Meath Partnership

SICAP is a targeted, holistic programme, for those who are most disadvantaged and less likely to access mainstream services, which provides supports directly to beneficiaries and links them into existing services. Meath Partnership, on behalf of the Meath Local Community Development Committee, engages with marginalised communities and service providers using a community development approach to address issues relating to social exclusion and inequality iin County Meath. SICAP also prioritises local engagement and partnerships, between Meath Partnership, disadvantaged individuals, community organisations and public sector agencies.

Administered by Pobal, SICAP 2024-2028 is co-funded by the Irish Government, through the Department of Rural and Community Development, and the European Social Fund Plus under the Employment, Inclusion, Skills, and Training (EIST) Programme 2021-2027.

Should you have any questions about SICAP please contact our Social Inclusion Programmes Manager, Monica Nelson @ monica.nelson@meathpartnership.ie.

WHO does Sicap work with

SICAP works with specific groups to ensure that programme resources are targeted and focused on those most in need. Only people who are from one or more of these groups are eligible for support under the programme. These groups include:

    • People living in disadvantaged communities
    • People impacted by educational disadvantage
    • People living in jobless households or households where the primary
    • income source is low-paid and/or precarious.
    • People who are long-term unemployed
    • People with a criminal history
    • Refugees
    • International Protection Applicants
    • People with Disabilities
    • Heads of One-parent Families
    • Travellers
    • Roma

SICAP Goals

SICAP works under two goals:

    • Goal 1 - Contribute to Building more Sustainable, Inclusive and Empowered Communities: Empower groups of individuals, local community groups, networks and social enterprises to address collective community needs.
    • Goal 2 - Empower Disadvantaged people to Improve the Quality of Their Lives: Support disadvantaged individuals, children and families to progress their formal education and participate in lifelong learning, to progress into employment/ self-employment, and to improve their soft skills and wellbeing.

Goal 1 - Contribute to Building more Sustainable, Inclusive and Empowered Communities

There are three core areas of work under Goal 1:

    1. Community Animation
    2. Supporting Local Community Groups, Social Enterprises and Networks
    3. Collaborative Responses to Identified Needs

Examples of support include:

    • Awareness raising of important social inclusion topics in the community;
    • Formation of new Local Community Groups, Social Enterprises and Networks;
    • Targeted pre-development initiatives such as community consultations, needs analysis and outreach initiatives;
    • Development of community action plans; and
    • Supporting groups of individuals with a common issue to come together to respond collectively.

GOAL 2 - Empower Disadvantaged people to Improve the Quality of Their Lives

There are three core areas of work under Goal 2:

    1. Lifelong Learning and Education
    2. Employability and Labour Market Prospects
    3. Soft Skills and Wellbeing

Supports offered to individuals include:

    • Providing accredited and unaccredited training courses and lifelong learning opportunities to individuals (where these are not already provided for in the local area or cannot be accessed by target group members).
    • Referring individuals into education and lifelong learning services, such as those provided by LMETB or similar Training Centres.
    • Supporting individuals to access non-SICAP grants and funding schemes.
    • Employment supports including job coaching and mentoring.
    • Intergration services for new commnities.

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