Comtechsa: Projects: 2005-2006: Irish Community Care Merseyside

Projects: 2005-2006

Irish Community Care Merseyside

60 Duke Street, Liverpool L1 5AA

Service:
Feasibility Study

Project:
Exploring the possibility of moving operations to the ground floor of Comtechsa's building.

General Information:
ICCM provides help and support for people who are Irish or from an Irish background. Their aim is to identify and respond to the needs of Irish people throughout Merseyside and they currently provide the following services:
Welfare Benefits and Advice;
Help with doctor registration, housing applications, passport and birth certificates Weekly social support groups for older people;
Home, hospital and prison visits to help people overcome their isolation and improve access to services;
The Suaimhneas Project, working with Irish people who are homeless, living in hostels or rented accommodation. The project helps people to access local resources and seeks help for those with drug and mental health issues, and
Investigating the experiences of young Irish people in Merseyside and exploring issues of isolation, culture, racism and discrimination.
Work is currently underway to implement the recommendations of the report.

Clients Needs:
Irish Community Care was the first tenant to move into the refurbished top floors of 60 Duke Street in 1997.
Their operations have developed and grown such that they now deal with many people on a drop-in basis. Their location on the top floor is not well suited to this and the space the have does not include a proper waiting area, although they have colonised the circulation zone on the 3rd floor for this purpose.
There could be be benefits to ICCM and to all other users of 60 Duke Street from a move to the ground floor.

Funding:

Completion:
After considering the proposal, Comtechsa's Committee decided that the proposal would involve handing the job of reception for the whole building to ICCM. They considered that this was a function that should be kept within Comtechsa's own operations.
ICCM and Comtechsa continue to look for workable alternatives.