Future of Ireland 2

1
The
Future
of Ireland II
Supported by:
Belonging & Community

2
Welcome to this, the second wave of our Future of Ireland
research. The theme of community shone through strongly in our
initial work, which inspired us to look more deeply into how people
feel about the importance of communities today and how they
envisage our communities will look in ten years time.
In an age of technology opening up more diverse and
geographically spread social communities, what better time to
start the conversation around what many have always seen as the
fabric of Irish society – our own communities.
At OMD, through our partnership with Ashoka and also more
recently ChangeX, we continually support innovations that go
towards making Ireland’s communities stronger. The world of
social entrepreneurship is one that, given the right support, taps
into the potential of Belonging – a need state that is pre-eminent in
our first report.
Thank you again to our friends in Ulster Bank for their continued
support and to those who agreed to be interviewed for this project.
Happy reading!
Foreword
Tim Griffiths
Managing Director, OMD Ireland

3
Ulster Bank is delighted to be partnering with OMD again
on this second phase of Future of Ireland research. This report
resonates strongly with our business as it focuses on what
matters in communities today and importantly, it looks ahead to
those issues that matter for the future. Throughout our 180-year
history, we have focused on supporting local communities. Making
a meaningful contribution to our society is a commitment in which
we have continued to invest, and plan to sustain going forward.
The purpose of the report is to help us understand and interpret
the changes that lie ahead for us, as individuals, as communities,
as a business and as a country. At Ulster Bank we recognise that
Ireland today is evolving at a rapid pace, perhaps even more so
than ever before and the findings of this report ring true from not
just a personal but also a business perspective.
This is a thoughtful and absorbing report that will stimulate
discussion. We hope you enjoy reading it and participate in the
wider conversation about the Future of Ireland.
Gerry Mallon
Chief Executive, Ulster Bank

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Contents
Community
16.
FlourishingVolunteering
30.24.
© OMD & Amárach Research, the content of this report may be used
and republished freely once The Future of Ireland OMD Report is credited.
Belonging
06.
Friends & Family
10.

7
W
hen we published the first Future
of Ireland report in 2015, one of
the strongest findings was the
importance of belonging - as a driver of
people’s experiences of life in Ireland today
and expectations for the future. We also saw
how the predominant motivation nowadays is
one of taking control.
In this follow up report we decided to
look at the issue of belonging in more detail,
through the prism of neighbours, friends,
community and volunteering. One way of
taking control in your life is to develop and
sustain strong support networks in your
community with neighbours, friends and
others who share your passions. We think you
will be inspired by our findings.
As before, we take a different approach
to the usual commentaries about the
future. Instead of economic forecasts and
predictions about new technologies, we have
asked Irish people themselves what they think
the future will hold, focusing particularly on
the communities they live in and belong to.
We want this report to continue
the conversation about our future;
about how we can build flourishing
communities that together will meet
the needs, hopes and ambitions of all
the people of Ireland. Do join us in the
ongoing Future of Ireland conversation.

8 The Future of Ireland
Methodology
The research strand of the Future
of Ireland II study on Belonging
& Community was conducted by
Amárach Research during April-May
2016. Amárach conducted a nationally
representative, online survey of a
thousand adults designed to quantify
the main themes and ideas concerning
the future of community in Ireland. In
addition, interviews were conducted
with members of several organisations
and movements working in local
communities to create a better future.

9
T
oo often in the past great ideas
for social innovation didn’t travel.
There simply wasn’t the means or
resources to spread them to others who
would benefit. The inspiration behind
ChangeX is to use the emerging potential
of the internet at a global level to help
spread great ideas that can benefit others.
ChangeX is about sharing proven
ideas that work with people in other
communities who might also benefit from
the same ideas. People starting ideas from
the ChangeX platform come from a variety
of backgrounds – teachers, healthcare
workers, concerned citizens – who have
seen an opportunity to do things differently,
or do different things, to unlock potential in
their workplace, community or even their
country as a whole.
Though launched just 12 months
ago, ChangeX is currently experiencing
extraordinary growth in participation:
67% per month growth on average in
the number of new people committed to
starting ideas from the ChangeX platform.
Running at several new participants per day
in recent weeks.
The type of people who thrive on
ChangeX as changemakers are those who
are resourceful (can get a lot done with
little), inspirational (mobilising others to
join and help), determined (as it can be a
long road) and resilient (able to deal with
financial and other pressures).
There is something of a renaissance
right now in communities throughout
Ireland. As a nation we have a stronger
sense of community than many, which
means it is sometimes easier for
‘change makers’ to make an impact. But
sometimes it is the same people who
are driving change, whereas it would
be healthier if more were involved and
committed. ChangeX can enable people
in Ireland and abroad to play their part in
creating flourishing communities.
But that will only happen if people use the
power they have to be the change they want.
Future of Ireland Interview:
Paul O’Hara,
Change X

