10.3 | Working for Social Cohesion and Diversity across the Metropolitan Area
Social cohesion is fundamental to the success and attractiveness of any city. Urban and social deprivation, relatively high levels of unemployment, poverty, poor quality housing and environments are evident in data for Waterford (Southern Regional Assembly Socio- Economic Baseline Reports, prepared byAIRO) and require targeted interventions to address these issues and rebuild communities, such that they can experience a good quality of life and contribute to the success of the City. The AIRO Reports highlight the situation in 2016, where the Pobal HP Development Index found the highest level of deprivation in the South-East in Waterford and in particular City South and for City West. These locations are identified as RAPID areas and require a targeted focus for their social and economic development. Educational attainment is also below the South-East average in Waterford City and suburbs. Diversity Waterford is a culturally diverse city, reflected in the diversity of new communities and languages spoken in Waterford. Waterford is also home to a Gaeltacht at Rinn Ua gCuanach (Ring) and An Sean Phobal (Old Parish) and connections to the Gaeltacht is another dimension to diversity in the City. To become more Inclusive by 2031, key areas for action and further research/ policy development are identified: • Recognise the diversity and vibrancy of new communities in Waterford and the positive contribution of multi-cultural communities
to the social, cultural and economic life of the Metropolitan Area; • Identify areas where there is acute housing need and requirements for additional resources for education, community and social infrastructure; • Provide for an enhancedRegional role for University Hospital Waterford (UHW); • Identify measures to improve access and connectivity from neighbourhoods to employment; • Identify key environmental improvements which can support regeneration of the city and improve quality of life; • Measures to address urban deprivation and poor- quality housing/lack of social housing; • Targeted support to communities where there has been historically low educational attainment; • Improvements to the physical urban environment in terms of public realm, improved green areas, provision of play facilities and the greening of the City with street tree planting to a high standard; • Improved access to social and health services; • Provision of adequate community infrastructure to support neighbourhood facilities (such as childcare) and support services to families; • Improved public transport services to improve access and connectivity from disadvantaged neighbourhoods to employment locations; • Provision of community services for ethnic minorities and travellers; • Urban regeneration and rejuvenation of areas with high levels of dereliction and underutilised land, particularly in inner urban areas; • Targeted measures to address housing need and provide for community and social infrastructure, improved education and training facilities in disadvantaged neighbourhoods; • Continued support for ‘Healthy Waterford’ as member of the WHO European Healthy Cities Network; • Initiate projects associated with UNESCO Learning City designation in support of greater educational access and participation.
Waterford MASP Policy Objective 24
Social Inclusion It is an objective to support and seek investment in delivering the actions and stakeholder initiatives in the Local Economic Community Plans (LECPs) to strengthen community infrastructure and promote social inclusion and diversity for all citizens across all of our communities, supporting integration between established communities, new communities, refugees and asylum seekers. All actions and initiatives shall be subject to the outcome of environmental assessments and the planning process.
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