We are proud to say that One Family Director, Karen Kiernan, is a judge for the 2011 Chambers Ireland Corporate Social Responsibility Awards. These awards aim to recognise the work being carried out by companies in Ireland in helping to improve the lives of their employees and enhance the civic environment in which they operate. If you think that your company or a company you are familiar with should enter, invite them to apply here on or before 12pm, Thursday May 5th

Want a free make-over, or even a ‘make-under’? Parenting alone is tough on your wallet and leaves little money for luxuries which is where RTE’s ‘Off the Rails’ TV series can help you – they are looking for participants for their new series and will give you a free style revamp. Contact offtherails@rte.ie if you are interested.

One Family & EBS Building Society announce details of Free Family Day Picnic to be hosted in Iveagh Gardens on 15 May. Ray D’Arcy calls on people to celebrate families on 15 May to mark International Day of the Family.

International Day of the Family, on 15 May 2011, is an annual celebration of the diversity of families and family life across the world. Speaking today broadcaster Ray D’Arcy explained, “Mothers’ Day is for mums and Fathers’ Day is for dads but Family Day is for everyone to celebrate all types of families.” He added: “Everyone is so busy these days that family members don’t spend as much time together as they once did. Family Day aims to rectify this by simply encouraging families to have fun and spend more time together.” Ray D’Arcy was speaking at today’s  announcement that this year to mark International Day of Family – One Family and EBS Building Society will be hosting a Family Day Picnic in The Iveagh Gardens, Dublin 2. (more…)

We have just printed One Family Matters – our annual newsletter where we keep you up to date with the latest news affecting one-parent families and what we have been up to at One Family. Please download One Family Matters and pass on to anyone else who might be interested. Thanks!

Any lone parents interested in our ‘Marks & Start’ course at One Family which offers training and work placement? The programme gives a confidence boost, a sense of direction, purpose, and a new awareness of the help that is on offer to balance family life and work . Travel costs and meals are met. The programme gives participants experience of the retail sector and equips them for not only roles in M&S but with other companies by giving them a set of marketable skills. And, of course, gives them a reference from one of the most respected high street names.

The programme includes a FETAC level 3 accreditation. Dates: Training 10, 11, 12 and 13 May 2011  at 10am until 1.30pm

Probation work placement: 16 to 27 May 2011 For more information and an initial telephone interview contact Aisling Dunlea (adunlea@onefamily.ie) at 01 662 9212 Ext 23

Apprentice candidate Breffny Morgan wrote an incredibly moving and positive piece about being brought up in a one-parent family – his mum was a lone parent – it was in The Irish Independent – read it here and please spread the news Breffny Morgan on Single Parents

One Family Counselling Coordinator Sherie de Burgh talks about unplanned pregnancy and One Family’s crisis pregnancy services. Check out these links on ‘Unplanned Pregnancy?  Talking to a Counsellor can help’.

Unplanned Pregnancy

Unplanned Pregnancy: Support For Men

One Family and EBS want you to celebrate families on Family Day, Sunday 15 May 2011 – and be in with the chance to win €1000!

All you have to do is hold a family-themed event. If you are an organisation, think about story telling events, arts and crafts projects or talks. If you are a family, think outdoor games, treasure hunts or family X-Factor competitions. www.familyday.ie will soon be up and running with details of how to register your event, upload photos of it – and then be in with a chance of winning the €1000.

And/ or

Join us for the Family Day picnic in The Iveagh Gardens, Dublin 2, from 1-5pm, Sunday 15 May to enjoy our family entertainers, workshops and games – all free of charge. Bring your own picnic! www.familyday.ie will have more information and updates on what we have planned.

Tune into ‘My Dad’ on RTÉ radio 1 – this documentary lays bare the realities of single fatherhood, introducing three single or separated Dad’s as they tell us about their circumstances and how their role as parents has changed their lives.