11
Friends
& Family
Neighbourly
M
ost of us have neighbours and
most of us know our neighbours
well. Over half know their
neighbours (beyond just exchanging
pleasantries), and typically know four
or more neighbours (though one in ten
don’t know any of their neighbours). Not
surprisingly, the longer you have lived
in a location the more likely you are to
know your neighbours: 80% of those
who have lived in a location for twenty or
more years know their neighbours well.
As it happens, half of us have lived where
we are for ten years or less, the rest for
more than ten years.
56%
Know their
neighbours well

12
One sure sign of knowing your
neighbours well is whether you hold keys
for your neighbours and they hold them
for you. Indeed, three in ten people in the
Future of Ireland survey hold keys for their
neighbours and a slightly higher proportion
have neighbours holding their keys.
Holding keys for neighbours is highest in
Dublin, though it is in the suburbs where
‘neighbourliness’ thrives for now.
Friendly
Many of our neighbours are also our
relations or good friends. Indeed, looking
at friends more generally, about half of
all Irish people have four or more close
friends. By close friends we mean people
who are not relatives, but who you feel
at ease with, can talk to about what is
on your mind, or call on for help. Indeed
one in four of us have six or more close
friends. Though just under one in ten
49%
have four or more
close friends
36%
have left keys with
neighbours

13
Everyday
% Frequency of communication
with close friends
Few times a week
Once a week
Monthly
Frequent Friends
47%
20%
19%
Less often 4%
44%
14%
have none. The interesting thing is that
the share of adults with four or more
close friends rises with age, from 42% of
16-24s to 57% of over 55s. People who
are retired are more likely to have four or
more close friends than any other group in
society. Women are only marginally more
likely than men to have four or more close
friends. Those who know their neighbours
well are also more likely to have four or
more close friends than those who don’t
know their neighbours well.
Relatives are an important source
of support and friendship for most
people. Though one in ten don’t have
any relatives or feel close to any if they
do, the majority of us have up to four
relatives we feel close to (in the same
sense as close friends). Nearly a third
have five or more close relatives. People
living in rural areas are more likely to
have four or more close relatives (46%)
than people living in cities (38%).
Keeping in touch
Staying close means staying in touch,
especially with our friends. The majority of us
are in touch with our friends several times
a week or more often – with one in five
communicating every day with close friends.
Perhaps not surprisingly, younger people
tend to be in touch more often with close
friends than older people: a third of 16-24s
communicate with close friends everyday.
12%
have no close
relatives
33%
of 16-24s are in
touch with close
friends everyday

15
T
here are over 27,000 registered
volunteers registered with Special
Olympics, with some 6,921 recorded
as been very active on a regular basis
throughout 2015. Special Olympics
operates across five regions on the Island
of Ireland, currently comprising 348
registered clubs. During the recent Special
Olympics collection day in April, over 3,000
volunteers helped with fundraising on the
day across the 32 counties of Ireland.
The focus in Special Olympics is on
participation, with just over 9,000 registered
athletes participating in local, regional
and national sports activities, including
development days, training sessions,
leagues and advancement competitions.
There is a constant process of
regeneration driven by demand for new
clubs and new sports, as well as by new
volunteers joining (1,080 new volunteers
in 2015). The number of new volunteers
swells in the year of an Ireland Games.
One of the challenges for Special
Olympics is matching coaching and
other required volunteer skills with the
locations where they’re needed. As part
of our 2020 strategy, Special Olympics is
paying particular attention to providing
better services to athletes with a renewed
focus on offering a Health & Well-being
programme in addition to developing a
young athletes programme to cater for
athletes with an intelectual disability from
four years of age upwards.
One constant source of support
for Special Olympics over the past 30
years has been the sponsorship by
Elr (formerly Eircom) who have been
incredibly supportive through the years.
There are other comercial supporters
of Special Olympics, e.g.: Aer Lingus,
Gala, Dell and Johnson & Johnson, all of
whom see the benefit of corporate social
relationships that forge deep connections
with families and communities.
Special Olympics will continue to play
its part in helping volunteers and athletes
work together for the future of their
communities throughout Ireland.
Matt English,
Special Olympics

