Fermanagh and Omagh District Council launch “Pathways Out of Poverty”

This press release is republished with permission.

Fermanagh and Omagh District Council has launched a 10-year anti-poverty strategy for the district, “Pathways out of Poverty” to address poverty across the district. The strategy was created in partnership with a number of local statutory, community and voluntary sector organisations and focuses on improving residents’ lives and wellbeing by supporting those affected by poverty and working with communities to reduce and prevent poverty.

There were a number of key speakers on the day including Becca Bor from Northern Ireland Anti-Poverty Network (NIAPN) who highlighted the fundamental need to amplify the voices, and ensure active participation, of those with lived experience of poverty. Becca congratulated Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, and the partners involved in developing the anti-poverty strategy, encouraging them to continue to use their collective voice to address poverty through policy change.

David Eyre from Poverty Alliance Scotland addressed the audience on how to tackle the stigma around poverty and how to talk about poverty through the lens of values, such as compassion and justice, to create real change.

Barry Boyle from Fermanagh Rural Community Network discussed the work being done at a local level to tackle poverty through the WRAP Programme.

‘Pathways Out of Poverty’ is a progressive piece of work and has been developed around three core themes: mitigating the effects of poverty; prevention and reduction of poverty; and rethinking the design and delivery of services and supports for those experiencing poverty. The strategy highlights a number of priorities including: supporting households in meeting their basic needs; information, advice & communication; increasing household income through better paid and more secure employment; reducing household costs; tackling debt; and changing the narrative around poverty.

Chair of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, Councillor John Mc Claughry, commented,

‘Fermanagh and Omagh is a great place to live and work, and as a Council we are committed to improve the lives and wellbeing of our communities. We recognise, however, that poverty is having a significant impact on many people in our district. Unfortunately, children carry the impact of poverty furthest throughout their lives.

The Council is committed to supporting our people and communities to minimise the impact of poverty and inequalities on their quality of life and work to provide equal opportunities for all.

Poverty is a cross-cutting issue and cannot be tackled independently by any single organisation or sector. Such collaboration is vital at this time as we seek to take steps to tackle poverty and disadvantage. Pathways out of Poverty demonstrates our long-term commitment to work with our partners to help prevent people from falling into poverty and to provide pathways out of poverty.”

Director of Community and Wellbeing at Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, John Boyle closed the event saying;

‘Today is a very important day to mark the launch of “Pathways out of Poverty”, the strategy that will direct our work against poverty over the next 10 years and represents our collective vision and dedication to addressing the pressing issue of poverty within our district.

All of our speakers today have highlighted that poverty is a multifaceted challenge that affects individuals and families across our community, impacting their health, well-being, and opportunities for a better future. We all have a duty to ensure that no one is left behind.

“Pathways out of Poverty” is not just a document; it is a call to action. It outlines a comprehensive and collaborative approach to tackling poverty, involving partnerships with statutory bodies, community organisations, and the voluntary sector. Together, we aim to create a supportive environment where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. I am confident that, with your continued support, we can achieve our goal of reducing poverty and building a brighter future for all residents of Fermanagh and Omagh.

Today the line in the sand is drawn – we genuinely start to deliver Pathways out of Poverty.”

The “Pathways out of Poverty” 10-year strategy can be downloaded here.