Have you the capasity to hear voices? There is a new Hearing Voices Group happening in Dublin

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: DUBLIN VOICE HEARER GROUP STARTING


As many of you know, peer support groups for people who hear voices are widespread in countries such as the UK and Denmark. We have all been enormously inspired at recent CVNI conferences by the recovery stories of voice hearers such as Rachel Waddingham, Suzanne Engelen, Jacqui Dillon and Eleanor Longden. 2012 marked the beginning of getting down to work to establish a network of groups throughout Ireland. A Voice Hearing Work and Study Group arose from the meetings of the CVN East and met frequently from February onwards throughout the year.

During the second half of 2012, the Nursing Practice Development Unit of the HSE and the Irish Institute of Mental Health Nursing sponsored a training programme in facilitating voice hearer support groups in Dublin, Cork and Galway. Over seventy people from the public, private and voluntary sectors availed of the training. On foot of this training, we will launch the first Hearing Voices Support Group in Dublin on February 7th 2013. The venue will be the Hill Street Family Resource Centre and the meetings will be every week on Thursdays from 7:15 to 8:45. This will be a community based group and will be open to anyone who hears voices, sees things or has other unusual experiences. There are also firm plans for the establishing of groups within the services in the near future.

With a large number of trained facilitators, it is hoped that more groups will be established this year. The aim of each group is to become fully peer-led and peer facilitated.

Facilitation of groups in their start up phase is only one part of the work of a voice hearing network. Education on the recovery ethos underpinning voice hearing peer groups is also important. Anyone who is interested in getting involved in this work or who would like to find out more can contact Bernie Bushe at 0857827596 or Doug Ross at 087 2242596

The TCD School of Nursing and Midwifery are pleased to announce their 2012-13 public lecture series entitled 'Tell Me About'.

The TCD School of Nursing and Midwifery are pleased to announce their 2012-13 public lecture series entitled 'Tell Me About'.

The series will comprise of seven lectures and is presented as part of the School's Civic Engagement Strategy. All lectures will take place in the School of Nursing and Midwifery building at 24 D'Olier Street, Dublin 2.

The lectures are offered free-of-charge however pre-booking is advised.

Lecture 3: Thursday 31st January 2013 at 5.15pm Tell Me About: Peer support in mental health recovery Presenter: Dr Mike Watts Mike Watts and his wife Fran have both recovered from mental illness, mainly through their involvement in the mutual help organisation known as GROW. As part of his own recovery Mike gained a BA in Psychology (1983), a Masters in Family Therapy (2002) and most recently his PhD (2012) under the supervision of Prof Agnes Higgins, Head of the TCD School of Nursing and Midwifery. Mike's PhD is a narrative study involving 26 long term members of GROW in Ireland.

The main emergent theme was that, given the right resources, recovery can be experienced as a re-enchantment with life, and not as a lifelong illness. Mike worked for GROW for 30 years as a fieldworker and then National Programme Co-ordinator. He was a service-user member of the first Mental Health Commission and has spoken and written widely about the processes involved in recovery and the unique value of peer support.

To book a place, please email Jeni Ryan at ryanjen@tcd.ie

Thanks to Dublin City Council

Thanks to Dublin City (Informal Adult Education) for supporting the Gateway Project in the form of a Relxation & Meditation Tutor for the Spring Term 2013.

Creative Writing is back for 2013

Friday afternoons from 2.00pm - 4.00pm in Janaury

Classes change to 12.00 - 2.00pm in February.

Unit 1, 2 Parker Hill, Lower Rathmines Road, Dublin 6.

Tutor Maria Jones (CDVEC Tutor).

Come along and get creative.

For more information please ring Mary Barnes or Martha Griffin on 01 4965558. 

 

Gateway Project is Shortlisted for the Dotmocracy Awards 2012

Great news! Gateway has been shortlisted for the Dotmocracy Awards 2012.

Dotmocracy is a transparent, equal opportunity, and participatory large group decision-making tool.

We use Dotmocracy in Gateway to help us make decissions as a group.
For more information on dotmocracy click here.

New Sports & Recreation Course in Roslyn Park

NEW course called Sport & Recreation that will be starting up Mid February at Roslyn Park College.

Subjects studied on the Sport & Recreation Course will include;
* Sport & Recreation Studies
* Health Related Fitness
* Exercise & Fitness
* Occupational First Aid
* Communications
* Customer Services
* Word Processing
* Work Experience

Roslyn Park College is a training facility designed for people with disabilities, mental health issues or who are out of work due to illness or injury and want a career in sports or leisure centers.

To be eligible to attend the college students must be in receipt of a social welfare Have a disability or mental health difficulties

Other criteria may apply For further information for this and other courses you can contact the college 01 2613400 or yvette.rpc@gmail.com

January members letter