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Community
Sense of Belonging
D
oes knowing your neighbours well
and having close friends make a
community? Our survey says no: they
are not enough. There is something else that
creates a sense of community; besides just
knowing your neighbours. One key factor is
whether you feel a sense of belonging to your
local community. Sure enough, a third of all
Irish people say they have a strong sense of
belonging to their community, but almost as
many – three in ten – say they have a weak
sense of belonging.
Young people – especially 25-34 year
olds – and those living in Dublin or living
in the same place less than ten years have
the weakest sense of belonging. That said,
knowing your neighbours well undoubtedly
shapes a sense of belonging: 55% of those
who don’t know their neighbours well have
a weak feeling of belonging to their local
community vs 18% of those who know
their neighbours well.
1in3feel sense of
belonging to their
local community
Pride
Nevertheless, people can see much that
is positive in their local communities,
even if they don’t have as deep a sense
of belonging as others. More than half
of all adults say they are proud of their
community, only 13% are not proud.
Communal pride increases with age, but
varies considerably throughout Ireland:
people in Munster are most likely to be
proud of their community with Connacht
and Ulster coming in a close second, and
59%
in Munster proud of
their community

18
A
bout 10,000 people die every year
in Ireland from cardiac disease.
Some 5-6,000 of these from sudden
cardiac arrest, and 70% of these take
place outside of hospital settings. The
survival rate is as low as 1%. Every minute
counts when it comes to responding to a
heart attack, which is why community-
based First Responders are so important.
These are people trained in the use of a
defibrillator (or AED: automated, external
defibrillator) and other lifesaving skills.
We have 27 volunteers covering a
two-mile radius around Ratoath, between
Ashbourne and Dunshaughlin in county
Meath. We come from a variety of
backgrounds, some with a health background,
others working full-time in businesses who
want to give something back.
The way it works is that we run a roster
of volunteers who are ‘on standby’ typically
for two nights every two weeks, and who
are in charge of the two defibrillators we
have available (a main one and a backup
device). If you are on standby then you get
a text alert from the ambulance service if
they have been received an emergency call
concerning someone experiencing chest
pain, or stroke or cardiac arrest in the area.
It can be any time of the night, weekdays
and weekends.
All volunteers get training over a weekend
in basic resuscitation and defibrillator usage.
We then have to attend a monthly refresher
course to keep our skills fresh, which is
important because you may not need to
use them from one month to another if,
say, there isn’t an emergency or it happens
when another volunteer is on standby. It also
helps us to share experiences with other
volunteers and to remind us why we are
doing this; to be there for one another, for our
neighbours and friends living in the area.
Too often it’s the same people who
help out in most community-based
initiatives, but it is important that others
help out too. If you have an authentic urge
to contribute to your local community,
then First Responder and similar initiatives
can do with your help.
Margherita Cummins,
First Responders

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16%
feel their
neighbourhood has
become more friendly
Dublin the least likely.
But communities don’t just ‘happen’:
they are created through the individual
and collective efforts of the people who
form them. The Future of Ireland survey
clearly shows that Irish people recognise
the importance of ‘making community
happen’ – not just hoping it will. So we
find a widespread recognition that in order
to maintain a vibrant community (where
a vibrant community is one that has the
capacity to thrive and change in pursuit of
individual and social wellbeing) then it is up
to the people themselves to lead the way.
However, we tend to think that only some
people are so committed, rarely everyone.
One measure of communal vibrancy
is the extent to which a neighbourhood
is more or less friendly than it used to
be. Another measure is the extent to
which a community is welcoming to
22%
feel their community
has nothing to offer
young people

