News & Events

Resident Carmichael member the Association for Criminal Justice Research and Development are recruiting a Manager. 

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APPLICATION

Please submit a CV and cover letter.

Mental Health Reform (MHR) is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year by hosting a half-day hybrid conference. This conference will explore the biggest mental health challenges facing Ireland today, and the opportunities for change.

The event will take place on Thursday, 31st March, 09:30 AM – 1:00 PM. This Mental Health Reform anniversary event will be broadcast from Wood Quay Venue, Dublin and live streamed to the public. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the event in Wood Quay is by invitation only. To watch the event online, register for your free place here on Eventbrite.

Attendees will hear from leaders, policy-makers and activists who will discuss key developments in mental health and aspirations for the future. Through live panel discussions, the conference will present a range of focused subjects to provoke debate and stimulate action.

MHR will also be launching a new report at the conference as part of the Brave New Connections project, an initiative supporting capacity-building for Voluntary and Community Sector mental health organisations adapting to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The report will examine the contribution of the sector within the wider mental health ecosystem in Ireland. The hybrid conference is free, online and open to MHR members, partners and like-minded stakeholders from across Ireland and beyond.

External experts and leading thinkers have been invited to provide additional stimuli and new perspectives. This will be a historic year for mental health in Ireland. Join MHR as they look back and move forward into a new decade of advocacy, innovation, research and collaboration.

Mental Health Reform is a Carmichael resident member. They were founded in 2006, following a coalition by five organisations aiming to hold the Government accountable in its delivery of policies. Over the years, they have developed a strong membership. Today, they are Ireland’s leading national coalition on mental health.

Together with their 77 member organisations, they work to drive progressive reform of mental health services and supports in Ireland. You can check out all their fantastic work here. They’re on social media too; see there Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.

By Diarmaid Ó Corrbuí

There is a Chinese curse, “May you live in interesting times” which may sound like a blessing, however, the expression is normally used ironically; life is better in “uninteresting times” of peace and tranquillity than in “interesting” ones, which are usually times of trouble. We are certainly currently living in interesting times. Just as are we beginning to hope that the worst of the global Covid-19 pandemic was over, the world has been hit with a geo-political crisis as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the humanitarian catastrophe it has created.

The crisis in Ukraine adds another layer of complexity to the many governance challenges and potentially funding challenges that organisations need to address in 2022.  For charities in Ireland in particular, there are a wide range of governance challenges and developments to be addressed in 2022, but the major ones in my opinion, are the following;

• Grappling with the “new normal” and the implications of hybrid working models for the organisation and delivery of charitable activities
• Recruiting and retaining staff and volunteers in an increasingly competitive environment
• Succession planning, trustee development and recruitment
• Ensuring that the charity is in compliance with the Charity Governance Code standards
• Getting ready for the SORP for Charities financial reporting standard

Grappling with The “New Normal”

The removal of almost all of the Covid-19 restrictions, has triggered a slow but steady flow back to the office for many organisations. Some firms are offering meals and other perks to entice their staff back to the offices. Charity trustees and managers don’t have the same latitude to offer similar enticements but they urgently need to think through and plan for their future working operating model that will need both appropriate flexibility and sustainability.

They will need to organise staffing rosters that will have the necessary staff and volunteers in place to ensure continuity of delivery of quality services and supports. Another key consideration will be how to maintain the ethos, culture and values of the charity in an era of hybrid and remote working. They also need to return to having in-person board meetings and re-engaging with their fellow trustees in ways that are not really possible with online meetings.

There was a certain amount of tolerance or acceptance for the imperfections and constraints that working from home created, but this tolerance is finite and the Board needs a clear, thought-through strategy and plan for how the “new normal” will operate in their charity and this will need to be communicated to and be bought into by staff, volunteers and beneficiaries.

Recruiting and Retaining Staff and Volunteers

There is considerable commentary on the recent phenomenon of the “great resignation” as many workers across the globe decide following an extended period of working from home to resign from their jobs and do something different. The reasons are varied but the impact is that employers are being faced with the additional challenge of trying to recruit workers in a very competitive environment.

The charity sector is also impacted by this and also faces the additional challenge of not being able to compete against the higher salaries being offered by for profit and public sector organisations.  The USP for charities is their purpose, the difference they make in society, their values and their ethos. Charities need to communicate and demonstrate these points of difference in the battle to recruit and retain staff and volunteers.

