Connecting for Life - Cork
Together at the Castle mental health and wellbeing event returns to Mallow, September 2023
Cork Kerry Community Healthcare is proud to announce that the hugely successful 'Together at the Castle' mental health and wellbeing event returns to Mallow Castle on Sunday, September 10th from 1-5pm.
The free community event is open to all and sees Cork Kerry Community Healthcare continue its partnership with Mallow Chamber of Commerce, Cork County Council, Avondhu Blackwater Partnership, AIB, See Change and Shine. Together at the Castle will feature an array of entertainment, recreational activities, workshops and informational spaces provided by up to 50 local community groups and organisations. The event aims to foster a sense of community and raise awareness about the support services available for mental health and wellbeing.
For more information, contact Martin Ryan, HSE Resource Officer for suicide Prevention, martin.ryan8@hse.ie.
Traveller Mental Health Resources
This resource is an initiative developed by representatives of HSE Mental Health Services and the HSE Traveller Health Unit, Cork/ Kerry Community Healthcare, in collaboration with Traveller organisations across the Cork and Kerry region.
- Supporting Traveller Families' Mental Health. This resource seeks to support the wellbeing and mental health of Traveller families.
Experience of responding to Traveller child’s MH needs
Experience of responding to Traveller adolescent’s MH needs
You and Your Mental Health
You and Your Mental Health - A resource to support your mental health and wellbeing every day. From HSE Cork Kerry Community Healthcare.
Responding to Suicide
Responding to Suicide - A shared approach for Traveller Organisations and Health Services. From HSE Traveller Health Unit, Cork Kerry.
Get Active - Get Connected
Get Active, Get Connected - Community Health Month, September 2021. From Cork North Community Work Department.
Connecting for Life Cork Mental Health Supports Poster/Wallet card
Cork Youth Mental Health Resource Booklet
The Youth Mental Health Resource Booklet - a Connecting for Life Cork project - outlines the range of mental health supports available to young people in Cork city and county.
Newsletters
Connecting for Life Cork newsletter (March 2020)
Connecting for Life Cork newsletter (April 2019)
Connecting for Life Cork newsletter (November 2018)
Connecting for Life Cork newsletter (June 2018)
Connecting for Life Cork launch (July 2017)
Minister for Mental Health and Older People Jim Daly launched Connecting for Life Cork on Wednesday 26th July 2017. The launch took place at Millennium Hall, Cork City Hall and was attended by a large number of those involved in the drafting of the plan, including community and voluntary groups and members of the public from across Cork.
The four-year plan runs from 2017 to 2020 inclusive, and its vision is a Cork where fewer lives are lost through suicide, and where communities and individuals are empowered to improve their mental health and wellbeing.
The development of Connecting for Life Cork included extensive county-wide consultation with the public, community and voluntary organisations, public bodies and with health care professionals.
A total of 356 people took part in public meetings, with 700 comments and suggestions captured. As well as that, 50 people and 69 services responded to online surveys and another 40 people attended a separate youth consultation at City Hall, facilitated by ReachOut.com.
Meetings were also held with individuals and key groups directly affected by suicide. This extensive feedback then formed the basis for a set of 72 actions which are the backbone of the plan – a summary of some of those actions is included below. Work has already begun on implementing some of these actions. Suicide prevention work and training has also continued while work was underway on drafting the plan.
While the development of the plan was led by HSE Mental Health Services, it will be implemented by the entire community. Minister Jim Daly said:
"I am delighted to launch Connecting for Life Cork. This plan particularly recognises the critical role that communities and local structures play in suicide prevention, and reinforces and supports this role. The supports that can be given to vulnerable individuals from the community, such as social support, follow-up care, tackling stigma and supporting those bereaved by suicide, can make a crucial difference to a person in distress. This plan, tailored to Cork's specific needs, is a welcome addition to helping us care for our community effectively."
Head of Mental Health Services with the HSE’s Cork Kerry Community Healthcare Organisation Sinead Glennon said:
“This is a community issue and we need the entire community to be involved. That’s why the plan itself was developed in a collaborative way, with as much consultation as possible. Today that this is the beginning of the process, not the end – the real work begins now in implementing the plan and making it a reality. We look forward to working with everyone at the launch, and the wider community, in lifting this plan from the page into reality. I wish to pay tribute to the many people who have played a role in bringing this plan together. It’s important that this cross-community approach continues as the plan is implemented. We in the Community Healthcare Organisation look forward to working with all to implement this important plan."
