Galway City Community Network
The Public Participation Network in Galway City

Read more

Stress Control Programme Online

HSE Health and Wellbeing are offering a free Stress Control programme online via Stresscontrol.org from the 13th April. Stress Control is an evidence-based programme that teaches you practical skills to deal with stress.

The programme helps participants recognise the signs of stress. It covers topics including how stress affects our bodies and our thoughts. It teaches skills to overcome panicky feelings and tips to getting a good night’s sleep.

How to Participate
Click Stresscontrol.org and follow instructions about how to ‘Subscribe’  to Stress Control’s YouTube page.

You will then receive notifications when a new session is available.  You can also follow this link: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_BKErJ_jlSQHKFtHPCRmEctDtcNCCowB

Content and Dates
There are six free 90 minutes sessions available to the public. Each session will play twice a day (at 2pm and repeated at 8.30 pm) on Mondays and Thursdays beginning on the 13^th April and will be led by Dr Jim White, consultant clinical psychologist. Participants are encouraged to watch all sessions.
The six sessions will cover different topics as follows:

---

Session	Date	1st Showing	Repeated
1: What is stress?	Mon, 13th April	2 – 3.30pm	8.30 – 10pm
2: Controlling your body	Thurs, 16th April	2 – 3.30pm	8.30 – 10pm
3: Controlling your thoughts	Mon 20th April	2 – 3.30pm	8.30 – 10pm
4: Controlling your actions	Thurs, 23rd April	2 – 3.30pm	8.30 – 10pm
5: Controlling panicky feelings Getting good night’s sleep	Mon, 27th April	2 – 3.30pm	8.30 – 10pm
6: Boosting your wellbeing Tying it all together Controlling your future	Thurs, 30th April	2 – 3.30pm	8.30 – 10pm

---

• See HSE website for the outline of the programme here.
• See outline of various supports provided by HSE Mental Health at this time here.
• Download the Stress Control Briefing Note here.

Back to top

Getting Through COVID-19 Together

The Department of Health and HSE, in collaboration with a range of cross-Government partners, have launched a mental health and wellbeing initiative that offers support and resources to help deal with the stress, anxiety and isolation currently experienced by many in Ireland during COVID-19.
Gov.ie/together is a new online resource that will offer advice to help people cope at home and that will promote the mental health supports and resources available on the HSE’s  YourMentalHealth.ie. Also, extra support is available in this period on the phone or online.

Back to top

A major new TV, Radio and Social Media Campaign tackling the serious issue of domestic violence in the context of COVID-19 measures was launched on April 15th. The campaign seeks to reassure victims that services are ‘still here’, and that victims are being prioritised.

---

It is important to know that the 2km restrictions on movement do not apply to a person escaping from a risk of harm or seeking to access essential services.

---

• Read more here 
• Watch the campaign here
• Information on services and supports for victims is now available on a new website www.stillhere.ie

How to Keep Focused and Motivated
Working From Home During COVID-19

Charities Careers Ireland CCI have put together a list of tips on how to keep focused and motivated and how to maintain your wellbeing while working from home during Covid-19.
Read more here.

Guidelines to Help Parents Parenting Alone
 

One Family have put together a series of guidelines to help parents parenting alone during COVID-19.

 

 

#ImagineNation
Free Playbook

An Post partnered with Children’s Books Ireland to launch the ‘ImagineNation’ playbook, encouraging kids across Ireland to get creative during the COVID-19 alert.

Top artists like the legendary Don Conroy, Niall Breslin, Sarah Crossan, Sheena Dempsey and many more have all contributed to the 24-page book, filled with activities including drawing, writing and mindfulness exercises.
Download the playbook here.

Mortgage Payment Break for Local Authority Borrowers
 

The Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Mr. Eoghan Murphy TD confirmed on April 14th that forbearance arrangements have been put in place for local authority mortgage products. Read more here.
Galway City Council loan customers can apply for a Mortgage Payment Break of up to three months, under the COVID-19 emergency measures, if they have experienced a reduction (or anticipate suffering a reduction) in income arising from the COVID-19 emergency, and will be unable to make repayments on their home loan. Read more here.

Increased Supports from Telecoms Providers during COVID-19
 

The Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment Richard Bruton T.D. announced on April 15th that all major telecoms providers have committed to a number of measures to help people stay in touch and work from home during COVID-19. The providers that signed up include BT Ireland, eir, Pure Telecom, Sky Ireland, Tesco Mobile Ireland, Three Ireland, Virgin Media Ireland and Vodafone. Read more here.

 

Further COVID-19 Supports for Direct Provision Residents 
 

Update to the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme
 

An update to the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme was announced on April 15th, 2020 to ensure greater staff retention and links between employer and employee. Read more here.

eWorking and Home Workers Tax Relief
 

Did you know you can claim tax relief if you work from home?
As a result of the Covid-19 crisis thousands of people have been asked to work from home, many of whom will never have operated from home up to now, and are likely to be unaware that they can claim a special tax relief called E-Worker Relief. Read more on the Revenue website here and in this article.

Impact of COVID-19 on Immigration and International Protection
 

A new Frequently Asked Questions document about the impact of COVID-19 on Immigration and International Protection has been published recently. Read more here.




 

Guidance Document on COVID-19 Supports for
Landlords and Tenants
 

Following the emergency measures introduced on March 27th, 2020 to protect tenants during the three-month COVID-19 emergency period a new Guidance Document on COVID-19 Supports for Landlords and Tenants was launched, including details on the new measures, income supports available for certain people living in private rental accommodation and more.
Download the guide here.
 

National Library Announces COVID-19 Web Archiving

The National Library of Ireland is asking members of the public to nominate websites / digital resources they think should be retained in the National Library's archive as a record of this time in Irish life. Websites that will be archived include those that capture the major efforts across Government, the health sector, and Irish society to combat the pandemic. They are inviting all those who would like to nominate a website to fill in a short form, which can be found on their website here. They can be then emailed to them at webarchives@nli.ie