Consultant says Response to Two Focus Group Discussions at MacKay Centre was Excellent

by Bob Montgomery

WE-R-Strategic Consultant Maureen Cole says the two focus group discussions on a strategic plan for the future of the MacKay Centre in Goderich attracted about sixty people.

Cole says a lot of the people were from the Goderich area as well as from Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh. She says they wanted to hear what programs at the MacKay Centre people thought were running well and what they felt could be improved. She says everyone had very good ideas about what can be done, not just as a seniors group but how the seniors can help the youth. Cole says the seniors have a lot to offer and now have the time and the patience to talk to the young people about what they're doing and what challenges they might be facing.

Cole says they'll follow the focus groups with two meetings in March. “We're going to go over the analysis of the surveys and the feedback from the focus groups and then the board is going to set their priorities from what they've been told by the community.”

Cole says one of the priorities that will be close to the top of the list is getting their name out in the community and letting people know what they do, so communications is a priority. Cole says they were a bit surprised when they reached out to the community by the number of people that felt that the MacKay Centre should be a centre for everyone so they're hoping to build on that.