Galway City COVID-19 Community Call Helpline - read here
Reminder: Support for the Older People - read here
Don't forget!
If you have information to share with other groups and organisations in Galway City, members of GCCN, please drop us a quick email at communications@gccn.ie.
Thank you!
GCCN would like to keep all members updated on the ongoing GCCN work and activities through the means of a report shared with the newsletter on a monthly basis. Please read here the October report.
The Joint Committee on Disability Matters is looking for submissions from interested groups or individuals to hear about the lived experience of people with disabilities on the issues that affect them and their families and/or carers.
REMINDER
Healthy Ireland Community Mental Health Fund Small Grants Scheme Closing Date: 5pm, Friday 6th November 2020
A reminder that the Healthy Ireland Community Mental Health Fund Small Grants Scheme is open for applications. Galway City Council through the Local Community Development Committee (LCDC) are inviting applications for funding from interested local community, voluntary and sporting organisations within the Galway City administrative area to deliver on actions or projects which are in line with the Mental Health theme of Healthy Ireland Round 3. The Scheme offers small grants for projects with a minimum spend of €2,000 and up to a maximum of €5,000 per project. Applications must be completed online at www.galwaycity.ie/mentalhealthgrant noting that the closing date for applications is Friday 6th November 2020 at 5.00pm.
REMINDER
Galway City Council Sports Club Grant 2020 and Minority Sports and Physical Activity Programme Fund Closing Date: 4pm, 13th November 2020
Please see below the two links for current City Council funding programmes for Sports clubs and community groups.
There are two funds; Sports Club Grant Scheme 2020 and the Minority Sports and Physical Activity Funding.
Sports Club Grant 2020 (€130,000); https://www.galwaycity.ie/askgcc/index.php/425889?lang=en
Similar to previous years this grant is to support clubs in the city to deliver physical activity. One slight change from previous is the mandatory requirement to have a minimum 30% of application for coach development. Applications for coach development and sustainability will be given preference in the adjudication process. Maximum allocation per club: €3,500
Minority Sports & Physical Activity Programme Funding (€22,000) https://www.galwaycity.ie/askgcc/index.php/835965?lang=en
This is a new fund to promote minority sports and physical activities. This is open to clubs and community groups to promote physical activity. Maximum allocation per club, organisation or group; €3,000
Closing date for applications for both grants is 4pm, 13th November 2020.
If you have any questions in relation to this please do not hesitate to contact Jason Craughwell, Galway Sport Partnership by phone to 091 536459 / 087 9817549 or by email to Jason.Craughwell@galwaycity.ie.
Download files below:
Compassion For Your Mental Health AMACH! LGBT Galway
AMACH! LGBT Galway are hosting psycho-educational workshops to build the capacity of members of the LGBT+ community to cope with the discrimination, isolation and harassment that they experience and, as a result, poor mental health outcomes. The workshops will offer a space for participants to learn about and discuss well-being issues; to reflect on difficulties that might be affecting their well-being and to practice some psychological coping techniques.
When: Wednesdays, 7pm-8pm, starting Wednesday 4th November Duration: 6 weeks Where: Online via Zoom
The workshops will be facilitated by Dr. Ger McNamara. Ger is a Clinical Psychologist working in adult mental health. She has a special interest in LGBTQ+ affirmative therapy, both in clinical practice and research. For further details and to register, please contact: coordinatoramachgalway@gmail.com
Authorship and Representation in Collaborative Filmmaking Workshop 19th November
Filmmaking is inherently a collaborative endeavour, yet authorship is firmly situated with the director. In filmmaking processes with community participants, where content is generated together, questions of authorship are more fluid. How do artists negotiate the ethical question of representation while managing aesthetic considerations within a collective process?
When: 19th November, 10am - 1pm.