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newcomers. With regard to the former,
there is little room for complacency. More
people (18%) feel their neighbourhood
has become less friendly than feel it has
become more friendly than it used to be
(16%). Older people and/or those living
in a neighbourhood more than ten years
are more likely to sense a decline in
friendliness. However, when it comes to
welcoming newcomers, nearly half feel
their community is somewhat or very
receptive to newcomers, while only 14%
feel their community is unreceptive.
Local Knowledge
We live in an age of abundant information
and yet many people don’t feel they know
enough about what is going on in their
community (e.g. in terms of local events,
activities, businesses). The good news is
that half of us say we know enough about
what is going on in our communities:
rising to two thirds of those over 55 and/
or retired. But it follows that half don’t
know enough (40%) or nothing at all
about what is going on locally (10%).
Young people, Dubliners and those living
in an area less than ten years are more
likely to lack ‘local knowledge’ about what
is going on.
Local knowledge also influences our
assessment of whether our communities
have anything to offer people from different
walks – or stages – of life; particularly in
terms of activities and things to do.
Overall, we tend to feel our
communities have ‘lots to offer’ children,
but are more likely to feel they have
‘nothing to offer’ young people. Old people
as a group do better in terms of perceived
communal activities (though most think

21
their communities have ‘something’ to offer
old people, rather than ‘lots’).
Feeling Safe
Knowing your neighbours, feeling you
belong and are welcome can create
a strong sense of safety as well as
belonging. Indeed, nearly one in four
Irish people feel completely safe in their
neighbourhoods. About half feel ‘for
the most part’ safe. But one in ten feel
somewhat or completely unsafe. Those
who feel unsafe are much more likely to
have been a victim of crime in their area,
so their experience inevitably shapes
their perceptions. While 16% of adults in
our survey say they have been a victim of
crime in their area in the past five years,
this jumps to 42% among those who
don’t feel safe. Younger people and those
living in Dublin are more likely to have
experienced crime in their area. People
16%
have been victim of
crime in their area in
past 5 years
59%
of Dubliners feel safe
from crime walking
after dark

22
majority of people feel their communities are
well served in terms of schools, sport and
even GPs, but less so in terms of transport,
childcare and amenities in general. While
many feel their communities are poorly
served when it comes to jobs.
Dubliners are more likely than
anywhere else to feel well served for
most community services, highlighting
the importance of population density
and scale when it comes to availability
and access to those services that are
fundamental to any community.
living in rural areas are the least likely to
have experienced crime in their local area.
However, the vast majority of people
(62%) feel safe from crime walking alone
in their area after dark: women and old
people are more likely to feel safe after
dark than men or young people (probably
because the latter groups are more likely
to be victims of crime – especially violent
crime – than the former groups). Even
among those living in Dublin or in other
urban areas, the vast majority feel safe
from crime walking after dark.
Of course crime is not the only
negative or adverse experience that can
affect your sense of safety and belonging
to a community. In our survey we asked
if people had experienced discrimination
or been treated unfairly by others in their
area? Just over one in ten (12%) said they
had, though clearly the vast majority said
they had not. Women (15%) and people
from lower income groups (15%) are more
likely to have experienced discrimination
or unfair treatment. As with crime,
experiencing discrimination coincides
with a weaker sense of belonging, and a
perceived lack of community overall.
Community Amenities
While people help make a community, the
availability of services and other facilities are
crucial to making it easy (or not) to live there.
Our Future of Ireland poll showed that the
Leisure
Amenities 28% 47%
Childcare 19%
Jobs 44% 27%
Poorly Served Well Served
Community Services
Schools 9% 72%
Sports 18% 61%
GPs 20% 59%
Transport 36% 50%
50%
47%
27%

