COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF SOCIAL, COMMUNITY & EQUALITY SPC
Tuesday, May 19, 2020
HEADED ITEM NO. 3
COVID 19 Community Response – Community Call & In This Together
Introduction
In response to Action 4 in Irelands National Action Plan in Response to COVID-19, South Dublin County Council was mandated to establish a multi-agency South Dublin COVID 19 Community Response Forum. This Forum was established on Saturday 28th March 2020 in line with national guidelines and has been generally convened weekly by way of remote video/tele-conferencing.
Membership
The Community Response Forum membership currently comprises representatives from the following:
- Mayor of South Dublin
- South Dublin County Council
- ALONE
- An Garda Síochana
- South Dublin County Partnership
- An Post
- South Dublin LCDC
- South Dublin Volunteer Centre
- Civil Defence
- Public Participation Network
- Crosscare
- Tus Nua
- Traveller Support Groups
- Dublin GAA
- Tusla
- Health Service Executive
- Dept. of Social Protection and Community Affairs/Community Welfare
A range of additional statutory, voluntary and other agencies have also been supporting the work of the Forum.
Role of Forum
The overall objective of the South Dublin Community Response Forum is to facilitate and co-ordinate the most appropriate community response to the needs of vulnerable people living in the community where their usual sources of support become unavailable.
It was specifically been established to lead the co-ordination of COVID-19 community supports and resilience, including:
- Forum members and organisations working collaboratively (including with third party organisations) to identify vulnerable groups and individuals in South Dublin County.
- Ensuring delivery of targeted social care supports and assistance to those vulnerable groups and individuals.
- Identifying issues arising through Tus Nua / Older Persons Council, South Dublin PPN, community and other groups, and helpline calls.
- Helping vulnerable individuals in isolation.
- Ensuring the resilience of existing community services.
- Harnessing offers of assistance from enterprises/businesses generally; and,
- Collecting and mapping information on services and voluntary groups across the Country to help direct requests for assistance and identify gaps in service.
- COVID-19 Support Help Line
The Forum established a dedicated Community Call Helpdesk operated 7 days a week jointly by the Council’s Community Department and South Dublin County Partnership that can be contacted by calling 1800 240519 (freephone) or by emailing covidsupport@sdublincoco.ie. A text service is also available on 086-0364031.
Analysis of Contacts to COVID-19 Support Help Line (data based on six-week period from 30th March to 11th May)
| Calls by Category | Total | % |
| 4A.1 Collection and Delivery – Food, essential household items, fuel, medication in line with guidance | 441 | 34.1% |
| 4A.2 Collection and Delivery-medication (done by SDCP staff) | 47 | 3.6% |
| 4B Transport to: Health related services* | 32 | 2.5% |
| 4C Social Isolation, supports, engagement | 89 | 6.9% |
| 4D Meals and their delivery | 63 | 4.9% |
| 4E Garda-related | 4 | 0.3% |
| 4F Other medical/health needs | 255 | 19.7% |
| 4G Public wanting to Volunteer | 177 | 13.7% |
| 4H Organisations looking for and sharing info | 75 | 5.8% |
| 4I Social Welfare/Business/Pension supports | 109 | 8.4% |
| Total Contacts: 30th March to 10th May 2020 | 1,292 | 100% |
| *Note that the provision of transport services is not in the remit of the supports provided by the Community Response Forum | ||
Further analysis is contained in an attached presentation.
Mapping of community, sporting & voluntary resources / COVID-19 Emergency Fund
As part of work of the COVID-19 Community Response Forum, existing community, voluntary, sporting and other organisations in the County were asked, through an online survey to provide details of resources and supports that they can offer to the Forum by completing an on-line survey. While the take up on this survey was not considerable, it has provided the Forum with an overview of possible resources that can be called upon to assist. However, it should be noted that there has been a huge volume of registrations to the South Dublin Volunteer Centre and that there has been more than sufficient voluntary resources available to assist and support the most vulnerable people in South Dublin County.
The Department of Rural and Community Development established a €2.5m COVID-19 Emergency Fund to support community and voluntary groups involved the delivery of COVID-19 community response efforts with the fund administered by local authorities and €105k allocated to South Dublin County Council has been allocated €105,000 for this purpose. An online call for applications under the fund opened in April with an initial closing date of 5th May. However this deadline has now been extended and applications can continue to be made here: https://www.tfaforms.com/4819145. Priority under this fund is being given to groups incurring additional costs on direct delivery of frontline services to people and to date 45 applications have been received for a total value of €77,000. These applications are currently being assessed with a view to making initial grant payments later this month.
Other Community Response Forum initiatives include:
- Over 2,000 calls have been made under our Community Call "Call-out" initiative to make vulnerable households aware of Community Call supports and respond immediately to any issues or concerns raised.
- Over 200 school meals delivered to families in need through the County including with the assistance of An Post.
- Correspondence issued to pharmacies across the County to advise of supports available for emergency delivery of medication to vulnerable customers.
- Over the phone bereavement counselling services are available for those who have suffered the loss of a loved one.
- The Forum has promoted the An Post "Request a Check In" initiative.
- Coordinated and streamlined volunteer management processes have been implemented by South Dublin Volunteer Centre including for voluntary organisations responding to COVID19 Support Helpdesk requests for support.
- There have been Helpdesk referrals to and from ALONE.
- AlLONE have provided mobile phones with prepaid calls and data tisolated elderly people.
- Support and promotion of the Volunteer at Home Initiative.
- Promotion of online mental health and wellbeing activities.
- Pilot initiative for schoolchildren to write letters to isolated/coocconing people.
Community Call "In This Together"
On Friday 24th April Government launched the next phase of the Community Call "In This Together" wellbeing campaign to help everyone stay connected, stay active and stay mentally well. South Dublin County Council and the Community Response Forum offer a range of activities and resources as part of the "In This Together" initiative including:
- Sports Partnership live exercise classes and Couch to 3k programme
- Libraries Borrow Box
- Online music classes with Music Generation
- 5-minute crafts with our Library service
- Age Friendly News
- Bouncing baby book club
- LEO online courses and business supports
- In This Together also draws together the huge range of advice and support that is available online for people of all ages, including:
- Mindmindr app
- Mental Health Facebook talks from 27th to 30th April
- Promotion of our parks and getting back to nature
- Volunteer from Home initiative
- 4 the Family support programme
- Crosscare Youth Information Chat Service
We are collating details of all activities supporting In this Together which are available on the Council website here: https://www.sdcc.ie/en/news/sdcc-has-lots-to-offer-as-part-of-in-this-together-campaign.html
Future Responses
While the level of calls to the helpdesk has begun to reduce somewhat, the supports established have in many cases become enduring local solutions for many of those in need in the County. This is testament to the response of the many statutory, community, voluntary and other agencies that provided a cohesive response to the needs that became apparent in South Dublin and this resilience will underpin our ongoing responses and supports throughout and beyond the current circumstances. The Community Response Forum will review its approaches and structures as the needs in the County evolve in response to the potential easing of restrictions in the coming months.