However, there are many charities where these are unclear or unconvincing and this will require Boards to reflect and refresh their purpose and values and tell their stories with conviction and authenticity.

Succession Planning, Trustee Development and Recruitment

As well as considering and developing its staff recruitment and retention strategies, charity boards will also need to look at their own composition in terms of skills, diversity and tenure. They need to objectively assess what changes to the board’s composition and skills development are required to enable the board to effectively address the evolving challenges facing their charity and ensure its future sustainability and success.

Compliance with the Charity Governance Code Standards

Compliance with the Governance Code is now a requirement for all Irish charities. It is not simply a tick box or form filling exercise. Compliance with the governance standards goes to the heart of how the charity operates, how it does its business, how it engages with its beneficiaries, how it oversees and manages its resources and how it provides accountability and transparency to its stakeholders.

Many charities have put in considerable effort in getting ready for compliance with the Code but there are many other charity boards that have not properly engaged in the compliance process and have delegated responsibility to staff or ignored the Code and its implications. Charities need to be prepared for a random compliance audit by the Charity Regulator. The Regulator has commenced the process of selecting charities for audit to verify the charity’s actual compliance with the Code’s standards in terms of performance and effectiveness.

SORP for Charities

Complying with the SORP standard for financial reporting is only voluntary for now in Ireland (it is mandatory in the UK) and only a very small percentage have opted to apply the standard. Finally, after many years of it being promised, a Charities Amendment Bill will shortly be introduced in the Oireachtas. One of the amendments, will give the Regulator the power to specify the financial reporting standards that all charities must adhere to.

This is expected to pave the way for setting SORP for Charities as the required standard for charities with annual income of over €250,000. For relevant charities who do not currently apply the SORP standard, they need to start the planning process now to be ready when it becomes a mandatory requirement.

There are many other challenges specific to the charity that the boards and management will also need to address in addition to those listed above.  The task for all charity boards is to assess the challenges and opportunities for their charity and develop the responses and strategies to ensure that they are effective, impactful and sustainable.

Chronic Pain Ireland are hosting an upcoming webinar on March 15, as part of our Pain Talks with CPI series. Here at Carmichael we are delighted to spread the word of the event, which will feature Mags Clark-Smith MA, PGCE, a movement specialist and Director of Resolving Chronic Pain.

What’s Happening?

Mags, who worked with clinics based in Ireland and Scotland, is a Stress Illness practitioner, University Lecturer and researcher in dance, movement and psychology and is a member of the Irish Pain Society.

Mags will discuss ‘How movement can calm the mind and how the detailed precise approach fits with new evidence concerning pain in the brain’.

Throughout this live and interactive talk they will:
1. Summarize key research and clinical concepts that underlie the relationship between movement and pain science.
2. Identify some disorders that are likely to benefit from this
3. Understand the limitations and clinical caveats to this approach

As previously stated, the event takes place Tuesday March 15th from 2:00-3:00 p.m. via Zoom.  To register www.chronicpain.ie

Chronic Pain Ireland are a Carmichael resident organisation, one of the many organisations we help at one of our two locations based in Dublin’s city centre.

More about Chronic Pain

In Europe 1 in 5 adults suffer with chronic pain. In Ireland that figure is higher.  In 2011 Researchers from School of Psychology & Centre of Pain Research, NUIG Galway found that in Ireland 35.5% of adults in Ireland suffer with chronic pain.  That’s 2 in 5 people. In those aged between 18 and 24 the proportion was 1 in 5 people, those aged 65 and over it was as many as 3 in 5.

• 42% have chronic pain more than 5 years
• 15% have clinically relevant depression as a result compared to 2.8% living without chronic pain.
• 12% unable to work or reduced work hours and are 3 times more likely to be unemployed due to their chronic pain.

The Organisation & What They Do

At Chronic Pain Ireland they offer nationwide support to people living and learning to live with chronic pain, their friends, and family. They achieve this through their support phone-line, email, online forum, self-management workshops and information talks.

Brain Awareness Week

Chronic Pain Ireland are proud partners of Brain Awareness Week an annual campaign run by the Neurological Alliance of Ireland.  National Brain Awareness Week takes place this year from March 14th to 20th 2022 and the theme is “Together We Are Stronger: Promoting the Value of Teams, Partnerships and Collaborations in Neurological Care and Research”.