RTÉ One Radio 19 March at 2 pm, repeated Sunday 20 March at 7.02pm. Available online at www.rte.ie/doconone

Reminder – a Census of Population will take place in Ireland on April 10 next and everyone who is in Ireland on that night must be included in the census. It is important for us all as a society that everyone is included and that correct information is collected. If you represent a group or community, it is also important that they themselves are included so that full account will be taken of them and their needs when decisions are being made for the future.

For further information and to see the answers to some of the most frequently

asked questions www.census.ie or call the CSO on 01-8951304.

Concerned about how to introduce a new partner to your kids? Read our advice here from One Family Childcare and Parenting coordinator, Ger Kelly Parenting Tips

This month’s Food & Wine has a great piece about the One Family food and wine fundraiser held in the RHA – it tells you how to make the irresistible, cost-effective canapés from Fallon & Byrne and suggests affordable Wolf Bass wines to compliment. Thanks to all involved!

Celebrate Family Day 2011 and be in with the chance to win €1000…

One Family and EBS Building Society invite you to celebrate families on Family Day, Sunday 15 May 2011. You can either

1. hold your own fun event – think arts and crafts projects, play days or story telling hours – and/or
2. join us for Family Day in The Iveagh Gardens, Dublin 2, from 1-5pm, Sunday 15 May to enjoy our family entertainers, workshops and games – all free of charge. Bring your own picnic!

www.familyday.ie will soon be up and running with details of how to register your event, upload photos of it – and then be in with a chance of winning €1000.

One Family’s election manifesto has been sent to all the political parties and we will keep you up-dated of any feedback. You can read our manifesto here

Please make one-parent families an issue in the election by asking canvassers these questions:

1 What will your party do in government to reduce the very high poverty rates experienced by one-parent families?

2 What are your views on the recent social welfare changes that require lone parents whose youngest child is over 14 to go on to Jobseekers Allowance rather than on the One-Parent Family Payment?

3 Do you believe that the definition of the family in the constitution should be changed? (Currently only the marital family is recognised in the Irish constitution). If not, why not?

For a more detailed list of ten questions and helpful up-to-date statistics on one-parent families see here

Karen Kiernan, One Family’s Director, will be giving a talk about collaborations and mergers at a WINSENT (Wales Ireland Network for Social Entrepreneurship) Networking Event at 6.30pm on Wednesday 2 March at Boston College, 42 St Stephens Green, Dublin 2. For Further information see www.winsent.eu

The kind people at Honest2Goodness Market are running a Charity Bring and Buy Sale on 26 Feb and 6 March in aid of One Family, at 136a Slaney Close, Dublin Industrial Estate, Glasnevin. It’s the perfect chance to do a spring clean, de-clutter your home – and let the proceeds go to a very good cause. Monies raised will also help Enable. See http://bit.ly/earw88

Listen back to One Family Director Karen Kiernan on The Last Word, Thursday 27 January, debating Prof Ed Walsh on lone parents, DNA testing, poverty and a whole lot more http://audiostore.todayfm.com/player/thursday.html Go to Part 2 and the debate starts at about 41 mins.

An intensive career and personal development initiative for lone parents is being launched in Galway today, to prevent those most in need from falling into long-term unemployment. ‘New Futures’ is a unique programme developed by One Family, funded through FAS and delivered in partnership with the Galway City Partnership. It is targeted at lone parents to allow them to receive the special tailored support that they need.

‘The underlying thinking behind ‘New Futures’ is the linking of all relevant services to help lone parents get back into the workforce,’ explains Karen Kiernan, Director of One Family, Ireland’s leading support organisation for people parenting alone. ‘Although there have been improvements in services offered through FAS and the Local Employment service, much more has to be done.’
(more…)

TV3’s Midweek is looking for people who parent alone, and who find themselves struggling since the budget cuts, to take part on their Weds 26 Jan show. Please call 087 6495710 if you are interested.

Parenting alone can be a costly business and leave little time for pampering yourself, but, RTE’s fashion series Off The Rails are looking for candidates. You get the makeover,  €500 worth of clothes and travel expenses – so it’s a great idea if you’re in a ‘New Year, New Me’ kind of mood.  Email offtherails@rte.ie Or see www.rte.ie/tv/offtherails