It’s Social Inclusion Week and according to Donegal County Council’s Chief Executive Seamus Neely “every week should be social inclusion week”.
Mr Neely was speaking at the launch of Social Inclusion Week at the Letterkenny Public Services Centre.
He said “Social Inclusion Week gives us the opportunity to promote and highlight the positive work that the public and community sectors are doing to reduce discrimination, poverty and social exclusion and to reflect on the challenges faced by vulnerable members of our community”.
Social Inclusion Week runs from 4th to 12th October and coincides with World Mental Health week.
On Friday 4 October the annual Connecting for Life Donegal Conference will take place in the Central Hotel in Donegal Town supported by the Alcohol Forum, the HSE and Donegal County Council and will focus on “Connecting the Dots” exploring the relationship between alcohol, self-harm and suicide.
Other events are organised throughout the county to raise awareness and promote positive mental health initiatives.
Donegal Road Safety Officer Brian O Donnell pictured with Shauna Hoey, Mary McBride and Hazel Russell at the Social Inclusion Week Launch in the Public services Offices in Letterkenny on Tuesday. Photo by Gerard McHugh.
Digital training for those who are interested in learning more about technology will be hosted by Donegal ETB and events highlighting how best to staying safe while banking will be hosted by Ulster Bank.
Ceol le Cheile, Donegal’s Intergenerational Choir will be visiting nursing homes across Donegal during Social Inclusion Week and this is part of the Donegal Age Friendly initiative.
The launch also provided an opportunity for Donegal student Rebeccah Prunty from Sligo IT to present her findings from research undertaken into the impact of Ceol le Cheile which was commissioned by the HSE.
Research found that Ceol le Chéile has had a huge impact on the members health and wellbeing and Rebeccah Prunty believes that it is important to capture this outcome so as to help shape the future of the choir and the possibility of further studies.
Donegal Road Safety Groups annual Road Safe Roadshows in the Aura Leisure Centre targeting 4th year and TY, ETB and Youthreach students will also take place during Social Inclusion Week on the 8th and 9th October.
Speaking at the launch Cllr Nicholas Crossan, Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council said “social inclusion is all about supporting people and creating opportunities for them to engage in all aspects of life. The 2019 Social Inclusion Week programme has a huge variety of events and there is something for all abilities and ages. It also highlights the significant and valuable level of work that is on-going at a local level in Donegal and includes many events being hosted by the Councils Social Inclusion Unit, Rannóg na Gaeilge, the Libraries and the County Museum.”
For more on what’s on during Social Inclusion Week visit www.donegalcoco.ie
Francis Conaghan and Maire Boyle pictured at the Donegal Age friendly stand at the Social Inclusion Week Launch in the Public Services Offices in Letterkenny on Tuesday. Photo by Gerard McHugh.
