European Parliament adopts a report on the Situation of Single Mothers

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On 25 October the European Parliament approved an own initiative report on the situation of single mothers, to which Eurochild contributed together with its member organisation One Family. The report outlines that in 2001 85% of single parents were women aged 25-65 and that these women are statistically less educated than married counterparts, face higher level of unemployed, are underpaid, as well as suffer bad health and increased level of stress due to their fragile situation. The issue is particularly important not only because a number of single parent households in Europe is constantly increasing, but also because they are almost three times more likely to be at risk of poverty and social exclusion than couples with children. Read more

Our sincere sympathy to Leanne Kidd’s family & friends

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One Family would like to acknowledge the sad passing of our former colleague Leanne Kidd yesterday 25 October. Leanne was our first Keyworker and her positive energy and commitment helped many people move forward in their lives. We send condolences to her husband, family and many friends.

Please vote for One Family video

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We need your votes every day please between now and 11 November for a short video about Family Day which we have submitted for the Better Together Awards. If we get enough votes the video will go into the top ten and could win €3000 for One Family.

All you need to do is click this link http://bit.ly/pHtQQP and then choose the 5 star option ‘awesome’ each day. Every vote helps to support the work we do here for people who parent alone and share parenting and for our campaign to raise awareness of family diversity in Ireland. Thank you in advance!

Financial Services for the Community, Voluntary and Social Enterprise Sector

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Financial Management by people Who Understand You

One Family, Ireland’s leading organisation of one-parent families, recently started providing Financial Services to others in the Community, Voluntary & Social Enterprise Sector.

‘We saw a gap in the market where we could help other organizations similar to ourselves, no matter how small, with their financial management,’ explains Karen Kiernan, One Family Director, ‘We understand their legal and organisational structures and have the necessary expertise, skills, professional qualifications and experience – whihch means we can offer support to other organizations in a flexible and tailored way.’ Read more

Best Will in the World Week kicks off

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All this week One Family and 60 other  Irish charities are working together to raise public awareness of the importance of leaving charitable bequests in your will. Don’t forget to spread the word and, if appropriate, visit your local participating solicitor to have a will drawn up and leave a legacy to your favourite charity.  http://bit.ly/mWY4Eo

Please buy tickets for Handel’s Messiah, 23 & 24 Nov

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Messiah Performance in aid of One Family 23 & 24 November @ 8pm, St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin 8. Tickets Euro 28

One Family, Ireland’s leading organisation of one-parent families, is delighted to announce that it has been chosen as the benefiting charity for this year’s performances of Handel’s Messiah by the Culwick Choral Society. With performances on 23 and 24 November at St Patrick’s Cathedral, all proceeds will go towards the *askonefamily helpline for one-parent families.

Karen Kiernan, Director of One Family says, ‘Parenting is tough work, I know. But doing it all alone can be even harder. That’s where our *askonefamily helpline comes in. We offer support to all members of one-parent families in need of help, advice, information – or simply a listening ear. We have had a 20% increase in calls since the recession and are very thankful to Culwick for giving us this opportunity to raise funds for the helpline.’ Read more

86% success rate in One Families’ Marks and Starts programme

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13 out of 15 lone parents who completed One Families’ Marks and Starts getting back to work programme have been offered part-time seasonal contracts.

Marks & Start is funded by Marks & Spencer and offers participants a pre-employment training course, followed by a two-week work placement with one of the most respected high street names and on-going support from One Family towards achieving their goals.

Stuart Duffin, One Family Welfare to Work Manager explains ‘The lone parents who take part learn what they’ve got to offer employers and how to present themselves positively in applications and interviews. They find out about childcare and how they can make working a practical and beneficial option. It’s a great way for someone to get a confidence boost, a sense of direction and a new awareness of the help that’s on offer. The placement with Marks and Spencer proves to participants and future employers alike that lone parents can combine being a parent with paid work.’

The next programme of Marks and Start is due to start in 2012 – please contact sduffin@onefamily.ie if you’d like to know more.

Barnardos and One Family launch Child Contact Centres

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Barnardos and One Family are working together to develop a new service called a Child Contact Centre, which is a safe, friendly and neutral place where children can spend time with the parent/s they do not live with. We are now taking referrals for parents who want to use our new centres in Clondalkin and Ballymun. Referrals can come from families or professionals, but the child must live in the catchment area. For more information please see the documents below or for an initial referral contact 01 4032085 childcontact@barnardos.ie

Child Contact Centre Leaflet

Referral Form

Guidelines for Referrers

Supplementary Referral Information Form

 

Sign up to our Best Will in the World Week campaign

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Mr David Bell, the oldest practising solicitor in Ireland at 91 years, with grand daughter Emily Bell.

One Family is proud to be a member of My Legacy, where 60 Irish charities are working together to raise public awareness of the importance of leaving charitable bequests in your will. During our Best Will in the World Week, from Monday 17 to Friday 21 October 2011, we are encouraging members of the general public to visit a local participating solicitor to have a will drawn up or changed and to consider leaving a legacy to their favourite charity.

Karen Kiernan, One Family director, explains, ‘Through the Best Will in the World Week, you can get professional, impartial advice on your will for just €50, while also helping a favourite charity after you are gone.’

Leaving a legacy is a simple, wonderfully fulfilling experience and anyone can do it.  It does not matter how big or small the gift is – all contributions will make a lasting difference. For more information and to see a list of participating solicitors, please see www.mylegacy.ie

According to recent Irish research, only one in three Irish adults make a will. Furthermore only 12% of Irish people indicate that they have included a charity as a beneficiary in their will, despite the fact that 62% of Irish people say they would consider leaving a gift to charity in their will. Legacy donations are an extremely valuable source of unrestricted income to charities. However Irish charities only raise approximately 6% of their income from legacies which compares to up to 40% in the UK. Indeed, many Irish charities have never received a bequest.