One Family is delighted to announce that we have been chosen as the Benefiting Charity for  Messiah, presented by the Culwick Choral Society. Click here for more details.

If you are a lone parent in need of help with career planning, One Family’s ‘New Futures’ course could change your life. It’s free and it starts in September for 14 weeks…. Read more »

Director of One Family, Karen Kiernan and EBS’s Aidan Power, awarded €1,000 to Edenmore Day Care Nursery, Dublin 5. All of the children who attend the nursery,  their parents and nursery staff took part in the ‘Big Night In’ campaign  run  by One Family and EBS to mark UN International Day of The Family and raise money for askonefamily, One Family’s national helpline. Edenmore Day Care Nursey submitted a photograph from their Messy play Day event and were randomly selected as the winners of the €1,000 prize money. One Family would like to thank everyone who joined with us in celebrating families this year.

Fair City actor, Dave Duffy, speaking at the launch of the Annual Report and Client Graduation.

Click here to see Dave speaking to the graduates of our 2010 courses.

On Monday’s edition of RTE’s Frontline, Karen Kiernan, Director of One Family spoke about the structure of the family, click here to view.

One Family welcomes the new Minister for Social Protection Minister Éamon Ó Cuív T.D’s efforts to improve the economic situation and social wellbeing of people in one-parent families. However they remain gravely concerned as to the whether the reforms of the One-Parent Family Payment as recently announced will result in improved outcomes for lone parents and their children.

Candy Murphy, One Family Policy & Research Manager said “Given current and projected very high levels of unemployment which are putting extreme pressure on our education and training systems coupled with the serious inadequacies in our childcare system, especially after-school care, we believe that the proposed changes will mostly result in the movement of lone parents from one welfare support to another.”

Read more »

Thanks to everyone who helped to make our Big Night In and International Day of the Family celebrations such a huge success – and especially to everyone at EBS who supported us so generously – and also to those who sent their photos in to enter the draw for €1000. Families and friends held all types of events – from barbecues and marathon games nights, to music and story telling evenings – all in aid of the askonefamily helpline which is there to lend a listening ear and to offer advice and support to lone parents at a time when they really need it.  We got tons of great press coverage – so thanks to everyone on that too – and look forward to making the Big Night In an annual event. Check out our Updates page for more…

One Family has been working for the past four years with the Department of Social Protection (formerly Social & Family Affairs) to influence how lone parents on social welfare should be engaged with and supported towards attaining sustainable employment.

We conducted the only national survey ever done of people on the One-Parent Family Payment (OFP) and we found that 84% are working, seeking work or in education or training. This means that there is a huge willingness on the part of lone parents on social welfare to improve their circumstances and to move into sustainable employment.  For the summary and full report see: 

http://onefamily.ie/wp-content/uploads/Lone-Parents-Employment-Report-Summary12.pdf

http://onefamily.ie/wp-content/uploads/Lone-Parents-Employment-Research-Full-Report2.pdf

One Family will continue to work to influence the legislation as we still believe that these measures should not be mandatory and that has always been our position. It would be very helpful to our future work if you could share your concerns and ideas with us about what supports you think the government should put in place should they proceed with these changes. Please contact us on 01 6629212 or email info@onefamily.ie

You may have heard in the media of the plans to change the One Parent Family Payment and this has prompted lots of calls to our helpline Askonefamily* as parents are concerned and confused about what these changes will mean for them and their children. To find out more about what the changes will mean for you, click here.

For recent media on the topic see below:

One Family Director Karen Kiernan on The Last Word with Mike Soden, Today FM 31 May http://www.todayfm.com/Shows/Weekdays/Matt-Cooper/listen.aspx and go to The Last Word 5pm hour Monday: 31/5/2010 , click on the second item on that day’s show

Sunday Times 31 May http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/ireland/article7140295.ece

Irish Independent 31 May http://www.independent.ie/national-news/fury-at-heartless-o-cuivs-plan-to-cut-loneparent-payments-2200541.html

Irish Independent 31 May http://www.independent.ie/national-news/fianna-fail-under-pressure-anger-over-cuts-to-welfare-2201180.html

We want to take this opportunity to thank all our marathon runners who participated in Monday’s Women’s Mini Marathon.

We really appreciate both your physical and fundraising efforts. Although it was a wet day the turn out was fantastic. Everyone made it to the finish line safely and a little soggy. Nothing a good cup of tea and a hot bath didn’t cure.  So thank you! Read more »

Quiz Night @ Odessa Club

13 Dame Court, Dublin 2

July 27 @ 7.45

€15 per person and 4 people to a team.

Call to book today: 01-6629212  or  email: aokeeffe@onefamily.ie

Loads of great prizes and always great craic. Great way to spend a Tuesday night, and all in a good cause.

After our last successful night in Odessa Club in April we are holding another brain busting night to keep all you quiz enthusiasts content. Please help to spread the word by letting your friends know about our charity night.

Proceeds in aid of our Askonefamily National Helpline 1890-66 22 12.  Check us out on Facebook.

At the launch of their 2009 Annual Report Karen Kiernan, One Family Director reported that the national askonefamily helpline recorded a 24% increase in calls in 2009 as a direct result of the recession. Click here for more

One Family, Ireland’s leading charity providing support services to people parenting alone and sharing parenting has a vacancy under the new FAS Work Placement Programme

Job Description

We are looking for a person to assist the Communications, Marketing and Fundraising departments. The teams are small and there is a lot of cross-over between them. At the end of the six or nine month placement the participant will have gained invaluable experience about branding, PR, event management, how to deal with the media, how to manage budgets and how to plan press campaigns and launches – and how to use Web 2.0 Technologies as communication/marketing tools.

Requirements

Excellent verbal and written communications skills. Enthusiastic, motivated and innovative. A self-starter with the ability to work in a team. Well-organised with excellent interpersonal skills.

Be proficient in Microsoft Word and Outlook

Have experience using website Content Management Systems (CMS) and knowledge of Web 2.0 technologies and their potential for marketing/ communications purposes.

Excellent and proven competencies in the design and updating of websites.

Have a qualification in either  IT or web design. Open to graduates who have attained, before 2009, a full award at level 7 or above on the National Framework of Qualifications and meet the FAS Work Placement Programme eligibility criteria.

How to Apply

Please visit www.fas.ie to check if you are eligible to apply for this placement. If you are eligible email comms@onefamily.ie or call 6629212 and talk to Hilary.  Or contact your local FÁS Employment Services Office or freephone 1800 611 116 to record your expression of interest in this placement by Friday 6 August 2010.