Resource Officer for Suicide Prevention Martin Ryan said that the plan had been based on county-wide consultation, with great engagement from the public, communities, voluntary bodies and other agencies:
“This has led to a comprehensive action plan for Cork, with all agencies stepping forward to support in roles as lead agency or partner agency. This will mean that going forward for implementation we have a very strong platform and commitment from across the county.”
His comments were echoed by fellow Resource Officer for Suicide Prevention Helena Cogan:
“The implementation of the Connecting for life Cork, will seek to build upon the suicide prevention initiatives that the HSE, it’s partners and other organisations have been committed to for many years in Cork. And it is essential that people realise the importance of making it a priority to look after their own mental health and wellbeing and also be alert to the signs of distress in those around them, as the prevention of suicide is everyone’s business."
The Chief Executives of Cork City and County Councils have written forwards to the plan. Ann Doherty, the Chief Executive of Cork City Council said that she looks forward to continuing the work on a collaborative and systematic approach to suicide. The Chief Executive of Cork County Council Tim Lucey has pledged the County Council’s support in implemented the plan.
Key Actions of the Plan
- Raising awareness in schools of available youth mental health supports and services.
- Providing clubs in all sports with information on youth mental health, suicide prevention supports and services.
- Campaigns using the experience of local ambassadors to normalise positive attitudes to mental health and reduce stigma.
- Completing a review of annual festivals, fund days, park days, fun runs and similar events with a view to exploring options of collaboration with services relating to stigma reduction.
- Increase the uptake in Cork of training including SafeTALK, ASIST, Stress Control. Also increasing awareness in the community of those who are trained. Almost 10,000 Cork people have completed the half-day SafeTALK training in recent years.
- Delivering annual training and awareness programmes to staff and volunteers in agencies which have contact with vulnerable groups.
- The introduction of a mental health and wellbeing focus into parent and baby/toddler groups on a pilot basis.
- Providing information on supports and services to all religious groups.
- Establish a communication protocol between first responders eg Gardai and the HSE in the intermediate aftermath of deaths which are likely to be determined as suicide.
- Support and resource the needs of local GPs in the area of suicide prevention, especially in relation to training.
- Delivering targeting community workshops on positive mental health and wellbeing.
- Increase the number of schools in Cork who are part of the Healthy Ireland Health Promoting Schools Network and who are thereby taking a whole school approach to supporting mental health and wellbeing.
- Continued support for and development of the Suicide Crisis Assessment Nurse (SCAN) service across the city and county.
Consultation Process
An extensive consultation process was undertaken to develop the Connecting for Life Cork plan. Objectives of engagement in developing the Connecting for Life Cork Plan:
- To raise awareness of the plan, suicide prevention and good mental health, and to begin a public conversation that will support the way people think about suicide prevention and mental health.
- To gather the views of all people, groups and individuals, community and voluntary groups and statutory agencies throughout the county on how to reduce suicide and self-harm in the county, including the views of those not directly affected by the issue. This is achieved through various methods outlined in the plan.
- To get a view on the priority areas for action in reducing suicide and self-harm.
- To establish what is working and not working for people in maintaining good mental health.
- To establish what people see as the suicide and mental health supports available to them.
- To get views on what actions can be taken to improve mental wellbeing and coping skills for the people of Cork across the county.
- To get views on what is required for family, friends and the community after a completed suicide.
Workshops
As part of the process 12 workshops were held in North Lee, South Lee, West Cork and North Cork. Additional workshops were held for the Traveller and Ethnic Minority community (one workshop), the LGBT community and for young people. An online submission process was also conducted.
Find Support in Cork
Your local GP
Find a local family doctor (GP)
If it's late in the evening, night time or the weekend, you can contact a GP out of hours service.
SouthDoc (0818 355 999), from 6pm to 8am daily and from 1pm to 8am at weekends.
Hospital Emergency Services
You can contact the emergency services by calling 999 or 112 if you or someone else has harmed themselves or taken an overdose.
HSE Mental Health Services
If you have been (or are currently) supported by a mental health team, go to the Emergency Department or contact the service you are attending and ask for an appointment as soon as possible.
Listening Service
For confidential, non-judgemental support, the Samaritans are free to call, anytime day or night on 116 123 in the Republic of Ireland.
More Information
Visit yourmentalhealth.ie to search for supports in Cork, and information on what to do when someone tells you they are suicidal or at risk of self harm.
This page was last updated on 5th January 2021.
Related Files
