Muintir na Tíre & Sligo Lend a Hand

“Welcomes Healthy Ireland funding in support of a digital connection project.”

Over the coming months the Muintir na Tíre and Sligo Lend a Hand will work with the Sligo Local Community Development Committee’s (LCDC) Healthy Ireland Programme on rolling out an exciting digital project. The project is funded through Sligo LCDC’s Healthy Ireland Programme based in Sligo County Council and will support communities to digitally connect individuals to reduce threats to health and wellbeing. Vanessa Clarke of Muintir na Tíre is excited about rolling out the Project and working closely with the LCDC’s Healthy Ireland Coordinator Marcella Mc Garry on this exciting new venture.

Staying Connected is one of five main themes in the recently launched Government of Ireland “Keep Well” campaign.

The project is unique in that it will provide one to one digital training for individuals. This project was designed with Covid in mind and will be able to continue during covid restrictions, with a strong emphasis on reducing isolation through increased use of technology alongside local radio and social media. Staying connected during this pandemic is very important and with the existing network of Community Alert groups in the county this project can identify those in our communities who live alone. Traditionally local support organizations would at this time of year maintain connections engaging service providers and agencies to deliver information at local seminars and social events. This project is about encouraging connection and information delivery via different media and devices.

It is however critically important for individuals and groups to make and maintain connections and to do so safely and in a manner which contributes to a greater feeling of wellbeing.

On Mondays over five weeks at 10.30am on OCEAN FM’s North West today programme Muintir na Tíre with other key partners will chat about how individuals can make and keep connections and what groups can do to make connections locally. It will also look at the supports that are available to support both of these actions. Podcasts with supporting information and contact details will be available on www.sligolendahand.ie and www.muintir.ie. Hard copy information packs will be available mid-December for distribution to those who are not yet online.

In January 2021 a programme of one to one training on the use of connectivity devices will commence, so watch this space.

Speaking at the launch Cathaoirleach Cllr Dara Mulvey LCDC Chairperson welcomed this project and commented that “ at this point in time where connectivity is so important to preserve health and wellbeing, it is exactly the type of project that can make a real difference to the lives of those living alone.

PODCASTS

Podcast (1) Connecting People and Personal Alarms featuring Vanessa Clarke (Muintir na Tíre)

Podcast (2) Friendly Call Services and National Helplines featuring Vanessa Clarke (Muintir na Tíre) & Frances Brown (Alone, Donegal)

Podcast (3) Personal Safety featuring Vanessa Clarke (Muintir na Tíre) and Sgt. Cara Kiernan, Crime Prevention Officer (Sligo Leitrim Division)