What is the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme?
The Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) provides funding to tackle poverty and social exclusion at a local level through local engagement and partnerships between disadvantaged individuals, community organisations and public sector agencies. SICAP is funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development with co-financing from the European Social Fund in Ireland and is managed locally by Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs) with support from local authorities. The programme actions and initiatives are delivered by Programme Implementers (PIs) across 51 Lots. In South Tipperary SICAP is delivered by South Tipperary Development Company and in North Tipperary the programme is delivered by North Tipperary Development Company.
SICAP has two goals:
Supporting Communities
To support communities and target groups to engage with relevant stakeholders in identifying and addressing social exclusion and equality issues, developing the capacity of Local Community Groups, and creating more sustainable communities.
Supporting Individuals
To support disadvantaged individuals to improve the quality of their lives through the provision of lifelong learning and labour market supports.
SICAP aims to address high and persistent levels of deprivation, unemployment and disengaged communities and people, through targeted and innovative locally-led approaches. It targets supports at those who are disadvantaged in Irish society and less likely to use mainstream services. NTDC and STDC engage with marginalised communities and a wide range of service providers using an integrated and community development approach to address issues relating to social exclusion and inequality. It enables bottom-up and local development approaches within the framework of a national programme which provides nationally set targets, performance indicators and rules. SICAP 2018 – 2022 replaces SICAP 2015 - 2017.
SICAP is a broad, multi-faceted and complex programme which assists both individuals and groups through a two pronged approach; supporting communities and supporting individuals. The task of Programme Implementers is to reflect the broad scope of the programme in their actions and to use programme funding to strengthen communities and improve people’s lives holistically.
