Women on the Streets of Dublin

Las Vegas, NV, October 18, 2009 --(PR.com)-- While there are over 111 people sleeping rough every night in Dublin there are thousands living in temporary emergency accommodation.

Ireland’s hidden homeless problem finds hope in Focus Ireland, one of the leading national charities offering housing and support services to people who are homeless or at risk of being homeless.

Although men make up the majority of the homeless population women are often part of the hidden homeless problem.

And yet, it was not until 1983 that Sr Stanislaus Kennedy conducted the first dedicated study of the issue of homeless women. The findings of research into the needs of homeless women in Dublin, prompted her to establish Focus Ireland.

“At the time there were no services for women and families who became homeless or any acknowledgement of the fact that there were women and families out of home,” Focus Ireland CEO Joyce Loughnan said. “Sr. Stanislaus who is now our Life President established the organization to research who was homeless and the reasons why to advocate for the state to provide appropriate services.”

In 1985, two years after the initial research Focus Point (now Focus Ireland) opened its doors in Eustace St. Dublin. The agency provided street work services to young people, advice, advocacy, information, help with finding a home and a warm, welcoming place to meet and have a low-cost meal.

“Through listening to the experiences of the women, the research team realized the importance of involving people who were experiencing or had experienced homelessness, in the development of services for people out-of-home,” Loughnan said.

Based on the firm belief that home is the foundation stone for anyone's quality of life, the organization is one of the leading national charities with a vision to contribute to ending long-term homelessness in the country.

Since its inception, Focus Ireland has continued to grow and expand its services. In 1988, it opened its first development of low rent, good quality long-term and short-term housing in Dublin. It now has additional housing and service projects in the city as well as housing developments in both Limerick and Waterford.

In view of the current recession, Loughnan cites dwindling funds to meet an ever-growing need for their services as the main challenge facing this charity.

“It is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain our services when revenue income from all sources is diminishing,” she said. “We really need to be delivering more to meet the existing demand, which is bound to amplify as the effect of the recession is felt.”

At this hour of need, Loughnan is looking forward to getting assistance through pro bono business coaching offered by Jane Hogan as a result of the Coaching for a Cause program.

"Focus Ireland welcomes the opportunity of being coached for a cause through this unique, global cause-related campaign,” Loughnan said.

Launched worldwide by ActionCOACH, Coaching for a Cause is a global pro bono coaching program, which is helping non-profits and charities from all walks of life raise an additional 2.5 million in donations over a six-month period. The program will run from October 1, 2009 through March 31, 2010 during which time coaching results in terms of donations raised will be displayed online. Top Business Coaches from all corners of the world have pledged to donate coaching hours; a combined value of $1.8 million.

Hogan, who is passionate about this cause, will donate on an average six hours a month for coaching Loughnan and her team.

“One of the reasons I love coaching Focus Ireland is because it empowers people, which is also one of my key values,” Hogan said. “They empower people by teaching them life and coping skills so they can settle in a home and sustain it as their own; providing housing so they can retain their dignity; and providing safe and supported accommodation with childcare for those who are not in a position to live independently yet.”

Through this coaching relationship, Loughnan expects to gain a new perspective and a structured framework with the potential of allowing them to review their approach and seek ways of becoming more effective.

“I think Coaching for a Cause is an admirable initiative and will globally help apply models that prove effective in the business sector to the nonprofit sector,” Loughnan said.

###