Further info: here
The Authorship and Representation in Collaborative Filmmaking Workshop is an intimate event (maximum 10 attendees), delivered by artist Anthony Haughey. It will examine questions of authorship and representation in community-based filmmaking, facilitating group-wide discussion and sharing of the topics covered. Participants should have a project (in any art form) in mind to enable full participation. Access to the internet is required. This workshop is delivered in partnership with Sligo County Council Arts Service (Invitation to Collaboration Scheme).
Please see below the timetable for the online Stress Control Programme which will begin on Monday 2nd November. Sessions are available for 48 hours after the first broadcast. Visit stresscontrol.ie for more information.
Independent Living Movement Ireland have launched a new six week Galway Community Platform. This programme, which was funded by Galway City Council through Galway Activism and ILMI aims to provide disabled people with access to information about the range of supports and services available to them during the pandemic. Each week has a theme and a guest speaker to provide the group with further information on that topic. It includes:
Community Support (Took place this week and we had a speaker from the COVID response unit in Galway LA)
Your Rights and Entitlements
Minding your emotional wellbeing (2 session)
The importance of exercise to our mental health
Managing your finances in a digital age
Maintaining your connections during the pandemic.
This event is free to attend and takes place every Tuesday morning at 11am for 5 more weeks.
If you would like to link into this new Galway Connection opportunity then just email Susan on susanobrien@ilmi.ie or give her a call on 0861712648. If you are new to Zoom the ILMI staff will work with you to get you up to speed so please don't let that put you off joining.
New dates have been added to the Living Well programme (formerly known as Self Care to Wellness in Community Healthcare West) for November and December.
Please see the new poster here and the brochure here with details of all the upcoming programmes.
Living Well is a recognised self-management support programme, based on the evidence-based Stanford model. This programme is free of charge and available to adults living with any long-term health condition or someone who is caring for a person with a long-term health condition.
The aim of the programme is to equip and empower adults with practical skills (setting goals, action planning, problem-solving) and confidence, so they can manage their health condition better.
Please note, one-to-one training will be given to any participants who need additional supports to get online.
To hear more about the programme click here to view the YouTube launch video.
The launch video features a programme participant and a programme facilitator and should give you a real sense of the programme.
More information on the programme can be found on the following link: www.hse.ie/LivingWell
Older Adults Home Exercise Plan Available for Distribution Upon Request
Galway Sports Partnership in association with Sport Ireland and the national network of Local Sports Partnerships have developed the Older Adults Home Exercise Plan available in pdf in English here and in Irish here.
This is a 4-week home exercise initiative for Older Adults of all abilities. Over a 4-week period, the guidelines are to try and reach the minimum of 30 minutes of daily physical activity, as recommended in Ireland’s National Physical Activity Plan.
Galway Sports Partnership have printed the document (A4) and will send them out to anyone who requires them. Contact Jason.Craughwell@galwaycity.ie if you, your organisation or a group/individual require 1, 10 or 100 of these.
On Thursday, October 29th the Government launched the “Keep Well” campaign which aims to support people and communities to mind their physical and mental health over the coming months.
The “Keep Well” campaign is aimed at showing people of all ages how we can mind our own physical and mental health and wellbeing by adding healthy and helpful habits to our daily and weekly routines. It will provide guidelines, information, and tips on things that will help us keep well through the coming months. All of this will be available on gov.ie/healthyireland. Find further details here.
On Tuesday, 27th October, the 7th annual Healthy Ireland Survey was launched. Letters will be issued to randomly selected households across the nation, inviting them to take part in the Healthy Ireland Survey, 2020-2021. The letters ask those selected to call the Survey number and to complete a questionnaire by telephone.
Survey participants are asked about their views and behaviours regarding a wide range of health-related issues, such as smoking, alcohol consumption, diet and nutrition, the ways in which they use different health services and other topics relevant to health and our health services.
The Healthy Ireland Survey is conducted as part of Healthy Ireland, the National Framework for action to improve health and wellbeing of people living in Ireland. Healthy Ireland’s vision is one where everyone can enjoy physical and mental health and wellbeing to their full potential. Find further details here.