ADHD Ireland are delighted to promote their upcoming webinar titled ‘Emotional Regulation and Healthy Boundaries’. The webinar will take place on March 23, and will be presented by professional Play Therapist Aisling Murray.

This webinar is aimed towards parents and children up to age 8. As stated, the webinar will be presented by Aisling Murray, an Accredited Play Therapist based in Portlaoise. Aisling, the founder of Laois Play Therapy, has been working with children for over 16 years and in Play Therapy for over 6 years.

Furthermore, she is currently working with children with a wide range of issues including social anxieties, social difficulties, behavioral issues, trauma, loss, ASD, ADHD and other individual needs.

On Aisling’s website we learn more about her methods. It states Play Therapy is a type of therapy primarily used on children under the age of 12. A trained play therapist can use play to observe and gain insights into a child’s problems, emotions, or unresolved trauma. Using play therapy has been proven to help children develop coping skills and learn how to redirect inappropriate behaviour.

In play therapy the therapist will facilitate the child in their play, bringing themselves to the child’s level and building trust between them. The therapist will observe the child’s behaviour and how they interact with the toys. As trust develops children become more willing to share their thoughts and feelings with the therapist.

ADHD Ireland a resident Carmichael organisation. ADHD Ireland are a dedicated non-profit in Ireland that look to provide up-to-date information, resources and networking opportunities to individuals with ADHD, parents of children with ADHD and the professionals who serve them.

You can register for the free event here. To become a member of ADHD Ireland you can click here. Finally, if you wish to donate to ADHD Ireland you can click here.

Independent Living Movement Ireland (ILMI) are set for a busy period with two events coming up in March. The Carmichael resident organisation are celebrating International Women’s Day on March 8^th with an online event, and will also host a drama and theatre workshop on March 15.

International Women’s Day will take place on March 8^th and ILMI are inviting people to celebrate the occasion with an online event that evening, from 7pm. They will host a number of guests including Baroness Jane Campbell, Seònaid Ó Murchadha , Blessing Dada, Cathy Reay and Emilie Conway.

This year, along with organisations across the world, ILMI will be exploring the International Women’s Day theme of #BreakTheBias. Together they want to forge women’s equality. To register for this event, email edelmcginley@ilmi.ie or audreywilson@ilmi.ie.

On March 15^th meanwhile ILMI will host a drama and theatre workshop, with any disabled person from around the country who has an interest, or even an acting curiosity, can sign-up for the fun workshop by emailing Peter Kearns at info@ilmi.ie.

ILMI upcoming venture into disability equality dramatic arts with The Half Made-Up Drama Collective will make the invisible visible, and spark new, open discussions around what being a disabled actor, writer, director and activist means to each individual ILMI audience member and supporter.

ILMI look forward to the collective’s actors/writers making effective contacts with the wider Irish drama and theatre community through a social media based 200-Second short collection of drama pieces. As part of the process they hope to attract to interest of mainstream drama courses to work in partnership with ILMI’s Half Made-Up Drama Collective series of workshops delivered by ILMI disabled dramatists Peter Kearns, Paula Soraghan and Mark McCollum.

The Half Made-Up Drama Collective will explore forms of realism, absurd and surreal with future complete productions and standalone drama which will explore themes/issues touched upon, but not exclusive, in the narrative and stories coming from the Irish disability movement.

The ILMI are a Carmichael resident organisation. They are a campaigning, national representative Disabled Persons Organisation (DPO) that promotes the philosophy of independent living and works to build an inclusive society. If you wish to get involved with ILMI, you can check out this page on their website. Finally, you can check the ILMI on Facebook and Twitter.

The Association for Criminal Justice Research and Development (ACJRD) are seeking to promote an upcoming event “Effecting Change: Learning from the experience of Oberstown“.

Event Details:

Set to take place on March 3^rd from 2-3.30pm, this forthcoming event will centre on Oberstown Children Detention Campus, looking at key learnings from recent studies on the campus and in relation to the wider view of the Irish justice system.

