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Background

The Dóchas for Women project developed from an earlier project called Monaghan Human Development Project. The original aim of the project was the personal development of people towards wholeness.

An application for funding was made to the Department of Social Welfare in spring 1995. While awaiting the outcome of the application it was decided to apply for a Secretary/Outreach worker under the CE Scheme.

The appointment of a FÁS worker was approved and she carried out a door-to-door survey in the Monaghan urban area including three large local authority housing estates. The purpose of this survey was to discover what the community saw as their needs, what prevented them from meeting these needs themselves and to ascertain how the project could help. There was a demand for courses in personal development, assertiveness training, help with handling teenagers, computer skills, swimming, yoga, and relaxation. Obstacles to meet these needs were finance and adequate child-care facilities.

In December 1995 The Department of Social Welfare approved a grant of £2000.00 towards the cost of running courses etc. Office space was rented at 33 Park Street, a central location in the town and in the Spring/Summer 1996 a series of courses was provided on personal development, yoga, and bioenergetics. There was a small charge for the courses, concessions were available and an allowance was paid towards child minding costs. There were also recreational activities organised In March 1996 it was decided to adopt the new name of Dóchas (Irish for Hope) – Development of Community Holistic and Social. In the effort to further develop the organisation, an application for funding was made to Dr. Stephen’s Trust.

This application was successful, and funding was secured for 1998 and 1999. Meanwhile the EU Support Programme for Peace and Reconciliation was established, and an application was made for funding to employ a community development worker to carry out a programme of development work with women in the area.

In the summer 1996, following further discussions with ADM/CPA, regarding our application, the committee was further expanded to have greater representation from all sections of the community. We applied to the EU Support Programme for Peace and Reconciliation for £ 50,000.00 over two years, which was approved for the employment of a Community Development Worker and other running costs.

In November 1997 Ursula McKenna became our development worker. Following an evaluation of the project in 1999 further continuation funding was secured to the end of 2000. Ursula is now our coordinator and has been funded by the Department of CRGA from 2001 to date. We have a Charity Number, as we are a non-profit making organisation. One of the main achievements of Dóchas has been the development of the Counselling Service. Our Counsellors are trained in Person Centred non-directive Humanistic Counselling/Psychotherapy.

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