Community Development Project (Pilot)

Is seeking to recruit a

Project Coordinator

(35 hours per week)

The Kilkenny Traveller Community Movement (KTCM) is a Traveller led organisation which supports Travellers and Traveller community development throughout County Kilkenny.

The organisation aims and objectives include:

• Providing a supportive environment for all Travellers in County Kilkenny
• Working together to improve the lives of the Traveller community.
• Work with the Travelling Community to strengthen the voice of Travellers.
• Creating an environment for Travellers to work together and participate.
• Working from a Community Development perspective; support groups around the county to develop and encourage Traveller participation and leadership.
• Through strong interagency work to link Travellers into opportunities for education, training, apprenticeships and employment opportunities.
• Promoting the inclusion of Travellers and their culture through valuing Traveller culture and celebrating it.
• Encouraging Travellers to network with other Traveller families, communities, and organisations in a relationship of mutual respect, openness, and dignity.

Job purpose;

To support the continued development of the KTCM and the KTCM board of management to implement the KTCM Community Development Project and contribute to the objectives of the Community Development Programme nationally. This project is currently funded to the end of 2024.

This will involve:

• Strengthening the involvement of the Traveller Community in the KTCM.
• Building the capacity of and equity of participation and decision making across the KTCM board.
• The development of community development responses to a range of social, economic, and environmental concerns.
• Facilitating collaborative approaches that empower those involved.
• Building strong community relationships and undertaking cooperative initiatives between Travellers and other marginalised groups, mainstream services, and decision-making bodies
• Showcasing and profiling the benefits of an autonomous approach to community development in relation to existing, new and emerging issues.
• Strengthening wider stakeholder engagement in Traveller issues and working on the adoption of inclusive ways of including the Traveller voice in local fora and decision making structures.
• Building of a new community development strategy for the project and securing Community Development Programme core resources in the next round of funding from 2025 on.

Core Job requirements.

• At least 5 years working in a development capacity in the disadvantaged sector.
• Knowledge of Traveller culture and challenges the community has to negotiate.
• Experience of as part of and leading a team.
• Experience of working with a voluntary management board.
• Ability to build inclusive reporting practices within the project and manage reporting to funders.
• Experience of managing projects in the community/disadvantage sector.
• Experience of providing training and support to vulnerable groups.
• Experience of managing staff.
• Experience of working in an interagency capacity.
• Social analysis experience/knowledge.
• Ability to contribute to local and national policy making.

Education/Qualifications.

• Have a third level or postgraduate qualification in community work. Where a related discipline is referenced, there should be a clear rationale demonstrated, including skills and knowledge for the successful implementation of the project.

This post is funded through the Community Development Programme Pilot under the Department Rural & Community Development. The current funding round ends in December 2024. A key task in 2024 will be to secure the resources for the project under the next round of the programme from January 2025 on.

The KTCM is a promoter of Positive Action in employment, and we welcome applicants from the Traveller Community.

For further information and application please call Martin Rafter. Kilkenny Traveller Community Movement Tel: 056 7752111. 
Closing date for applications: 5 pm Friday 03/05/2024 Email applications to; Ger Morrissey admin@ktcm.ie