Kildress GAA applied to the Elevate programme to gain support, resources, and mentoring necessary for addressing the health inequalities in our rural community. Our goal was to enhance our capacity to deliver impactful community health and well-being initiatives, in our new community Hub building.
Our Elevate project involved delivering a series of targeted programmes such as “Managing Menopause,” “Friday Morning Socials,” and “Nollaig na mBan (Women’s Christmas).” These programmes aimed to support various at-risk groups in our community, including women facing menopause, retired individuals, and socially isolated rural women.
The Elevate project significantly improved community well-being by providing tailored support and activities for at-risk groups.
Managing Menopause: Offered women facing menopause vital health information, support, and a sense of community through workshops and exercise sessions.
Friday Morning Socials: Created a regular social and physical activity outlet for retired individuals, fostering connections and enhancing mental and physical health.
Nollaig na mBan: Celebrated and supported rural women, reducing social isolation and promoting cultural heritage.
These initiatives not only addressed immediate health concerns but also fostered a sense of belonging and community solidarity.
The Elevate mentoring equipped us with critical community development skills, enhanced our awareness of health inequalities, and strengthened our connections with other organisations. The mentoring increased our confidence in implementing effective community health and well-being programmes and fostered new partnerships within the Mentees that expanded our reach and impact.
We attended the Elevate Training on Health Inequalities and Community Development which we found to be useful and we were able to share the knowledge that we learnt amongst our volunteers. The training deepened our understanding of health inequalities and effective community development practice. This knowledge enabled us to design and implement more impactful and inclusive projects, directly addressing the unique needs of our community members.
Building on the success of our initial Elevate-supported projects, we plan to continue and expand our well-being initiatives.
The Elevate programme has profoundly impacted our organisation and the broader community. It has enabled us to deliver crucial programmes that address the specific needs of our rural population. By fostering inclusivity and providing targeted support, we have improved the quality of life in Kildress and strengthened community bonds.
“We have always thought that there is nowhere like Kildress. But Elevate makes it even better. Sin é!”
