Support Services

Arlene Naughten, the Clinical Director at Sugru, provides a range of services to meet the developmental and therapeutic needs of families, children, young people, teenagers, and parents. The main aim of Sugru is to provide a service that is fully accessible and thus has an option for everyone. 

For New & Expectant Mothers - Child Development & Parenting Workshop - Offering a valuable support to new mothers to equip them with tools to improve their emotional health and the well-being of their child.

For Families -  

An Individual Parenting Consutation is the first port of call for any parent experiencing any difficulty, where parents will get professional advice based on their individual needs as identified. 

Family based Therapeutic Intervention is designed to meet the needs of a family as a whole and will often include play therapy for younger children, cognitive behaviour therapy for teenagers, parenting support for parents, and attachement work with the whole family. (see www.sugru.ie for more information on each of these therapeutic techniques)

Parening Workshops - Small numbers per group, gives parents the opportunity to learn parenting skills specific to their families needs

o Communicating with your Child, From Baby to Toddler: The Early Years
o Managing the Family: A Tool for Busy Families
o Parenting a Teenage
o Parenting through Divorce/Separation
o Parenting a Child with Special Needs

For Children:

o Developmental Play Groups (age 2-3 years)
o Individual Therapeutic Play (age 3 - 12 years)
o Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (age 10 - 18 years)

Mindfulness for Everyone - Learn important relaxion technique and have the opportunity to practice same in the variety of sessions on offer

o Mammy & Baby Mindfulness
o Parent & Toddler Mindfulness
o Parent's Mindfulness
o Childrens Mindfulness
o Adult Mindfulness

Specialised Services for Children with Additional Needs - such as Autism, Dyspraxia, etc.

o Specialised Developmental Play Groups
o Social Skills Workshops
o Meditation & Movement Classes
o Socialisation Camps
o Sibling Support Groups

Your Practitioner: Arlene Naughten BA, PGDipPsyc, PGDipEd, MScPsyc, MScFPsycC, PGCertPBPT, mBPsS, mPsSI, mPTI, mTCI is a highly trained and experienced practitioner with a range of specialisms including working with Domestic Violence, Neuro-Developmental Needs, Fears, Anxiety, Attachment, Early Childhood Trauma, and Family Communication Breakdowns, to name but a few. Arlene's full biography can be seen at http://sugru.ie/?page_id=38. 

We provide a drop-in service for people from the community seeking advice and or referrals about education, training, access, finances, migrants rights, housing, form filling, etc. We provide practical assistance in the form of photocopying, faxing and printing documents. We support children from 0-10 years and all adults. We provide support & information to community & voluntary groups in the community. We run a range of accredited and unaccredited courses in the community ranging from cookery, zumba, stress management, sewing machine use, wood turning, car maintenance, organic gardening, forging & welding, women's & men's DIY, beauty specialism, childcare, and more. We provide a range of other ad-hoc services responding to the needs in the community at any given time.

Youthreach Galway City provides a safe,supportive, mutually respectful environment for young people to develop the skills and confidence to take part fully in their lives, learning and society.  We offer QQI/ FETAC Level 3 and 4 with a broad range of supports.  Our students are aged between 15 and 20

People to Contact

A range of specialised Cardiac Health and lifestyle Programmes are now available in the Croí Heart and Stroke Centre.

• Heart Smart
• Cardiac Fitness Assessment
• 6 Week Back to Fitness' Programme
• Specialist Cardiac Dietetic Consultation
• Weight  Management
• Yoga
• Specialised Physiotherapy and Exercise Prescription
• Croi Health Wise Programme
• Low Functioning Exercise Class
• Walking Football

Dochas don Oige is a training centre for young offenders and young people at risk from the age of 15 + both male and female.
Primarily we offer Fetac level 3 /4. This is in addition to a range of personalised services. Please ring Helen Kelly for more details

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Counselling and psychotherapy for adults and teens from age 16 upwards. therapeutic group work.

