The Ballyhaunis Family Resource Centre was opened in 2004 and is based in the Friary House at St. Mary’s Abbey. The Family Resource Centre is focused on providing practical support, information and opportunities to all families and people in our community and works with other organisations and state agencies to improve the quality and range of services available in the Ballyhaunis Area.   2018 marked the fourteenth year for the Ballyhaunis Family Resource Centre, which continued to build and develop as a community organisation, improving the range of activities and opportunities provided from the Friary House at St. Mary’s Abbey along with strengthening the contact with our different communities and families throughout the town.     Purpose of the Family Resource Centre:   The Family Resource Centre aim to support and be of assistance to all people, families and community groups in our town, providing    1. information, advice and support to target groups and families in the area   2. practical assistance to community groups such as training, information and advice   3. education courses and training opportunities   4. childcare facilities    5. initiatives to enhance the role of young fathers in the lives of their children and in the life of the community   6. lone parents groups   7. women’s groups   8. after school clubs   9. parenting courses   10.  meeting point for various groups and services  e.g. CIC,  MABS etc     The National Family Resource Centre Programme:   Ballyhaunis Family Resource Centre is one of 107 Family Resource Centres (FRCs), funded by the Family Support Agency, located throughout Ireland.     The aim of the FRCs is to help combat disadvantage by supporting the functioning of the family unit.    FRC Centre's provide services and supports to families, lone parent families, men, women, youth, the elderly and others in need of support.   The emphasis is on the involvement of local communities in developing approaches to tackle the problems they face and on creating successful partnerships between the voluntary and statutory agencies in each area.    Family Resource Centres (FRCs) involve people from marginalised groups and areas of disadvantage at all levels of the project.   Each FRC is different and responds to the individual needs of the local community.    FRCs can act as a first step to community participation and social inclusion.    By giving those marginalised or living in poverty the opportunity to participate in the decision making which affects their lives, it can lead to improvements in their living standards and overall well-being.      The Community Pre-school caters for children aged over 3 years and 3 months providing a free Monday to Friday childcare service during school term time under the Governments National Free Preschool Year Scheme.  The Community Pre-school has proven extremely popular with local parents and the quality of the service provided by its dedicated staff which has been recognised at both County and National levels. The family resource centre now operates two childcare services in the town – with the other “Greater Tomorrow” service based in the Old Convent Asylum Accommodation Centre.    The two childcare services form part of a wider Family Support Project being delivered by the Ballyhaunis Family Resource Centre and HSE Early Childcare Services to support Asylum Seeker families living in the town and provide Integrated Childcare opportunities to all families in the community.     International Communities   With 36% of our local population coming from non Irish backgrounds, the Family Resource Centre continues its work with the International community in Ballyhaunis, improving contacts and working together to provide a mix of activities for children and families. The opening of the new Community Preschool at St. Mary’s Abbey has enabled children from all our communities in the town to share and learn together.   Outreach   The Family Resource Centre continues to provide an outreach office to Mayo Citizens Information who attend once per month to answer questions and help people find out about their entitlements and rights.  Vincent de Paul and AA both use the FRC office to hold their meetings and carry out their activities.   Volunteers & Partnership with the Community   A great deal of the work of the Family Resource Centre depends on the participation of Volunteers in both our management committee and in the activities themselves.   The Family Resource Centre is an active member of the Abbey Partnership, the Ballyhaunis Community Council, and Abbey Pattern Committee, contributing to the work of these organisations and taking an active part in their activities held in the town.   Board Members and Staff:   The Family Resource Centre is controlled by a board of directors made up of people living in the Ballyhaunis community, in 2011 the officers were;  Chairperson - Seamus Grogan, Secretary – Tracey McDermott, Treasurer – Manar Cherbatji.   A copy of the FRCs annual report is available to anyone interested, just call into the Friary House at St. Mary’s Abbey. The Staff are Stephen Grogan and Tracey McDermott in the Friary House along with childcare workers Patricia Kelly, Barbara Murphy, Liz Ward, Cliona Mulvaney, Helen Kiely Nicola Ryan and Maura O’Dowd.   Contact Details:   Stephen Grogan   Ballyhaunis Family & Community Resource Centre   The Friary House   St. Mary's Abbey   Ballyhaunis   County Mayo   Tel. 094 9630031 Email: ballyhaunisfrc@eircom.net