New Connections

 

Louth Volunteer Centre was successful in receiving funding from Mental Health Ireland to facilitate a new project which we have titled - "New Connections." The team was excited to launch the project last May as part of our National Volunteering Week celebrations. 

The aim of New Connections is to break down barriers to volunteering for a targeted cohort and therefore increase participation in volunteering among these groups. Volunteering is known to have a multitude of benefits to individuals, as well as their communities, including but not limited to mental and physical wellbeing benefits. The feedback after the programmes conclusion proved to be positive growing the community wide engagement.

A core part of this project needs to focus on building capacity within organisations to involve individuals with, or at risk of developing, mental health difficulties. It has been the experiences of Louth Volunteer Centre that certain cohorts of potential volunteers can find it difficult to secure volunteer roles.

Louth Volunteer Centre chose three groups to work with, that they feel will really benefit from what ‘New Connections’ has to offer;

• Adults with intellectual disabilities
• People recovering from addiction and
• Young Adults who have been through Garda diversion programs. 

Louth Volunteer Centre has succesfully espoused organisations that would be interested in undertaking training as Inclusion Officers to act as the point of contact for volunteers that need additional support.

Louth Volunteer Centre has also provided training and support to organisations to ensure that participanted organisations have recieved appropriate training and policies in place to allow for greater inclusion of people with, or at risk of developing mental health difficulties.