“The Power 0f Community” Event – S.W.O.T. Analysis – 16/10/08
After showing “The Power of Community” film in Grand Hotel, the audience were asked to participate in a SWOT exercise. This involved breaking into groups of up to 10 people and outlining the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats posed to our community in Tramore by the twin challenges of peak oil and climate change.
Strengths:
• costal location - wind and tidal potential – solar
• fishing
• access to agricultural land
• town is compact in size which allows for walking and cycling
• a lot of people are already growing vegetables
• most people have a garden
• there are already vegetable growing projects in local schools
• there is a generation there who have the experience of being more self-sufficient and the skills to make that possible – we should tap into this
• IT knowledge base in WIT
• the weather???
Weaknesses:
• lack of interest / apathy
• local attitude – lack of community spirit
• transport
• food miles
• dormitory town for Waterford
• “convenience” mentality
• insular
Opportunities:
• awareness of younger people (eg scouts)
• could provide a lead for the S.E.
• younger generation to access existing knowledge
• build on neighbouring communities for Tramore “Green Schools”
• work with existing residents’ associations
• alternative building
• waste water
• renewable energies – wind, wave, solar
• permaculture
• use Tramore’s reputation to promote an alternative image – centre of excellence for local / organic food production
• size of population
• livestock available (donkey sanctuary)
• agricultural hinterland
• diversity brought into the community by “blow-ins”
• community currency
Threats:
• apathy / complaceney
• Tesco
• spread of housing estates on the periphery
• smaller sub-communities
• weather not conducive to cycling
• Government policy – legislation
• bureaucratic inertia
• cultural history – post-colonial thinking
• capalist background
• denial