This event sees the ACJRD collaborate with Professor Ursula Kilkelly, Chairperson of the Board of Management, Oberstown Children Detention Campus, and Pat Bergin, former Director of Oberstown Children Detention Campus, and current Head of Service, National Forensic Mental Health Service, to deliver the online seminar “Effecting Change: Learning from the experience of Oberstown”.

Professor Kilkelly and Pat Bergin will present the key messages from the work documented in their recent publication “Advancing the rights of children in detention; A model for international reform”, and will discuss with participants how this model might be replicated elsewhere in Ireland’s criminal justice system.

Who are the ACJRD?

The ACJRD, a resident Carmichael organisation seeks to promote reform, development and effective operation of the criminal justice system. We have featured many of their events in the past, much to huge success thanks to their passion and hard work.

They do so primarily by ‘providing a forum where experienced personnel can discuss ways of working in an informal setting’, as well as by ‘promoting study and research in the field of criminal justice and by promoting the highest standards of practice by professionals associated with criminal justice’.

Booking & Contact Details:

This seminar will be chaired by Dr. Mary Rogan, Associate Professor in Law, Trinity College Dublin. Book your free place for this event here. You can keep up to date with all news from ACJRD on their website here. Also, they’re on social media too; find their Twitter here, and LinkedIn here.

The Hospital Saturday Fund is a registered charity and the parent company of HSF health plan. For over 140 years, they have been providing assistance through charitable funds in the UK and Republic of Ireland.

All profits made by HSF health plan are channelled to its parent charity. This allows them to support medically-associated charities and individuals in the form of grants

Their aims are to provide assistance for registered health charities, hospices, medical organisations and individuals with a medical condition or disability. They can provide grants for medical projects, care, research or support of medical training within the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. For individuals, they can provide help with the purchase of specialised equipment or forms of treatment.

Who Can Apply?

You must be a registered charity with medical/health objectives.

The Hospital Saturday Fund will consider giving grants towards medical projects, capital projects, medical care or research, hospice/respite care and in support of medical training. The Hospital Saturday Fund will also consider grants for running costs.

Application Deadlines and Grant Amounts 

The Hospital Saturday Fund has two grant categories: –

Standard grants of up to £2,000 or €3,000 OR – Large grants to up to £10,000 or €13,500 (please note this is the maximum sum that HSF will grant). Large grant applications should be towards specific projects, research or equipment rather than running costs. Organisations may make one application for a meeting and can apply for a standard or a large grant.

Not sure if you eligible for one of their grants? Have a look around the website to get an idea of the range of people and organisations we help. You will also find guidelines for Organisations/Individuals and Medical Electives, click on:

https://hospitalsaturdayfund.org/apply-for-a-grant/

Deadlines

The Grant Making Committee (GMC) meets quarterly. Applications should be submitted online by close of business on the following dates:

GMC 17 May 2022

Standard Grants of £2,000 or €3,000 – deadline 20 April 2022

Large Grants of up to max £10,000 or €13,500 – deadline 23 March 2022

GMC 9 August 2022

Standard Grants of £2,000 or €3,000 – deadline 13 July 2022

Large Grants of up to max £10,000 or €13,500 – deadline 15 June 2022

GMC 3 November 2022

Standard Grants of £2,000 or €3,000 – deadline 7 October 2022

Large Grants of up to max £10,000 or €13,500 – deadline 9 September 2022

GMC January 2023 (all dates for 2023 meetings to be confirmed in December 2022)

Standard Grants of £2,000 or €3,000 – deadline 4 January 2023

Large Grants of up to max £10,000 or €13,500 – deadline 1 December 2022

FirstLight – a Carmichael resident organisation – are a long established, national charity providing professional crisis intervention and counselling services to parents and families suddenly bereaved is seeking to recruit a Clinical Services Manager.

The Psychotherapist and Clinical Services Manager will be based in FirstLight’s Offices (Carmichael Centre, 4 North Brunswick Street, Dublin 2) and will contribute operationally to the overall success of the organisation as a key member of the clinical services team.

The Clinical Services Manager will report to the Clinical Services Director and deputise for him/her when appropriate.

A strong understanding of and empathy with FirstLight’s mission and objectives is essential as is a values driven approach to work based on integrity and service.