The COVID Bubbles campaign was launched on Tuesday 20th October. You may have already seen this campaign in advertisements across various social media sites. This campaign creates a strong visual reminder of the protection we gain by following the public health guidelines and the potential for us to lose that protection when we do not adhere to the guidelines. This campaign is aimed primarily at 15 – 24-year-olds but has a message for the entire population.
See a pdf version here and power-point version here of the HSE COVID Bubbles Campaign Information Pack for your information.
Please share this with your groups, networks and across your Social media platforms.
Self-isolation and Restricting your Movements
You can find the most up to date information on self-isolation here, including a new video on how to self-isolate from the Chief Medical Officer, Dr Tony Holohan.
You can watch also a new video from the Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr Heather Burns on what it means to restrict your movements here.
COVID-19 Guidance for Older People and Others at Risk of Severe Disease on Reducing Risk of COVID-19 Infection#The guide, developed in consultation with Alone, SAGE and the National Care Alliance, is for people who live in the community and for those who help them if and when they need help. You can download the guide here.
COVID-19 Guidance on Visitations to Long Term Residential Care Facilities
This guidance is for visiting people who live in residential care facilities such as nursing homes, HSE long term facilities etc. You can download the guide here.
COVID-19 Guidance on Visitations to Inpatient Areas of Acute Hospitals including Children’s Hospitals, Rehabilitation Services and Other Healthcare Settings Providing a Similar Intensity of Care
This guidance is for visiting inpatients in acute services. You can download the guide here.
COVID-19 Guidance on Visits to and from Community Housing Units for People with Disabilities
This new guidance outlines an approach based on a risk assessment to address visiting residents and also visits from residents to their family homes (or similar setting). You can download the guide here.
Flu Vaccine for Children aged 2-12 years
This autumn, children aged 2-12 years, will be offered the flu vaccine free of charge. Children carry the flu virus in their system longer than adults do and they can spread the flu easily to others. If enough children are vaccinated against the flu, fewer children and adults will need to see their doctor or need treatment in hospital because of the flu. This is very important for our health services especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The campaign encourages parents to book a free flu vaccine appointment with their GP or Pharmacist for their child/children. The ads will appear nationwide across radio, TV, video on demand, print, digital and social. Please find attached a campaign partner pack from the HSE with details, including how you can help share the campaign messages.
Public Health Information
As always, for the most up to date information and advice on Coronavirus, please go to: https://www.gov.ie/en/campaigns/c36c85-covid-19-coronavirus/. Clinical and professional guidance relating to COVID-19 is available on www.hpsc.ie where you’ll find up to date guidance for healthcare settings and non-clinical settings.
Please also check here for the most up to date partner resources for COVID-19.
FINAL REMINDER
Galway City And County COVID Survey How has COVID-19 impacted your organisation?
The last 6 months have been an incredible challenge to all of us in all aspects of our lives. It has been particularly challenging for many groups and organisations in the community, voluntary and environmental sectors that work to provide a vast range of services to all sections of society and marginalised communities.
We would really appreciate it if you could take a little time to complete a short survey that we have developed to get a better picture of your organisation’s experience over the last 6 months and your needs in the future. Please complete the survey herebefore the 30th of October.Galway City Community Network, Galway Volunteer Centre, Galway City Partnership, Galway Rural Development, Forum Connemara and Galway County Public Participation Network are working together to develop a better understanding of the challenges that organisations like yours are facing in continuing their vital work.
Galway City Community Call Helpline remains available from 9.00am - 5.00pm, seven days a week, for those who are cocooning or may be vulnerable and need help getting access to essential supplies.
With the winter months approaching, we would like to share once again some of the main helplines for older people to access, especially during the ongoing COVID-19 alert.
Galway City COVID-19 Community Call Helpline: 1800 400 150
COPE Galway Helpline: 085 87 67 785
Alone Helpline: 0818 222 024
Senior Line: 1800 804 591
We highly encourage you to share these numbers with any older person you know.