, comprising of local employment and training agencies, and those from community based projects, has commenced identifying skills within both communities to support the initiative. Training and support programmes for the long-term unemployed in the area are being developed to ensure that the targets of the clause can be met.
ENDS
For further information contact:
Lyndsey Anderson, Coordinator, St Teresa’s Gardens Regeneration Board, 087 195 7798
Manus Bree, Coordinator, Dolphin House and Park Joint Regeneration Board.
Notes to Editor
Regeneration Boards are formal structures where decisions about the social and physical regeneration of each community takes place jointly between residents, local councillors, Dublin City Council, Gardaí and local stakeholders. The remit of the Boards is to progress regeneration works in their respective areas and to maximise benefits for their local communities. This is referred to as ‘community gain’ and is based on the needs and the wishes of the residents and community and reflected in the attendant construction contracts..
The Joint St Teresa’s Gardens/Dolphin House Community Benefit Clause Working Group comprises of the coordinators of each Regeneration Board, representatives from the City of Dublin Education Training Board, the Department of Social Protection Intreo Office, the Local Employment Service Network, the Liberties Community Training Centre, local Councillors, Area Based Partnerships (SICAP Programme) and youth services.