Family Carers Ireland is a registered charity (number CHY 10962) and a company limited by guarantee, emerging from the coming together of two long standing charities of over 25 years – The Carers Association and Caring for Carers in 2016. The merger brings the best of both charities together whilst broadening the range of services and supports to family carers and giving one national voice to represent fairness for carers. 

See our website for all the services that Family Carers Ireland has to offer.

Carer Groups

Family Carers Ireland runs carer groups all over the country. These groups meet regularly, usually once a month. The carers that attend set the agenda. Carers often use the time to share coping strategies and local information in addition to offering emotional support. Guest speakers such as Public Health Nurses, HSE and Social Welfare experts are invited to meetings to address carers on issues of interest to them. Groups provide a valuable opportunity to meet others with similar caring experiences. Indeed this is how many enduring friendships began.

Groups are also integral to the operation of Family Carers Ireland. We operate on the basis of group membership because it believes that local networks best promote inclusion and support at local, regional and national levels. Groups play a vital role in promoting recognition of the identity, contribution and needs of family carers, in articulating existing and emerging need and in representing family carers’ issues both to policymakers and to the general community. The organisation recognises three categories of group as eligible for membership in this capacity: local groups, regional forums and virtual groups.

Five or more members coming together with the same goals and meeting on a regular basis may form a group affiliated with Family Carers Ireland. Members of FCI groups will be united by a common bond, which could simply be a shared geographical area, or caring for family members with a condition in common, e.g. parents of children with Autism / ADHD.

There are three different fee options in relation to membership:

An annual subscription fee of €10, (€8 for group members) enables you to become a full member of FCI and add your voice to that of other family carers.
In addition, full members can, on payment of an annual €10 supplementary fee, avail of a discount card which entitles you to our negotiated exclusive deals.
Some groups may opt to become Associate Members of Family Carers Ireland, for €250 per group per annum.
Your membership fee helps to fund a range of services to carers and their families.

Carer groups allow carers to:

• share their experiences, feelings, ideas, concerns, information and problems
• access information on their rights and entitlements
• act together to highlight carers issues with decision makers
• have a sense of connection with other family carers in similar circumstances
• have a break from the caring situation
• relax, socialise and learn from other carers
• cope from day to day

People to Contact

Friends Ireland is a charity aimed at developing friendship in all adults through free classes and meet ups in many areas throughout county Galway with a full time centre in Tuam. 
Classes include Basic computers, laptop and smartphone classes, Introduction to Mindfulness, Embroidery, Felt Needle, Knitting, Embroidery, Healthy Eating and many more. Get in touch now to see how we can help you.

We are also continuously  seeking volutneers to help out in our centre in Tuam with the charity shop or volunteering time to share your expertise in the classroom. 

There are many ways to get involved with your community and many different areas to suit everybody.

Look after yourself, look after your mental health. Get involved with your community now!

Call Norah on 085-7043142 or email friendsgalway2013@gmail.com or Facebook on our page Friends Galway

www.friendsireland.ie

People to Contact

All library branches open on Saturday and provide public Internet access. In co- operation with An Post, the library delivers books-on-tape to the visually impaired for free.

THE GALWAY CITY YOUTH ADVOCACY SERVICE (YAS) is a community based service whose goal is to provide career path planning and support to young people between the ages of 16-21 years old who are:• At risk of leaving school or
• Who have already fallen out of mainstream education with little or no qualifications.What We Do:
Following a client referral, the Advocacy Service works with a young person in a number of ways.
• A one-to-one meeting is arranged with the person where previous education, training or work experience is discussed.
• All realistic options open to the client are explored along with stumbling blocks or issues which prevents the client from reengaging with education or progressing onwards.
• The client’s strengths are acknowledged with the aim of providing a positive future direction.
• A tailored made career path plan is then put in place alone with clear and attainable short term goals, with a view to motivating and progressing the young person to further education, training or employment.
• Galway City Youth Advocacy Service also offers a range of psychometric assessments covering areas such as basic skills, motivation, personality and career interests which, where deemed appropriate, may be used to assist the client’s decision making.You can also refer to GRETB (Galway Roscommon Education Training Board) website on http://galwayroscommon.etb.ie/ or to the Galway YAS Information Leaflet at https://gcp.ie
The Youth Advocacy Service currently employs three permanent advocacy workers: one full-time (John O’Donnell) and two part-time (‘job-share’) staff (Mike Haines and Ger McNamara).

