12/6/25: On Saturday 7th June, Glencree's Intercultural and Refugee programme hosted the Social Inclusion Network Group (SING) Exploring Community Development Workshop at Glencree. This is the second event in the SING/Glencree Hear My Voice workshop series, which began in December 2024, exploring the question ‘What is Community Development to Me?’.

Delivered as part of the Glencree Welcomes Refugees Project, the event - which was held in partnership with Mary Millet of Croí Rathnew and sponsored by the County Wicklow Partnership SICAP - created space for personal stories and practical ideas for inclusive community-building. Participants shared diverse perspectives on inclusion, belonging and the role of local voices in shaping stronger, more connected communities.

This workshop was one of a series of events held under SING, a sub-group of Wicklow County Council Local Community Development Committee, to explore ways to ensure marginalised voices are heard and can contribute perspectives to support local authority decision-making. SING was formed following a county-wide consultation on how to engage those who are hardest to reach. That consultation, supported by the Wicklow Public Participation Network (PPN), also helped inform the county’s Local Economic and Social Plan (LECP).

Glencree is an active participant in SING and has hosted a number of events in 2024/2025 as part of efforts to ensure two-way communication between those who are marginalised and Wicklow County Council and other statutory agencies.

We look forward to continuing this important conversation at the next ‘Hear My Voice’ workshop which is planned for Autumn 2025 at Glencree.