Essential Qualifications, skills and experience

Clinical Services Manager

Under the direction of and with the support of FirstLight’s Clinical Services Director, the successful candidate will provide crisis intervention and psychotherapy services to clients who have experienced the sudden loss of their child/sibling; support development of the organisation’s client services and monitor the delivery of services by the psychotherapists on FirstLight’s register of psychotherapists and counsellors with a view to ensuring high quality services to FirstLight’s clients.

Requirements and responsibilities

The successful candidate will

• Have, as a minimum, a qualification to degree level in counselling/psychotherapy.
• Be fully accredited for a minimum of 5 years with the IACP, IAHIP or other modalities of ICP.
• Have experience of/qualification in bereavement counselling.
• Demonstrate commitment to provision of a high quality, client centred bereavement support service and best practice in clinical governance.
• Promote and maintain the ethos of FirstLight and its values of compassion, empathy, respect and hope.
• Be able to demonstrate evidence of networking skills, and successful stakeholder engagement and interaction.
• Have a good working knowledge of child protection issues.
• Have an adaptable and flexible manner with a process improvement mind-set and be willing to work out of hours and travel when necessary.
• Carry out duties in line with the role as designated by the Clinical Services Director.
• Possess strong oral, aural and written communication skills.
• Be an effective team worker and maintain professional and personal boundaries.
• Be IT literate and
• Have a clean driving licence.

Desirable experience

• Previous management experience is desirable as also is experience of working in the not for profit sector.

Employment Terms and Remuneration

This is a full-time, permanent position.

• Salary: €50,000 p.a.
• Please note – an offer of employment is subject to Garda vetting and reference check.

Application Process

• Interested candidates should send a cover letter and completed Application Form (see attached form) by Email to recruitment@firstlight.ie.

• The closing date for receipt of applications is 3 February, 2022 at 17h00.
• First round interviews will be held on 14 February, 2022.
• FirstLight welcomes applications from people from all sections of the community, irrespective of race, colour, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion or belief.

Psychotherapist and Clinical Services Manager Application Form 22

ADHD Ireland are set to hold a webinar titled ‘A Burnout by Any Other Name’, on February 24^th. The resident Carmichael organisation have invited Dr Emma Kavanagh to speak for what will be a riveting talk.

Below is an excerpt from promotional material made for the event by Ken Kilbride, CEO of ADHD Ireland.

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What’s the Webinar About & Who’s Involved?

It seems that it is becoming ever harder to feel like yourself, that the past two years have pushed everyday stressors onto an entirely new plane. So many of us find ourselves suffering from exhaustion, feeling tearful or angry, like we just can’t seem to get on top of things.

Emma is a renowned author and a psychologist. For years Emma has specialised in police and military, in those people who live life in the most stressful of environments. Then the pandemic hit and the whole of the world became a stressful environment. And so, I would like to share some of what I know with you, in the hope that it will help.

Psychological Research:

For example, psychological researchers have studied those who over-winter in the Antarctic, cut off from friends and family, isolated in a hostile environment. And in doing so they found that almost everyone experienced what they termed as psychological hibernation – a sense of cognitive fatigue, difficulty in regulating emotions, a withdrawal from social interactions. What is interesting is that, had these workers been based in an office, they would likely have been diagnosed with burnout.

But what is even more interesting was the conclusions drawn by the researchers – that maybe we are looking at it the wrong way, thinking that these symptoms are a sign of our brain failing to operate. They suggested instead that perhaps when we are in a highly stressful situation, these burnout symptoms are in fact a sign of adaptation, our brain’s way of coping with an ongoing stressor.

The Brain During Stress:

this talk, we will look at what happens to your brain when you find yourself in an ongoing stressful situation, how our perceived failures can sometimes be our brain doing precisely what it is meant to do. We will look at how this can affect your behaviour, and what tools we can take from the cognitive and neuroscientific literature to help.

Dr Emma Kavanagh is a psychologist specialising in how people deal with the aftermath of disasters and is the author of ‘How to Be Broken’.

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Contact Details:

As mentioned earlier, ADHD Ireland a resident Carmichael organisation. ADHD Ireland are a dedicated non-profit in Ireland that look to provide up-to-date information, resources and networking opportunities to individuals with ADHD, parents of children with ADHD and the professionals who serve them.

To become a member of ADHD Ireland you can click here. Finally, if you wish to donate to ADHD Ireland you can click here.