In May 1987 a Community Conference was held in Viewpark. Community issues were highlighted as being pre-five provision, housing, homelessness and youth provision. As a result of the conference an Area Liaison Committee (A.L.C) was formed. This committee consisted of representatives from Strathclyde regional council departments, local regional Councilors and six local community activists.
In 1989 parents from the woodlands area of Viewpark approached the A.L.C with a petition that showed support for a youth facility to be based within the area. As a result of this petition, a steering committee was set up to investigate this. The committee was successful in gaining the money from the divisional youth budget, with support from Community Education Service, to carry out a survey in order to asses the need for such a facility. A Detached Youth Work survey was carried out between April-June 1991 by 6 part-time workers and supported by 4 full-time professional workers. The conclusion to this survey was that there was a major gap in the youth provision for 12-25 year olds in the Viewpark area.
An Urban Aid funding application was drawn up and submitted in November 1991. Whilst awaiting the results of the application, the activists within the A.L.C began lobbying local councilors for support for the application. The application was successful at the first stages of the consideration and was passed onto the Scottish Office.
The following September the committee received confirmation that the application had been successfull and they would receive funding to build a purpose built youth facility in the Viewpark area. Under the supervision of the Community Education, community activists from the A.L.C formed the Focus Management Committee and began training in committee skills, management training, interview techniques and constitution writing. Adverts appeared in local and national press advertising post of project coordinator and the successful applicant was in post by June 1993.
With all professional and clerical staff in post by November 1993, building at last began. However even though the building was not complete, the detached element was initiated to ascertain the needs and aspirations of the local young people and to attract the centre’s clients.
The building was completed in February 1994 and the staff moved in. Young people anxious and eager to see what was happening were attending from the first week of opening. In May 1994 the Focus Youth Project was officially opened by Councilor Charles Hebenton J.P. and the rest, as they say, is history