Has Leitrim County Council received notification of any funding streams to deal with stress and mental health issues in the community as a result of the uncontrollable circumstances and uncertain future which the new unemployed find themselves in.
Minutes:
"Has Leitrim County Council received notification of any funding streams to deal with stress and mental health issues in the community as a result of the uncontrollable circumstances and uncertain future which the new unemployed find themselves in."
Report by Director of Services, Housing and Community, Corporate Services, Cultural and Emergency Services
"Leitrim County Council are leading the Leitrim Covid 19 Community Response Forum which involves all agencies including HSE, Health Service Executive, An Garda Síochána, Leitrim Development Company, Leitrim GAA, An Post, Leitrim PPN, Citizens Information , Alone, Local Link Donegal Sligo Leitrim, Leitrim Age Friendly Alliance, Leitrim Civil Defence, Leitrim Volunteer Centre and Leitrim International Community Group. Although there is no funding specifically for the unemployed, the Forum is running a series of Wellbeing Initiatives listed below. Funding is currently available to groups who are dealing with the frontline issues in relation to Covid 19.
LEITRIM COMMUNITY WELLBEING INITIATIVES – April 2020
· Through our Community Forum it has been identified that older or vulnerable persons are anxious about, or reluctant to attend, their GP for non COVID-19 medical issues. We have engaged with local radio media – Ocean FM and Shannonside FM -and both stations have agreed to cover this topic as a news item today (Monday 20th) or tomorrow in their mid morning news shows. Both radio stations have both recorded interviews GPs’ locally here in Leitrim on the topic. The aim of the news item is to assure people that it safe to attend their GO and to advise what practises and procedures are being put in place by GP’s to keep people safe when they attend their local GP clinic.
· The local newspaper – The Leitrim Observer – has also agreed to feature this as a news story this week in their edition.
· The Community Forum are developing a well being pack for older persons in the county including information under three themes;
· Leitrim Sports Partnership have developed a series of exercise programmes for all and are running these on social media as well as programming around mental health.
· Leitrim GAA plan to run a Stay Connected Programme around ‘Its Good to Talk GAA’
· Leitrim County Library staff has initiated online Story Telling events on social media as part of the Spring into StoryTime programme.
· The Library service are promoting the use of the Library online services such as Borrowbox for ebooks and audiobooks, RBdigital for comics and magazines, PressReader for newspapers.
· The Library Service are also working on a mini oral history project in conjunction with Leitrim County Council’s Heritage Office which involves children engaging with their grandparents.
· The Library Service are working in partnership with the Leitrim County Council’s Arts office in terms of a series of book discussions via Zoom which will engage reading groups/book clubs and other groups in the community e.g. Men’s Sheds etc around the county.
· In conjunction with the Leitrim Observer newspaper Leitrim County Council are holding a “2km picture challenge”. People are asked to take a photo of their locality or capture a scene they see from their garden or while taking some exercise. Photos will be printed in the local media and a exhibition of all photos will be held at a later date. A prize has been sponsored for the winning entry.
· Our Library services are actively promoting the services and are targeting new members to join online.
· Through contact with Bird Watch Ireland, we have prepared social media posts, asking people to engage with Bird Watch Ireland and report sightings of migratory birds in their locality. To further engage people with this we have posted posters of common garden birds and have challenged people to see how many common birds they can identify in their garden.
· The Library Service are working on the Creative Ireland project we are also working on in partnership with the Arts Office which involves working with Solas Art Gallery in Ballinamore.
· Leitrim County Council has developed a number of projects as part of its Creative Ireland programme following a call to artists entitled “Be Creative Be Healthy Be Connected”.
· Our Arts Office have facilitated a Creative Ireland project -Magnetise, lead by the artist Kate Wilson, based in Leitrim using the power of positivity and an online creative approach, It is a collaboration between six internationally based professional dance artists and two local community groups, WILL (Women Living Independently in Leitrim) and Creative Current Youth Dance.
· With Airc Damhsha Dance Club, director Edwina Guckian has produced a film featuring 41 young dancers from Leitrim, the surrounding counties and from New York dancing within 2km of their homes to The Bothy Band’s Farewell to Erin.
· Working with Active Age Groups, Mens Sheds and other isolated groups, the Leitrim County Council is coordinating readings and workshops with leading authors as a means of stimulating creativity and maintaining group contact and cohesion.
· Rabbits Riot Theatre Company are developing a virtual Sustainable Fashion Show with young people which will follow on from a series of online upcycling workshops led by designer Sonia Norris, theatre producer Treasa Nealon make-up artist Maresa McGovern.
· Artist Crona Gallagher is inviting children in Manorhamilton to ‘build their own wings’ via online workshops so they can virtually soar above todays challenging issues and gain a new and different perspective on them.
· Young members of Leitrim Down Syndrome Ireland group will be working with the artist Anna Leask to deliver a digital/photographic project that acknowledges the artistic capacity of children and young people with an intellectual disability, specifically Down Syndrome, and their family unit.
· The Dock has issued an open call to all young people in Leitrim and the surrounding areas to participate in a themed exhibition titled, NATURE NURTURE, working with established artists and curators on the work which will be exhibited in a virtual gallery of The Dock
· Also at The Dock ‘2Km, 3 Locations’ is an Art Project led by artists David Smith, Anna Leask, Wayne O Connor and Visual Arts & Education manager Laura Mahon for young people aged 14-19 involving the investigation of our 2km radii of our home settings and how we engage together at this time.
· At Leitrim Organic Centre artist Sarah Lundy is working with the Green shoots Playgroup via online workshops. The nature champion’s workshops will be made up of easy to access activities that will support children and families to create natural living art pieces focusing on what is available to them in their own garden.
· Artist Kate Wilson is working with Rossinver Community Centre through a series of online meet ups, workshops and video tutorials for 10-12yr olds in the Rossinver area taking participants on an exciting journey exploring their surrounding environment close up, as well as guiding them through practical techniques in drawing and art making."