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J
igsaw Galway is a free and
confidential service which supports
the mental health and well-being
of young people (aged 15-25) in Galway
City and county. It is one of a network of
13 Jigsaw sites throughout Ireland which
have been rolled out by Headstrong, the
national centre for youth mental health.
Jigsaw Galway recently piloted an
outreach initiative, the South Galway Jigsaw
Network. The aim of this initiative is to
remove barriers to young people living in
the south of county Galway from accessing
Jigsaw’s service and supports by provide an
outreach service based in the community.
The experience provides a lesson to
others who want to embark on similar
initiatives in their communities. The first
thing to be clear about is ‘the difference
you can make’ if you succeed. Make it
tangible and real – with clear objectives
and deadlines. Too often people focus
on tasks and ignore purpose. But it is the
latter that motivates us most.
It is also important that any initiative is
seen to come from within the community
to make it more credible and acceptable
to others, and to draw on the breadth
and depth of skills often available but
untapped. One idea might be to have
continuous professional development
(CPD) objectives for volunteers so that
they ‘get something back’ beyond seeing
their initiative succeed, perhaps providing
them with skills that will make them highly
employable or inspire them to get involved
in other initiatives.
Too many great initiatives in the past
have floundered because they forgot
about ‘purpose’ and the benefits they’re
meant to deliver. People will identify
with and commit to initiatives that they
personally feel are really important. So
always focus on impact and that way
volunteers will remain committed.
Justin McDermott,
Jigsaw Galway

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Credit Union
Church
Charities/Voluntary groups
Other Sports Club
NeighbourhoodWatch Scheme
Other Hobby group/club
Social Club
GAA club
52%
49%
22%
21%
16%
14%
Tidy Towns
Book Club
Gardening group/allotment
Political Party
12%
9%
8%
9%
23%
49%
29%
26%
23%
16%
14%
12%
9%
9%
8%
Volunteering
Get Involved
C
onnacht, Munster and Ulster lead the
way in opportunities to volunteer –
Dublin lags behind. Indeed, over four
in ten Irish people feel their community is
well served with opportunities to volunteer,
though one in five feel they are poorly
served.
About one in four people claim
to be somewhat or actively involved
in their community, indicating a
significant investment of time, energy
and involvement by many people. That
said, a lot of people (43%) say they are
somewhat or completely uninvolved in
their community, indicating once again
that it is often an active minority or handful
of people who drive a lot of community
activities. Those who get involved tend
to be either under 25 or over 55, people
in higher income groups and the retired.
Those living outside of cities are also more
likely to be involved in their communities in
voluntary or other roles, than people living
in urban areas.
There is a wide variety of community
based organisations – some more formally
structured than others – for people to join and
support. As the chart shows, the local credit
union and local church community top the list
in terms of the percentage of adults throughout
Ireland who are active members, followed
charities and sports clubs. Political parties have
the lowest level of local involvement:
1 in 4are involved in their
community

26
Local Skills
Many of us have skill, abilities and
resources that we could use more in our
local communities. In fact, over a third of
all adults feel they have such skills and
abilities; nearly a third say they don’t have;
and the remaining third just don’t know.
Those aged 25-34 are more likely to feel
they have the right skills, and those in
higher income groups. Those under 25 are
more likely than others to feel they don’t
have the right skills.
The main skill set people would like
to contribute are those that relate to
business skills such as administrative
and organisational skills. Social skills
(e.g.; leading, coaching, supporting)
come second, followed by IT and
computer skills. There is a long tail of the
skills people feel they could use more
in their local communities – from art to
language to cooking.
Pressure Points
Volunteering and supporting local clubs
and organisations entails a significant
commitment of time for most people. Many
people volunteer because they find they
36%
feel they have skills
they could use more
in local community

28
W
e launched a five-year strategy for
Age Friendly Limerick last year,
covering 2015-2020. Our plan
is to make Limerick City & County a place
where older people live flourishing and
healthy lives.
There are 116 actions in the plan for
Age Friendly Limerick, and we will address
20-25 different ones each year to reach
our goals. A key to our success so far
has been the establishment of an Older
Peoples Council, comprising 38 retirees
aged from 59 to 83. The OPC meets
every eight weeks, hosted by Limerick City
and County Council, and provides inputs,
ideas, feedback and decisions to guide the
implementation of the plan.
Limerick also has an Age Friendly
Alliance, chaired by Conn Murray Chief
Executive of Limerick City & County
Council, which brings together agencies
such as the HSE, Gardai, University of
Limerick, Chamber of Commerce, along
with community representatives, to make
sure that the county’s ambitions for a better
outcome for older people is realised.
Critical to the success of initiatives like
Limerick’s Older People Council is to make
sure that older people in the community
feel they have ownership of the actions
in the plan. Things like participating in a
‘walkability audit’ of footpaths by older
people with Council staff to identify issues
and problems. Unless they feel part of the
process and become engaged they will lose
interest and so there will be less support for
the plan. But success also requires the full
commitment of the statutory authorities to
delivering its part of the plan as well.
There is a saying that if you plan for the
young you exclude the old. But if you plan
for the old you include everyone! Limerick
is showing other communities throughout
Ireland how we can all look forward to a
brighter, healthier future for older people if
we plan for it now.
Mary Killeen, Age Friendly,
Limerick City & Country Council

