The Foyer Federation Quality Panel formally congratulated Cork Foyer in August 2010 on achieving their Quality Status Mark. Cork Foyer was one of the first Foyers to be selected by the Foyer Federation to undergo their newly introduced Quality Assurance Scheme, following its previous accreditation 2007.

The Foyer Status Mark is designed to assure ‘Foyerness’ as a process of transitional support and holistic development expressed through different service models with a common sense of identity and impact. The service is recognised as a Foyer by applying and benchmarking against Three Tests of ‘Foyerness’. These define the Focus, the Approach, and the Relationship, that underpin the Foyer process. The tests allow flexibility in how a service shapes and delivers its offer according to local need while, at the same time, emphasising the distinct values and ethos that has been at the heart of the Foyer Accreditation Scheme since 1998.

Young Peoples Feedback

Test One - The Foyer FOCUS meets the needs and goals of young people in transition.
Young people were clear about the purpose of the Foyer and their responsibility to engage in employment and training. All felt they received accurate information about the services, support and requirements of living in the Foyer. One resident was on her second stay and was grateful she had been given a second chance and now felt mature enough to respond to this.

The APPROACH makes a positive ‘offer’ of integrated skills, resources and opportunities accessible for young people.
Test Two - The young people were highly complimentary about the staff and services available in the Foyer.
They clearly felt a sense of belonging and identity with the project. The clients were comparable with the most deprived in any UK Foyer and their attitude spoke volumes about the quality of support they received in the Foyer.

Test Three -The RELATIONSHIP is based on a formal agreement between the young person, the service and the community, which is a condition of continued engagement.
Young people felt the rules were fairly applied and proportionately and have recently assisted with changes to the rules. They were very clear on the requirement to participate to maintain their licence agreement.

The robust validation process highlighted a number of areas the Foyer has demonstrated best practice and innovation, in addition to providing some development recommendations to consider when moving the Foyer forward.

“I would like to express my sincere appreciation and gratitude to the Foyer Board of Management, Chaired by Dave Cody, CEO Cork City Enterprise Board, the staff team lead by the Foyer Manager, Barry Waddingham and the residents themselves. Their undeterred commitment and vision has been invaluable and has contributed to the success of the Foyer enormously.”

Steven Kearney, Director of Housing, Cork City Council

A copy of the Cork Foyer 2009 Annual Report can be found on the Foyer’s website http://www.corkfoyer.ie/foyer/thefoyer/publications.shtml