The climate is changing and the weather is becoming more severe each year, stronger winds, rain and hotter summers and colder winters. There is an increased need for the increased resilience of roads and transport infrastructure. Nature has a significant role to play in climate change. Biodiversity and ecosystem services help to adapt and mitigate climate change and are a crucial part of the effort to combat climate change.working with nature and protecting it will bring multiple benefits .  

With regard to Climate Action we recommend;

• Need more waste bins in the town
• Dog waste bins with bags around the area
• Community recycling centre 
• More awareness of climate change in the business community
• Provide awareness to the community in how to address fuel poverty issues, minimise carbon emissions,improve air quality and improve the health of the community 

Newbridge Family Resource Centre aims to respond to the needs of the community through the provision of support and services for families most at risk of social exclusion. We offer the community of Newbridge a variety of family support and community development services.  We also provide a quality affordable childcare service. 

Core to the work of the Centre is the provision of a friendly and accessible drop in facility where information and support is available and where, if required, we can refer to other services, we also where necessary, advocate for individuals or families.

We deliver Preparing for Life, One to One parenting supports, Play therapy, Counselling, Strengthening families, Homework club and Youth club. We also support Women’s groups, Men’s groups, Adult learning and a variety of other community groups in creative ways. 

We are a part of the National Family Resource Centre Programme which is Ireland’s largest family support programme delivering universal services to families in disadvantaged areas across the country based on a life-cycle approach.

Newbridge Family Resource Centre welcomes the opportunity to make a submission to Kildare County Council County Development Plan 2023 - 2029. 

Our Communities Vision for Kildare

Following discussions and consultations with our community our vision for Kildare over the next 10 years is one where our unemployment rate is at a minimum, our community is connected to each other,  to services, businesses and recreational amenities in their locality, and one where our community is a supportive and inclusive place for all in creative spaces.  

Newbridge Family Resource Centre is based in Dara Park, Newbridge, Co Kildare. We have identified great potential to partner with statutory, community and voluntary agencies to reach the potential growth in many of the recommendations listed below. Our centre is an ideal location for looking at developing to facilitate community development, family support, youth development and childcare. We have a vision of what is required to meet the needs of our local community here in Newbridge Co Kildare. Our vision involves Newbridge Family Resource Centre being central to any developments in this area. Our links with the community of Newbridge allows us access to the voice of our community to create a ‘Nothing about Us Without Us’ approach to developing services. Here at Newbridge Family Resource Centre we plan for the most vulnerable in our community and this in effect benefits all.

In order to achieve this vision we recommend the following;

• A more linked up approach to education, training and employment opportunities within each community such as; expansion of the local employment drives to include and target young people.  Including education and training pathways to careers available locally will allow people to upskill or retrain in order to fill the gaps in local employment. 
• Communication between community members and local services, businesses and amenities could be improved by developing a localised mobile app, which would include up to date information.  The app is broken down into sections such as sports and recreation which would include all the community and private sports clubs and facilities in a local area with information on how to contact them, community services such as MABS, FRC’s, mental health supports etc and information about what each service does and how to get in contact.  It can also cover businesses in each local area.  This will act as a local directory for new and existing community members who wish to find out more about their own local area. 
• Existing community services and  facilities to be supported by investment to retrofit and expand, post covid, to allow for increase in service provision and social distancing.
• Community Call to be supported to continue post Covid to support vulnerable community members. 

There is a big need for the community of newbridge to have spaces where they can be social and come together to be creative and help the people of newbridge thrive and develop.  Newbridge should be accessible to all who live and work in the community. 

With regard to Creative Places we recommend; 

• Newbridge is in need of a big space for children, young people, families and older people with a sports hall, meeting rooms, kitchen facilities,youth cafe, drop in centre.
• A central hub that can facilitate the diversity of the community, large gym,hall.toilet facilities, kitchen area,coffee dock, hoists in bathrooms, public toilets
• Shared art space for the community, studio, providing a space and a time to exhibit work
• Community creche facility,low cost,to be subsidised. Include breakfast club, after school service
• Indoor softplay area for children
• Public indoor swimming pool
• Affordable community gym
• Wheelchair accessible ATMs there are currently no wheelchair accessible ATM's in Newbridge
• The impact of Covid on our communities is not fully known yet, investment in the resourcing of holistic services for children, individuals and  families is going to be key to supporting society through the trauma of this Pandemic.
• Developing a creative space for young people to explore theatre, art, music and other mediums of art.