29
have more time (perhaps because they have
retired or have been made redundant), but
it can also work the other way: having less
time available may mean less volunteering.
We asked volunteers from each of the
different clubs and charities whether
they have become more or less involved
with each in the past five years. For the
majority of volunteers their involvement
is still the same as before, and the good
news is that for all organisations – except
political parties – there tends to be a higher
percentage saying they are more involved
than saying they are less involved.
Looking to the future, there is clear
evidence that sizeable minorities of
community volunteers would like to
become even more involved in local
organisations, charities and clubs – or
a majority in the case of those involved
in gardening groups and allotments.
The one organisation that seems more
vulnerable than others to volunteer
‘attrition’ is the credit union: while 26%
of those currently involved with their
local credit union say they would like to
be more involved, 55% of volunteers say
they would not like to be more involved.
So what is holding them back from
becoming more involved? Across the board
the main barrier is time constraints: which
raises the question: will Ireland’s economic
recovery inadvertently lead to a weakening
of community involvement in the future?
20%
of people involved in
political parties are
less involved than
before
54%
of people involved in
gardening groups &
allotments would like
to be more involved

31
C
altra GAA was founded in 1899 as
Cumann Peil Caltra. And 105 years
later – in 2004 – Caltra won the
All Ireland Final. Such an achievement
is testimony to the commitment of
generations of players, coaches, supporters
and volunteers that has sustained the
Caltra club through the many phases in
its development. Just recently we opened
a new facility comprising 19 acres on the
edge of the village acquired in 2010.
We are very conscious of the
responsibilities of the older generation to
the younger one. Many of our coaches are
retired players, which we encourage as it
means they can transfer their knowledge
to the next generation. We also encourage
current senior players to help with the
training of younger teams. It’s about giving
back, since others before helped them to
achieve what they did.
Caltra GAA has some 300 members,
comprising players, coaches, supporters and
the executive committee. We have been very
ambitious for our club – very few other clubs
would have taken on the development of
facilities that we have in recent times.
We are always looking to expand Caltra
GAA and the numbers who help out with
coaching, administration and fundraising.
But we have to recognise they are giving
their time voluntarily, so for example we try
to ensure no coach is responsible for more
than one team at a time.
We know we have to raise the standard
of the facilities and coaching that we
provide. In the past your choice was either
football or hurling, but there are many
more choices nowadays. Also, with people
having smaller families and emigration
still affecting rural communities, we need
to attract all the boys and girls in the
community to participate in the club. And
we need them to feel the same love of
the GAA that motivates us all so that the
next generation will play their part in the
continuing story of Caltra GAA.
Aidan Murray,
Chairman, Caltra GAA

32
Flourishing
Future Communities
O
ur survey has revealed a healthy,
thriving and engaging sense
of community and belonging
throughout Ireland. But what about the
future? Are people optimistic or pessimistic
about the future for their communities?
The good news is that the optimists far
outnumber the pessimists: nearly half
are optimistic about the future of their
community though 18% are pessimistic.
Older people tend to be more optimistic
about the future of community than
younger people, as are those who know
their neighbours well. Those with relatives
and friends they are close to are also much
more optimistic, and generally speaking
those with a positive experience of
community today are confident about the
community of tomorrow.
You might think ‘stability’ makes people
48%
of people are
optimistic about
the future of their
community

33
optimistic about the future of their local
communities, but our research suggests
‘change’ is the main driver. The reason
given by optimists for their future outlook
is the extent to which the area they live
in is growing, developing and improving.
Community spirit also helps (the second
most common reason), while just having
‘good people’ in the area is also a big
source of optimism. For pessimists,
community spirit – or rather the lack of
70%
of under 25s expect
to move somewhere
else by 2025
49%
expect to still be
living in the same
area by 2025

