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What is the Community Forum?
The Community Forum acts as the representative, collective voice of over 110 community and voluntary organisations in Galway City. The Forum was established in 2000 and meets every 3 months.

The Forum is non-religious, non-party political umbrella organisation that is guided by an overriding principle of inclusion for all.

FAQ's:

What is the role ?
What are its Aims and Objectives?
Who runs the Community Forum ?
How does it get anything done meeting only once every 3 months?
My organisation hasn't been involved before - is it too late to get involved?
How do I get involved ?

The Community Forum:

  • acts as a platform for Community & Voluntary groups in the city;
  • nominates representatives to several local authority bodies including the City Development Board (CDB) and the Strategic Policy Committees (SPC's) of Galway City Council AND COMMUNITY & VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS SUCH AS THE Galway Volunteering Advice Centre;
  • supports those representatives;
  • develops and promotes policies, which feed into the work of the CDB and SPC's;
  • works with other agencies and bodies where appropriate.

The Forum seeks to:

  • encourage greater participation in public decision-making;
  • develop ways of working that will involve and empower groups and individuals in the community;
  • ensure its representatives are working effectively;
  • act as a catalyst to develop Galway in an environmentally and socially sustainable way.
Who runs the Community Forum?

You do! You do this essentially by selecting a Steering Group of 15 people who direct the activities of the Forum with your input in accordance with the Principles & Guidelines set down in the Forums constitution.
click here to download Constitution.

In addition to the quarterly meetings of the Forum, the Steering Group meets monthly & Forum Reps have regular meetings with their various bodies.

Forum representatives keep the Forum informed of their activities by feeding back information through the Co-ordinator, Steering Group and at Quarterly meetings. Some Reps are better at this than others!!!

Assisting the Forum, Steering Group & Reps is a part-time Co-ordinator who ensures that the Forum membership is regularly updated of what's happening in the Forum through meetings, mail shots, the Tribe Vibes newsletter & the Forums website : www.galwaycityforum.ie.

Claire Ní Fhlaithearta, the current Co-ordinator, works part-time Mondays & Tuesdays - feel free to call in and have a chat about your needs & ideas. All of these efforts are facilitated by the Office of the Director of Community and Enterprise based in City Hall, where the Co-ordinator is currently based.

Contact Claire ann on Tel 091 536844 or email claire.nifhlaithearta@galwaycity.ie.

Outside office hours contact Caroline Campbell , Clerical Officer, Dept Of Community & Enterprise, City Hall at 091 536406 or caroline.campbell@galwaycity.ie
Is it too late to get involved ?
Definitely not! Any legitimate community or voluntary organisation in the city can affiliate at any time and join in.

REGISTER YOUR GROUP here!!!!!