The GAA’s National Inclusion Forum, held at Croke Park recently, sought to further the work of its inclusion and integration office in introducing minorities and non-traditional GAA communities to the family of Gaelic games.
The day-long event was attended by Minister of Social Protection Joan Burton in addition to around 120 GAA and minority group representatives, community leaders, policy makers and those working in the areas of Integration and Inclusion in Ireland.
The keynote address was presented by Cormac Russell of Northwestern University in Chicago, USA, who outlined a new asset-based community development (ABCD) approach to building stronger communities.
This approach seeks to remove the focus of community development from monetary investment and reliance on external resources, by empowering those within communities to work through and solve their own problems.
“The definition of resources extends past externally provided ‘money’ and ‘services’ to encompass people, their families and their communities, once they have been empowered to help themselves,” said Minister Burton. “It is a credit to the GAA and the family of Gaelic Games that they are embracing this approach to further the successful work in the areas of integration and inclusion.”
She added: “By reaching out to include people from minority groups and those with a disability, the GAA is not only helping those people feel more included in Irish society but is also helping develop stronger communities. ”
Following the forum, the GAA’s national inclusion office will publish a report detailing specific recommendations to broaden participation in Gaelic games and GAA clubs around the country.
The report will focus on ways to increase inclusion of: people with disabilities and disabling conditions, people from the Travelling community, Ethnic minorities, those from non-traditional GAA communities and people from socially disadvantaged backgrounds.
