‘This is worse than anything we have ever seen’
It is a freezing December day, but inside this St Vincent de Paul-run facility, a warmth endures.
The flurry of activity as children run and race to grab a bite, paint, or get help with homework makes it instantly feel like a home from home.
And that’s exactly what it is.
For some children, the resource centre is the nearest to a homely environment they will experience. For others, it is somewhere safe and supervised while parents work. For all it is an inclusive, multicultural, and importantly, free service.
The centre first opened in 1991. It operates from early morning until the last child is taken home.
Primarily for low income families, but open to all, it has an ever-growing waiting list and runs a breakfast club, a mother and toddler group and an after school club.
“I love it here, I do my homework, I am with my friends, we watch DVDs, do cooking classes, sports and computers,” says 11-year-old Killian Gamble, one of 36 children who attend the after school club.
Childcare supervisor Liz O’Mahony firmly believes in the centre and the support it gives to families.
“We have children from all backgrounds here and that is why it works so well.
“Schools often don’t have the time to work with a child who needs extra attention, but we can do that here,” she added. “There is great interest in all of our sessions, but we are bursting at the seams here.”
For newcomers to the community — and they are still arriving according to Ms O’Mahony — the centre is a vital lifeline.
Not only does it provide childcare, it offers adult education, evening activities such as pilates, yoga and a retired ladies knitting group, a soccer club — all free or for a token payment of €2.
But if the centre is to extend its services, funding is needed to sustain it.
Concerns are mounting about what the new year will bring. The charity is looking for a €1.2 million Government grant to fund a much-needed new building as the “huge explosion” in the community demands an increase in services.
The resource centre, though, is only one facet of the support work done by the SVP in Carrigtwohill.
Across the road, its office operates as a drop-in centre of sorts for the community.
It is a one-stop shop and works in tandem with Fás, social welfare and community welfare officers, MABS, the VEC and others so that people can easily draw on any of then services housed in the same building.
And also the stigma, perhaps associated with going to the charity for help, is avoided, says Mary Carey, its local co-ordinator.
“People could be coming here for any number of reasons. It is a community centre of sorts,” said Ms Carey.
“It is not about brown envelopes and hand-outs. It’s about helping people to help themselves.
“We listen and guarantee confidentiality.”
She maintains the biggest problem facing people is the readjustment following the Celtic Tiger years.
People were given such false hope and were living beyond their means, she says.
They were sold a dream which was not based on reality.
“People are very deflated at the moment.
“It is all too much, this is worse than anything we have ever seen before.
“We are expecting to be completely bombarded after Christmas, and we don’t know how we are going to cope.”
Back in the sunny and chaotic environment of the after school club, these worries are not spoken of and do not enter into the equation.
The children here, for now, are blissfully unaware of hard times.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
