TARGET started out as the ‘D13 Adult Education Group’ in 1993 when two local women responded to the demand for Adult Education courses in the area by forming an ad-hoc organizing group with the support of the Head Librarian in Donaghmede Library and the Community Officer of Dublin City Council. Initially, the group operated from Donaghmede House, offering four courses to sixty women in the first year. As news of the courses spread, the range of classes offered expanded and the number of participants also grew.
By 1993, Gerry McNamee came on Board as the Manager and the group was renamed TARGET and offered a total of 14 courses to offer 100 participants. By this stage, TARGET had moved to unused and derelict classrooms in St. Kevin’s School, provided by the Board of Management of the School. These rooms were totally refurbished by TARGET, for the provision of services by all people in the community.
In 1994 TARGET registered as a charity and in the same year, the crèche was opened to provide childcare facilities so that no parent would be excluded from attending a course due to child minding responsibility. 1995 saw the commencement of the FAS Community Employment Project.
In 1994 as a result of eight deaths by suicide the late Marie McNamee saw the need for a counselling service. The first intake of students (16) commenced with training in 1995. We then opened the doors with 6 students qualified in 1997. The service was then opened to the community as the students then had to complete an additional 100 hours of client work. This course is currently run over a 3 ½ year period.
Gerry is a retired Primary School Principal who has long experience of board membership in schools, and hopes that this experience will be found useful in supporting the ethos of TARGET and its commitment to the community. He greatly admires the dedication of the founding members of TARGET, and in this regard will work to contribute further in that tradition.
Robin Faughnan has been a serving member of An Garda Siochana working with the Special Crime Operations and is also Managing Director of Surent Ltd, which is a consultancy, training and education company. This experience has allowed Robin to work within a number of charities and NGO’s in Ireland and abroad over the past 20 years. Robin holds a Degree in Applied Policing from University of Limerick and a Master Degree in International Criminal Justice from Portsmouth University.
Brenda has been involved with TARGET since its foundation. Brenda has a long history of volunteering and involvement with community development in the Donaghmede area. These have included board membership in St Kevin’s and Holy Trinity schools as well as membership of Donaghmede Community Development Association.
Rob has extensive experience in financial services having worked in various roles for a number of multinational banks.
Using a partnership approach, to meet the broad lifelong learning needs of local adults within the Donaghmede area of North Dublin and its hinterland, particularly those who experience / have experienced difficulty with the formal education system, by supporting them to develop their personal, education and employment skills, and thereby enhance their quality of life’
“I never knew how to spell when it came to writing letters, I would write a card and put the simplest words I could spell. TARGET thank you for being there for me
“because if I didn’t meet you in TARGET when I did I don’t know where I would be but I do know I wouldn’t be going in the direction I am going. TARGET is needed in the community, it has saved many from going down a path of no return”
“I have been working at TARGET for a number of years and I absolutely love working here”
“TARGET counselling saved my life”
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