Revitalising Areas through Planning Investment and Development (RAPID)

Revitalising Areas through Planning, Investment and Development (RAPID) works with communities across Cork City focusing on areas designated as disadvantaged. The focus is on communities, the voluntary sector and agencies working together in partnership for the betterment of the community.

The RAPID programme in Cork is trusted and respected as having delivered strong inter-agency cooperation and specific programmes and projects to address disadvantage. A single Area Based Committee has been established which focuses on the 4 RAPID areas and is aligned with the Local Community Development Committee (LCDC) and other Inter-Agency structures in the City.

The four RAPID areas are in Cork are:

• Knocknaheeny/Hollyhill/Churchfield
• Blackpool /The Glen/Mayfield
• Fairhill/Gurranabraher/Farranree
• Togher/Mahon/Ballyphehane

Key areas of work for RAPID in Cork City include:

• Maintain and support community safety forums in each RAPID area, facilitate environmental groups and projects and roll-out multi-agency Restorative Practice training.
• Continue to support Health Action Zone initiatives in each RAPID area and age friendly projects such as Friendly Call Cork and new Community Gardens.
• Support Education initiatives – including schools initiatives such as DEIS, SCP and HSCL as well as community and lifelong learning initiatives, promoting the Learning Cities designation through Learning Neighbourhoods.
• Training and employment – support Local Training Initiatives particularly aimed at young people, for example the ACCESS initiative which targets 18-24 year old long-term unemployed.
• The Northside for Business Initiative has been established; as an inter-agency forum which aims to develop enterprise and employment in the RAPID areas and a hub to support family enterprise on Corks Northside.
• A social enterprises network has also been established and new social enterprises have been supported, including Boomerang Mattress Recycling Project.
• Facilitate and support youth networks in RAPID areas and support summer camps, sports activities and events including community games.
• Manage Community facilities and services and develop new community facilities in RAPID areas.
• Support inter-agency prevention and early intervention initiatives in each RAPID area including Young Knocknaheeny Area Based Childhood programme, Happy Talk, and the Incredible Years programme.
• Support Traveller-specific projects and programmes, for example an equine skills project for young people and development of a new community resource centre within a new group housing scheme.