In 1999, as part of the Government’s Partnership
2000 Programme, the Department of Social, Community & Family Affairs
pro-actively targeted a number of areas in the country for the development of
new Family Resource Centres. As part of this process Headford, Co. Galway was
identified as an area in which a Family Resource Centre was to be established.
During 2002, a series of meetings were organised by
West Training & Development with local community groups, activists and
statutory agencies to discuss the setting up of a Family Resource Centre in the
Headford area. This included meetings with key groups and individuals and a
number of more general public information meetings. Arising from this
consultation / information process a core group of local people volunteered to
work with West Training & Development to set about developing a 3-year
workplan for the Family Resource Centre. This entailed identifying the needs in
the local area that a FRC could address, outlining the aims and objectives for
the FRC and agreeing the key target groups that the Resource Centre would seek
to work with and support.
Solas opened to the public in September 2005
starting off with one office and a full-time Co-ordinator. In 2006 a part- time
administrator was appointed and made full – time in 2007. Due to its increased
success Solas Family Resource Centre moved to bigger premises on the Main
Street in Headford in August 2007, a big step up from their humble beginnings
in a small room in the Parish Hall so as to expand even more and provide more
services and supports to the community.
‘Solas’ means light which reflects the ethos of the
organisation. The centre is a Community run project and values the input of all
the people in the area on what issues need addressing.
The official launch of Solas Family Resource
Centre, Headford took place on Saturday 28th of June 2008. The launch was
performed by Michael Kitt TD Minister of State at the Department of
Environment, Heritage and Local Government (with special responsibility for
local services).
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