Mission
Focus Ireland aims to advance the right of people-out-of-home to live in a place they call home through quality services, research, and advocacy.
Vision
Focus Ireland believes that every person has the right to a place they call home.
Objectives
The objectives of Focus Ireland are to:
- respond to the needs of people out-of-home and those at risk of becoming homeless, through a range of appropriate high quality services
- provide emergency transitional and long-term accommodation for people out-of-home
- campaign and lobby for the rights of people out-of-home and the prevention of homelessness
History
Focus Ireland was founded by Sr Stanislaus Kennedy as a result of the findings of research into the needs of homeless women in Dublin.
Through listening to the experiences of the women, the research team realised the importance of involving people who were experiencing or had experienced homelessness, in the development of services for people out-of-home.
In 1985, two years after the initial research Focus Point (now Focus Ireland) opened its doors in Eustace St, Dublin. The agency provided streetwork services to young people, advice, advocacy, information, help with finding a home and a warm and welcoming place to meet and have a low-cost meal.
Since 1985, Focus Ireland has continued to grow and expand its services. In 1988, the organisation opened its first development of low rent, good quality long-term and short-term housing in Dublin. Focus Ireland now has additional housing and service projects in Dublin as well as housing developments in both Limerick and Waterford.