Photo by Ethan Robertson on Unsplash
Hello SOS supporters, welcome back to another edition of the Connect Newsletter with Suicide or Survive.
In this Newsletter, you are going to hear some amazing stories from fundraisers & supporters, as well as have a look at some upcoming programmes.
Firstly, do not forget SOS are continuing to provide mental health webinars via online platform. We have a full schedule throughout June and all the details are below.
Then have a read of Paul Bishop’s campaign, he is going a year without beer. As he mentions in his story,
“It was becoming very much more a habit and escape than a treat and I felt I needed to set myself a target to achieve so that I could break the cycle I was falling into.” Paul has set himself a hard challenge, but he is already receiving so much support. Check out the article below for more information on how to support Paul.
The SOS team have put our heads together to bring you some simple and accessible tips for looking after your mental health. These are the top 5 wellness tips to use this summer, check them out below. What is your top tip for mental wellness? We would love to hear your thoughts – head over to our Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram to connect with us online.
Picture this: Croke Park, a sunny afternoon and you and your friends are about the abseil from the top of this iconic venue. Great fun and all in the name of charity – you couldn’t get a better day out. All the details on this new fundraising opportunity are below – we can’t wait for you to join us.
Lastly, you’ll have a chance to read about our upcoming mental health programmes which we will be brining to the community in the coming months, as well as what workplaces we’ve been working with to improve mental health awareness.
As we come into the summer months, remember to look after yourself, look after each other and don’t forget, you are never alone.
We hope you enjoy this edition of the Connect Newsletter and be sure to check out our website for more information on programmes, fundraisers, and support.
Aisling Farrell
and the SOS team.
Suicide or Survive continue to provide online, interactive and free mental health webinars, thanks to our amazing funders at the National Office for Suicide Prevention.
Throughout the month of June we have a range of topics from,
Hope
Resilience
Forgiveness
and more…
All of these webinars are approx. 45 minutes long and can be accessed on most devices: laptop, tablet and phone. All you need is a secure internet connection and ideally a quiet space to tune in.
To learn more please click here
PAUL BISHOP
People say I am funny, and being able to make people laugh is something that I am really proud of.
I love a night out, and the social aspect of meeting up with friends, catching up and most importantly, laughing.
But on my own,….
To read more of Paul’s story, click here
looking after your wellness this summer
1. Digital Detox – with all the negative news and pressures of social media, why not take a break from the digital world? Instead, take more time with yourself, go for long walks in nature, meditate, read, or work on a creative project.
2. Flexible Goal Setting – With all that has happened in the world recently, now more than ever, we know that setting goals can be hard and life throws you some curveballs. Having a long list of micro-goals to choose from, rather than one big all-or-nothing resolution, can be beneficial for overall wellness.
3. Fresh Air – It seems simple, because it is, that it often isnt easy. Finding the time to step away from the desk can be a challenge but it is so important. Getting some air can improve your blood pressure and heart rate, reduces stress and can give you a boost of energy.
4. Keep In Touch – Having a support system around you, whether that is friends, family, a community – it is so important and helps us to feel connected. This summer why not reach out to someone you haven’t spoken to in a while.
5.Ask for Help – None of us are superhuman, if things are becoming overwhelming and you feel like you are struggling, reach out to someone you trust. This could be a friend, family member, a GP. If you feel you need support for your mental health check out the HSE website www.yourmentalhealth.ie for a list of resources.
” A single thread of hope can hold you in this world and can guide you to soft landing”
Join SOS on Friday 27th August for a day you will never forget.
Experience the ultimate adrenalin rush – Abseil 150ft down Croke Park.
Don’t miss out on this unique team building fundraiser experience.
Contact Anthony@suicideorsurvive.ie for details to register
It is hard to believe we are approaching the halfway point in 2021 already. It has been an unusual year once again with the Covid-19 pandemic, but SOS continue to bring our mental health programmes to an online platform.
Our Wellness Webinars have been a good wellness tool to communities across the country, alongside these community workshops we have partnered with some amazing frontline organisations, such as CUMAS Project & Clondalkin Family Services, Bodywhys, YMCA Cork, IT Carlow Students’ Union, and the Irish Wheelchair Association to bring wellness tips, tools and techniques to their staff and service users. We are delighted to let you know that we will continue to host a variety of wellness topics by webinar, these bite sized wellness sessions are open to the public and are free of charge thanks to our amazing funders at the National Office for Suicide Prevention. So far this year, roughly 876 people have engaged with our webinars – thank you so much to all of you for your continued support, we look forward to welcoming you on future webinars this summer.
Our WRAP Seminar 1 programme continues via an online platform and we have seen 171 people come through this programme since January. Alongside programmes run to the general public we have also delivered WRAP to frontline workers in Festina Lente in Bray, KARE Kildare, Good Shepherd Cork and Meath Wellness Hub. We will bring even more WRAP programmes to the public in the latter half of this year, and we cannot wait to see you there.
Our Supporters programme also continues and we have seen 44 people attend this via an online platform, we look forward to hosting another programme in June and have had the pleasure to partner with the Irish Wheelchair Association to deliver this programme to their teams.
Our flagship Eden programme is in its 16th year in Dublin and continues to support those who are struggling with suicidal thoughts and feelings. It runs once a week for 6months – January to June. This programme is run in Dublin with SOS and in the West with the HSE. Our Dublin group has 11 wonderful people on board this year and we are so glad to be able to continue to support those who need us throughout this unusual time of Covid-19.
Don’t forget SOS provide online and free Wellness websites at www.wellnessworkshop.ie (18+) and www.youmatter.ie (youth). To date 550 people have accessed the wellness workshop and 284 young people have accessed You Matter. This is a free and accessible resource, so please do share this with anyone who might be interested. There is PDFs to download, videos and tools to use for your wellness.
Lastly, we have our Corporate Workplace Wellness workshops, SOS are proud to partner with organisations to bring in mental health programmes to their managers and staff members. We have a full suite of programmes available, and you can learn more at https://suicideorsurvive.ie/corporate-wellness/
This year we have worked with the likes of; Bank of Ireland, Sky, HPRA, PayPal, Ernst and Young, Xilinx Europe branch, Bus Eireann, Amneal Pharmaceuticals, Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, and the Irish Wheelchair Association.
If you would like to know more about our programmes, or bringing these to your workplace please contact Catherine@suicideorsurvive.ie or call us on 01 272 2158
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