The St Patrick Community Resource Centre Governing Body, is undertaking an extensive consultation process with various community, voluntary and statutory organisations proactively engaged in delivering services to local people in Armagh, during the month of November.
The purpose of the consultation is to build upon the success of the Neighbourhood Renewal feasibility study and options appraisal on a proposed Community Resource Centre in the St Patrick’s Parochial Hall Armagh
The Governing Body is revisiting the proposal for a Community Resource Centre model and the potential role it may have in supporting the communities and their statutory partners in addressing community, economic, social and environmental issues.
The proposed Community Resource Centre would provide space for people living in the Armagh NR areas and other areas of Armagh City & District to access services (prevention, intervention and post-intervention), advice and help, in addition to providing a base for voluntary and statutory sector agencies to make their services more available to local people.
Core elements which may be provided from the proposed Community Resource Centre would include:
• Formal and Informal Education and Learning
• Health and Wellbeing Programmes and Services
• Facilitation of Social Economy Activity
• Support/services for Vulnerable Groups, including young people
Consultation with the Community and Stakeholders:
Central to the decision making in relation to the proposed Community Resource Centre shall be an extensive consultation process with various community, voluntary and statutory organisations proactively engaged in delivering services to local people in Armagh, who may have a role in the development and implementation of the Community Resource Centre project. 
The Governing Body want to revisit the consultation that was completed during the NR Feasibility Study and Options Appraisal of Dec 2012, establish if the need for such a facility still exists and seek local people’s views and priorities on what such a facility should provide. Based on the feedback, aspirations and priorities of local people, the production of an updated feasibility study document, setting out an evidence-based vision for the resource required.
The St Patrick Community Resource Centre Governing Body will facilitate the consultation process which will require the input of residents and community based organisations within the NR areas and wider city and district.
As part of the consultation a number of focus groups/workshops, interviews and public meetings are being hosted during November 2015 in Armagh.
The workshops/focus groups shall discuss local needs/facility requirements, look at potential provision ofservices/facilities, the benefits associated with such a facility, assess levels of future use (via an intention to use form) and articulate a set of aims/objectives for the proposed facility. The outputs from the workshops/focus groups shall inform a quantitative analysis of the prospective need/demand for the Community Resource Centre.
Louis O’ Neill Chairperson of the St Patrick Community Resource Centre Governing Body said: “I want to urge everyone to take part in the consultation and co-operate as fully as possible.
“The feedback from this consultation will be essential in producing a comprehensive needs based document for the proposed community resource centre which will assist in providing services that will build a better quality of life for everyone to enjoy within Armagh City and beyond.
“I hope that this project will meet all the necessary criteria for success and enable communities as a whole to benefit from a proper resource centre. There is an obvious need for such a centre and this is a real opportunity for local people to feed into plans that will help the future of their area.”
The St Patrick Community Resource Centre Governing Body welcomes and appreciates any comments/views which will assist in the development of a Community Resource Centre in Armagh.
It is hope that the feedback from the consultation process will reflect as much as possible the views and priorities of local people, community associations, statutory agencies and sporting organisations.
This is a very important exercise and the St Patrick Community Resource Centre Governing Body encourage all residents living in the City and District to participate as we want to hear as many views as possible.
The St Patrick Community Resource Centre Governing Body requires the overall process to be completed by the 30th Nov 2015.
If you are interested in becoming involved in the consultation process and would like to find out more please contact Stephen Field’s, Secretary, St Patrick’s Community Resource Centre Governing Body Tel: 07759949314Email: stpatscentre@gmail.com or any member of the St Patrick’s Community Resource Centre Governing Body, who are as follows, Fr Peter Mc Anenly, Art O’ Hagan, Sylvia Mc Roberts, Fiona Kelly, Nora Quigley and Cathy Rafferty
For further information please contact Stephen Field’s, Secretary, St Patrick’s Community Resource Centre Governing Body Tel: 07759949314 or Email:stpatscentre@gmail.com
