RESTART Alliance Ireland
Northern European Alliance
As part of the RESTART+ Communities in Action project, Letterkenny Institute of Technology (LYIT) has been working to bring together a number of community focused organisations to form a Regional RESTART+ Community Alliance. The objective of the alliance is to develop mechanisms for sustainable collaboration between community organisations and local development authorities so that they may work together to develop and finance social and economic growth opportunities for their region.
Organisations within the North-West Ireland Regional RESTART+ Community Alliance include social enterprises, sporting organisations, local community groups, business start-up support organisations, county and city councils, further and higher education institutes, state agencies and local development authorities. As well as covering a good geographical spread of Donegal (including Inishowen, island communities, West Donegal and South Donegal), the range of alliance members’ backgrounds coincide with the Quadruple Helix model for sustainable innovation (Carayannis and Campbell 2009). This model assumes that interactions between academia, industry, government and civil society can help foster sustainable innovation, and economic and social development.
The Community Alliance has met a number of times at the LYIT. While meetings have had an official agenda, facilitators have left breathing room and opportunity for topics and discussions to form naturally. This has allowed community staff (of which some are professional and some are volunteer) express concerns and ask questions to the local authorities. The most recent event to take place was a dedicated mini networking event for the alliance members to make connections and tell others a bit about their organisation. The event also incorporated a showcase of some case study videos recorded of some of the community organisations and the outstanding work they are doing to develop their local area. Feedback from the event was very positive with members looking forward to their next opportunity to meet.
Organisations within the North-West Ireland Regional RESTART+ Community Alliance include social enterprises, sporting organisations, local community groups, business start-up support organisations, county and city councils, further and higher education institutes, state agencies and local development authorities. As well as covering a good geographical spread of Donegal (including Inishowen, island communities, West Donegal and South Donegal), the range of alliance members’ backgrounds coincide with the Quadruple Helix model for sustainable innovation (Carayannis and Campbell 2009). This model assumes that interactions between academia, industry, government and civil society can help foster sustainable innovation, and economic and social development.
The Community Alliance has met a number of times at the LYIT. While meetings have had an official agenda, facilitators have left breathing room and opportunity for topics and discussions to form naturally. This has allowed community staff (of which some are professional and some are volunteer) express concerns and ask questions to the local authorities. The most recent event to take place was a dedicated mini networking event for the alliance members to make connections and tell others a bit about their organisation. The event also incorporated a showcase of some case study videos recorded of some of the community organisations and the outstanding work they are doing to develop their local area. Feedback from the event was very positive with members looking forward to their next opportunity to meet.
