In 1998 the West Clare Resource Centre submitted a proposal for a Family Resource Centre to the department of Social, Community and Family Affairs and a steering group was formed, made up of committee members who resigned from the C.D.P. to go on the Family Resource Centre project team and Jim O' Brien, coordinator of the Mid West Community Development Support Agency.
Funding for the project was approved, and in July 1999 a part-ime area based support worker was employed by the Mid West Community Development Support Agency. The role of this worker was to establish good links with both local people and various groups working in Kilrush, carry out a needs assessments of the area, and along with the steering group, recruit the new management team for the Family Resource Centre. Alot of work was put into informing the local community about the plans for a Family Resource Centre for Kilrush, talking to people on a one to one basis and in small groups about what they would like to see at the centre, what they feel their needs are and how they feel they could be addressed.
The response from the local community was very positive, and many people expressed an intrest in being involved, either as part of the management team, or as volunteers when the Centre is up and running. A list of 16 people was drawn up by the proached and invited to get involved in the Management Team. The Commitee, which currently has nine members, underwent substantial training, which was facilitated by the area based support worker and the Mid West Community Development Support Agency.
The training included examing what is community development, the principles of the Community Development, Team building, groupe dynamics, community profiling, conflict resolution and well as vision work around what the team would like to see happen for the Family Resource Centre in the future. Since then the team has been busy working on their aims, vision and the compiling of this submission for funding.
Amongst the team there is a great shared vision for the Family Resource Centre and a strong commitment to work hard and support each other in making this plan for the Family resource Centre a reality and a success for the people of Kilrush.
