Buncrana is one of only three towns in Ireland, to take part in a unique project, “One Good Community”, a new mental health awareness initiative, which aims to show how communities can better support each other by engaging in activities that can promote positive mental health. One Good Community is a pilot initiative of national youth mental health charity, Jigsaw, the exclusive charity partner with Lidl Ireland, and hosted locally by Inishowen Development Partnership.
The aim of the programme is to showcase and highlight the various classes, activities, events, and services that are operating in and around Buncrana that help promote positive mental health in our young adults and their families and friends. The programme will run throughout the month of October and will highlight activities under the five-a-day framework for positive mental health, made up of simple themes which include: Get Active, Take Notice, Keep Learning, Connect and Give.
Aisling Sheehy, Project Officer at IDP says, “there are many fantastic club activities, initiatives, classes, courses and voluntary services taking place in Buncrana that help support our mental health. This is a great opportunity to shine a light on any upcoming activities during October, while also demonstrating why Buncrana is deserving to be officially recognised as “One Good Community”. Suggested activities can range from physical activities/exercise classes, community or charity walks/runs/hikes, mindfulness workshops, coffee mornings, sea-swimming, wellbeing talks and workshops, street clean-ups, art exhibitions, the list is endless! We would ask those providing such initiatives, or indeed if you are interested in organising an event, to please come along to the information session”.
Damien Coyle, Jigsaw Service Manager, adds, “Jigsaw Donegal are delighted to be continuing our collaborative working relationship with Inishowen Development Partnership. It is this link that placed Buncrana to the forefront of our thinking when selecting a town to pilot our new One Good Community initiative. Over the course of October, we hope that the general public will come together to promote all that is so wonderful about this town’.
Shauna McClenaghan, Joint CEO of IDP, explains, “We have been collaborating with Jigsaw since its inception in Donegal and have facilitated outreach in Inishowen over the past 10 years supporting young people in our community and from around Inishowen. IDP are delighted to work with Jigsaw and Lidl on this new project for Buncrana as a pilot area; it brings a unique opportunity for the area to highlight the ways and supports that are available in the town for our youth and their families to promote positive mental health and wellbeing”.
Jigsaw and IDP are inviting all local community, voluntary groups, social enterprises, and businesses in Buncrana to attend a brief information session (details below) to discover how we as a community can come together to show the variety of events available that can help our community to take every day, simple actions to boost our mental health.