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To offer help, support and information to all those who need it across a wide range of issues including employment, equality, training.

Age Action Ireland organises beginner computer classes for over 55’s. The aim of the “Getting Started” programme is to introduce older people to the basics of internet and email. These classes are aimed at people with little or no previous computer experience.
Participants will be taught in small groups by trained volunteer tutors. The course normally run for 2 hours once a week for 4 weeks. They are free in libraries and there is a fee of €20 in some of the other venues. Please call us for exact details on each venue.

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OUR VISION
A Learning Life
OUR MISSION
To provide and facilitate the provision of comprehensive and inclusive education opportunities and to promote, co-ordinate and contribute to the development of education services in Galway City

Services include;

Adult and Further Education
Adult Learner Guidance Service
Corporate Support
Disability Support Service
Drugs Task Force Community Liaison Worker
Further Education Support Services
Grants
Music Education Scheme
School Completion Programme
School Transport Scheme
VEC Partnership
Youth Services

'No.4 Youth Service' provides a range of supports for young people aged 13-25 years in areas including education, physical and mental health, homelessness prevention and employability.

How Can We Help?

• Support to work towards individual goals
• Careers Guidance to assist in making informed decisions and develop skills to enter education, training or employment
• A safe place where young people can talk
• Counselling
• Tuition for those at risk of or out of school
• Information on any topic of interest or concern
• Assistance to complete applications and forms
• Access to computers, daily meals and shower and laundry facilities
• Help to find or sustain accommodation
• Non-structured and health promoting activities

I offer both long and short term talking therapy, lasting between 6 weeks and ongoing as long as you feel comfortable and the therapy is beneficial to you. I also offer counseling for couples. Each session lasts for 50 minutes. We can discuss the likely duration for the therapy in your first session, but many clients prefer to leave it open rather than working to time limits. 
As a therapist trained in both Transpersonal and Integrative techniques, I tailor my approach largely to you as an individual as well as to the stage in the therapeutic process that you are at. In addition to therapeutic discussion on the issue you present, we may work with the creative imagination which can be very powerful, should you be open, ready and willing to do this kind of exercise. For example, we may use dreams, music, sand trays, visualisations, imagery and more in order to guide you to an exploration of your own inner knowing.
I work with issues such as (but not limited to) the following:
Abuse (emotional, sexual, physical, verbal)
Addiction
Agoraphobia
Anger
Anxiety
Bereavement
Career / life direction
Depression
Eating disorders
Isolation
Low self esteem
Miscarriage
Pain
Panic
Personality Disorders i.e., Borderline personality
PTSD and trauma
Relationship difficulties
Schizophrenia
Spiritual direction
Self-harm
Sexual problems
Stress


I am experienced in working with clients from all over the world, including refugees, immigrants and asylum seekers, and speaking a variety of languages in the therapy. 

Languages:
English
Portuguese
Persian (Farsi) 

People to Contact

Youthreach is a full-time training programme for early school leavers aged between 15 and 20 years and is provided in over 90 locations throughout Ireland. It offers young people a second chance to gain recognised qualifications at FETAC Levels 3 and 4 and work experience in a supportive environment.

What can you do there?  

Art/Design
Careers Preparation
Communications
Computer Literacy
Health Related Fitness
Mathematics
Nutrition & Cookery
Personal Effectiveness
Personal and Interpersonal Development
Sport & In-house Modules
Textiles and sewing
Understanding Interculturalism
Work Orientation

We also offer a range of supports for students to make sure they get the most out of their time at Youthreach. 

Upon successful completion, students can apply to take Post Leaving Certificate courses at either the Galway Technical Institute or Galway Community College.

They will also be better equipped to enter the world of work.

People to Contact