Services

“Working Together to Make a Difference”

RAPID stands for Revitalising Areas through Planning, Investment and Development. It’s about everyone working together: community representatives, state agencies, the voluntary sector and other partners, for the benefit for the RAPID area.

RAPID is a Government Programme which aims to make sure that funding available for specific purposes is spent where it is most needed, and that people who live and work in the RAPID area can influence decisions which effect the quality of life in their community. RAPID is also about the integration and improvement of services provided to people who live in RAPID Areas. This happens through agencies working together, listening and responding to what the local people who use their services have to say.

Some examples of that approach in Knocknaheeny/Hollyhill/Churchfield are:

• The Environmental Forum - local residents, community Projects, Cork City Council, and Health Service Executive.
• Employment Opportunities Task Group - FÁS, Local Employment Services, Department of Social and Family Affairs, VEC.
• The Hut Steering Group - representatives from community
  groups, Cork City Council, Youth Development Project, and the Health Service Executive.

The RAPID Plan

Following consultation with local people a RAPID Plan was drawn up for Knocknaheeny/Hollyhill/Churchfield called “Working Together to Make a Difference”.

The plan brought together a whole range of projects and ideas that local people, community organisations, politicians and agency personnel had been working on for many years. Progress has now been made on many of these projects and much credit is due to all of those people who have worked so hard on the ground.

Examples of projects in the plan funded by Government Departments and Local Agencies

• Springboard Family Support Project
• Health Action Zone
• “Gurranabraher Hut”
• Churchfield Pool
• Link Point Knocknaheeny
• Knocknaheeny Regeneration Block D
• Family Centre
• Barnardos Childcare Facility
• Senior Citizens Cottage

In addition the Government has also targeted RAPID areas when allocating other funds. Examples include:

• Equality for Women Measure RAPID Strand
• Dormant Accounts Fund
• Sports Capital Programme
• Local Authority Housing Estate Enhancement Fund
• Health Leverage Fund
• Playground Fund

The RAPID Area Implementation Team (AIT)

The AIT is at the heart of RAPID. It is the driving force behind the
programme in each area. The AIT meets every month at a venue in the RAPID area.
These meetings monitor how the RAPID plan is being implemented. The plan is open to change and addition. At the AIT meetings, a range of community issues affecting quality of life in the area are discussed and actions that need to be taken in order to resolve problems are recommended. Agency representatives update the AIT on what their agencies are doing in the area.

The Knocknaheeny/Hollyhill/Churchfield Area Implementation Team is comprised of nominees from the following sectors:

• Community Representatives
• Cork City Council
• Health Service Executive
• FÁS
• City of Cork VEC
• Gardaí
• Department of Social and Family Affairs
• Cork City Partnership
• Drugs Task Force
• Elected Representatives
• Knocknaheeny / Hollyhill / Churchfield / Gurranabraher /
  Strawberry Hill Network Group (Co-opted)

Each RAPID Area also has a Local Programme Coordinator.
The Coordinator for Knocknaheeny/Hollyhill/Churchfield is
Norma Murphy who can be contacted on 021 4924099
or email norma_murphy@corkcity.ie

RAPID CORK,
City Hall
Anglesea Street,Cork.

T - 021 4924596
F - 021 4924771
E - rapid@corkcity.ie