A History of SICCDA
The South Inner City Community Development Association- SICCDA- was formed in May 1982 when a group of voluntary local organisations and individual activists met to discuss the needs and aspirations our community and what they could do to tackle the needs and help make these aspirations a reality.
The initial target of the organisation was to compile a report on the overall needs of people living in The Liberties area. This led to the development of a central committee and a number of sub committees covering many areas of investigation such as the Elderly Youth, Planning , Housing, Health, Recreation, Unemployment, The Environment and Education.
The organisation had no financial resources at the outset and borrowed money to produce an initial report which was presented to the then Taoiseach Garreth Fitzgerald in December 1982. Since that time, through trial, error and perseverance, SICCDA has supported both individual and collective outcomes through the delivery of several programmes of work including an Afterschool service, Community Employment, The Liberties Festival, an Integration Programme targeted at IPAS clients, Community Development, The Liberties Youth Club, An Advice Centre, A Community Training Centre, Operation of a Newspaper ‘The Liberties News’ and the operation of a community centre with the majority of these services continuing into the present time.
As of early 2024 SICCDA had a staff team of 40 individuals in addition to a voluntary board of directors
A History of Robert Emmet CDP
Robert Emmet CDP was based in Dublin’s South West Inner City, working at the grass roots with the community living in the area. The Community Development Project was founded in 2003 and initially based in St. Audeon’s House before subsequently moving to offices in Mendicity Foundation on Island Street and ultimately to 3 Usher Street from 2014 onwards.
Robert Emmet CDP adopted a dual qualitative and quantitative approach to identify need and to support community pursue a logical, rights based advocacy approach while also delivering a broad range of community development services to meet need as it exists currently.
As of early 2024 activities involved the delivery of an Afterschool Programme, two award winning social enterprise programmes- Bee8 & In Our Shoes Walking Tours-, the Coordination of Oliver Bond House Regeneration Forum and a Community Development Programme of Work including the delivery of a curriculum of twelve adult education classes, the facilitation of several local residents groups and the distribution of c.700kgs of fresh food per week free of charge to local individuals in need.
Robert Emmet CDP were most effective in the area of research and advocacy with most recent projects including Respiratory Health Among Residents of Oliver Bond House, Audit of Community Infrastructure 2024, D8 Dashboard (a collaborative project with MU) and Economic, Social & Health Profile of Oliver Bond House and Surrounding Areas in addition to strategic cultural and heritage projects such as Reimagine Marshalsea- https://marshalseabarracks.com/