34
be due to the nature of such groups – or
it may be because people aren’t certain
about the future of books!
Longevity is one thing: but what about
relevance? Again the vast majority of
people expect the various community-
based organisations and clubs to still be
relevant to their local communities in 2025
and beyond, especially the GAA.
Finally, we probed the extent to which
Irish people expect different organisations
to be thriving in ten years’ time. Though all
it – is the main source of their gloomier
outlook. Lack of resources and investment
are factors too, along with crime and anti-
social behaviour.
Another factor likely to influence your
view on the future of community is whether
you see yourself still living there in the long
run. About half of us think it likely that we
will still live in our current area in 2025,
though over a quarter think it unlikely. But
the majority of under 25s don’t expect to
still be living in the same place, indeed 70%
of them expect to move somewhere else.
But what about those who stay? Will
they still be close to their neighbours?
When pressed, fewer than one in five adults
agree with the statement ‘your neighbours
will matter less by 2025’, while 37%
disagree (the rest are in the middle).
Fabric of the Community
Given the importance of sports and
charities, as well as local organisations
such as credit unions and church groups,
in forging a sense of community and
affording opportunities to belong and
volunteer, what about their future?
The overwhelming majority of Irish
people expect the various organisations
that bind together neighbours, friends
and communities to still exist in ten
years’ time. The only group with a lower
probability of existing in the eyes of most
is the book club or book group. This may
85%
expect their local
GAA club to still
be relevant to their
community in 10
years’ time

35
are expected to still exist and even remain
relevant, not all are expected to be thriving
in the future. Church related groups and
organisations are expected to struggle
more than others over the long term.
Still Involved
Ultimately though the degree to which
community-based organisations – and
the communities they serve – will flourish
and thrive in future depends on the
commitment of those who belong and
volunteer. How likely is that to continue?
Among those currently involved in the
different voluntary and other community-
based organisations and associations
examined in the Future of Ireland
survey, we find considerable variance
in anticipated involvement by 2025.
Gardening groups, book clubs (despite
concerns about their viability), charities
and church groups can anticipate even
greater involvement by their supporters
41%
expect local church
groups to be thriving
in 10 years’ time
22%
of charity volunteers
expect to be more
involved

36
A
t the community level, our approach
at Ulster Bank has evolved in recent
years to become more focused and
strategic. Our focus is on areas such as
financial capability and entrepreneurship.
Now in its 10th year, our flagship
community programme is MoneySense
– Irelands largest free financial education
programme for schools, providing
resources online for 5-18 year olds.
Our partnership with Dogpatch Labs
is one of the ways we’re helping to build
capacity in the start up community to
develop creative new products and ways
to serve our customers into the future.
Aligned with that focus on Innovation is
our new partnership with Young Social
Innovators – Ireland’s largest social
innovation movement that harnesses the
passion and drive of young people to be
change-makers in their local community for
social good.
One of the highlight events of the year
at Ulster Bank is One Week in June - our
bank-wide fundraising campaign to raise
money for good causes. Our branches,
business centres and departments take
on a range of fundraising events large and
small. Last year we raised €430,000 for
a range of causes. This year we invited
our employees to elect a single cause to
support. Cancer Care topped the poll, and
we’ve themed our OWIJ this year as ‘Help
for the fight against cancer’ aligning with
Ulster Bank’s new brand positioning.
There are a number of social issues
that resonate strongly in Ireland at the
moment, including homeless, mental
health and social exclusion. These are all
areas that governments – temporary or
permanent – will have to grapple with. In
tandem, companies are likely to continue
to actively embrace CSR as a key strand
of their wider brand strategy. In that
respect, I think there is a real opportunity
for a financial brand to resonate with
its audiences through associating itself
with the social ‘good’ of better customer
financial ‘health and fitness’.
Pauline McKiernan,
Community Affairs Manager, Ulster Bank

37
and members in future. But for GAA
clubs, credit unions and initiatives such
as neighbourhood watch schemes the
outlook is less bullish.
Digital Bonds
Finally, we could not finish our analysis of
local and community life in Ireland without
reference to digital sources of belonging
and engagement. In fact, the internet and
the online life we experience through it
is a very positive and powerful source
of connection and belonging for a great
many people.
Some 46% of adults in Ireland say
their online life is important to their
sense of belonging, and half say it is
important to their emotional wellbeing.
The internet is particularly important in
Social Club
Tidy Towns 20% 47%
Other Sports Club 25%
Political Party 21% 27%
Less involved Same involvement
Level of involvement in 2025
Gardening group/
allotment 13% 72%
Book Club 20% 61%
Charities/Voluntary 18% 59%
Church 15% 50%
50%
47%
20%
49% 19%
49%
52% 18%
49%
49% 22%
47% 22%
54% 20%
20%
18%
50%
More involved
Other Hobby group/club
GAA club 28% 47%
Neighbourhood
Watc Scheme 16%
Credit Union 15% 27%
50%
47%
18%
46% 17%
57%
59% 12%
18%
13%
50%
29%

38
granted; it is up to all of us to play our
part in creating and sustaining flourishing
communities that we will all want to live in
for the foreseeable future.
51%
of people living in
cities say their online
life gives a sense of
belonging
75%
of 16-24s say
their online life
is important to
friendships
this regard for younger people (but also
for many older people), and for women
(though for many men too). Indeed, people
who know their neighbours well and have
close friends and relatives are also more
likely to say the internet provides a sense
of belonging than others. So life online and
life offline are not conflicting sources of
community and wellbeing in that sense.
Indeed, for the majority of Irish
people, their experience of the internet
is an important source of friendship and
support. This tends to reinforce the point
that our digital lives can complement and
even enhance our ‘offline’ lives in our local
communities and neighbourhoods. Among
those optimistic about the future of their
communities, use of the internet is an
even more powerful source of connection
and friendship than it is for pessimists.
A Flourishing Future
This second report on the Future of
Ireland has focussed on what is for many
people the most important influence
on their wellbeing and quality of life:
their neighbourhood, friends and the
community they live in. Our findings
bode well for the future, not only for the
communities in which we live but also
for the many different organisations,
associations and clubs that play such
a powerful role in weaving together
communal bonds. But don’t take it for
All photographs for the ‘Future of Ireland’
project, by David Gerulis. Photographs were
taken in the following locations:
Ballinteer, Dublin; Bandon, Cork; Celbridge,
Kildare;Cleady,Kerry;Julianstown,Meath;Lucan,
Dublin;Macroom,Cork;MarlayPark,Dublin;Naas,
Kildare; Rialto, Dublin.

39
Y
oung Social Innovators (YSI) is an
educational body that aims to get
young people involved in social
innovation throughout Ireland. Co-founded
by Sister Stanislaus Kennedy and Rachel
Collier, YSI was originally designed to give
young people the opportunity to put ideas into
action for a better, fairer Ireland. YSI gives an
opportunity to get involved in making the
changes young people wanted to see.
Currently some 20,000 students in 220
schools participate in YSI each year. What
we are seeing now is that young people
are reaching out to marginalised groups
at home and abroad, helping them find
their voice and contribute to change. One
example is the recent winning project by
Portmarnock Community School, which
developed a unique mapping system for
Lesotho. YSI initiatives can bring together
different parts of the community in a
positive, supportive environment to work
for an inclusive society.
This also highlights the changing
nature of community in Ireland these days.
Though the nature of community life in
Ireland remains vibrant, the traditional
focus on the parish – through schools,
churches and the GAA – is undergoing
change. The process of secularisation
means that new types of community are
emerging alongside traditional ones.
That said, given the pressures on
public spending right across the island,
communities need to work hard together
to ‘do it ourselves’ rather than wait for
government to solve their problems. Social
innovation gives people the opportunity to
get involved and address local challenges
and social need. It is empowering both
to young and older people. YSI invites
young people to be part of the ‘democracy
of opportunities’ which harnesses
their ideas, approaches and energy in
local communities to help people help
themselves. We can see the impact young
innovators are having on communities
throughout Ireland and how new and much
needed social capital is being created.
Barry Peak,
Young Social Innovators

40
© OMD & Amárach Research, the content of this report may be used
and republished freely once The Future of Ireland OMD Report is credited.
Supported by:

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