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Community Employment Schemes put at risk due to Labour-Fine Gael Budget 2011

Thursday, December 8th, 2011

Dear Roisin Shortal TD, John Lyons TD and Paschal Donohoe TD,

As a service constituent of yours, I am writing to ask you to vote against the measures contained in Budget 2012 relating to the savage cuts to FAS CE programmes.

FAS Special CE Drug Rehab Projects, which underpin the national drugs rehab strategy, are being savagely attacked by a 66% cut in operational and training funding. It is proposed to cut the materials and training budget from €1500 to just €500 per participant per annum. This is the money that provides heat, light, telephone, stationery, education materials, etc, etc.  Crucially, it also pays for progression training for people engaged in a rehabilitation process.

In addition to these cuts, lone parents attempting to address their drug addiction will have their entitlement to part payment of another DSP discontinued – as will those who are in receipt of an illness payment.   These measures take no account of the cost of childcare or disability and are unfair, unequal and simply cruel. It is a known fact that incentives to engage in rehabilitation increase take-up levels and subsequently everyone wins – the client, the community, their family and wider society.

The drug problem has not gone away. We see the evidence of the devastation that drugs cause to individual, families and the wider community every day. On the same day as the cuts in the Budget were announced, the latest figures from the Health Research Board (HRB) National Drug-Related Deaths Index (NDRDI)  were released showing the number of heroin-related deaths had increased by 20% in 2009 and a further report from the Mercy University Hospital Cork stated that 47% of psychiatric patients admitted had a substance misuse problem. According to micro research study figures released at a conference this morning in Ballybough, Dublin, the use of crack-cocaine, crystal meth, mephedrone, alcohol and skunk are rising at an alarming rate.

Since 2008 drug projects have experienced cut after cut after cut and there is simply nothing left to give.


Please use your common sense and do not vote in favor of this proposal.


Regards


Dr. Tom O Brien

Manager

Sankalpa

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Recovery Please: A Media Portrayal of Life After Addiction

Sunday, September 11th, 2011

When a rehabilitation service takes a student on placement there is always a risk attached.  Our recent experience with Aisling, Amy, David and Jennifer from DCU reminded us of how important it is to take risks and involve students with fresh ideas, sparking imaginations and creativity that turns heads in the development of our services.  Over a period of two months Aisling, Amy, David and Jennifer worked with a group of participants from Sankalpa through the medium of visual communications to produce a short film entitled “Recovery please” that we think you will enjoy and share with your friends.

This post is dedicated to the memory of Eugene Finane who died suddenly on Monday 16th May 2011.  Eugene was on our team for a year and was due to start a new role as a project support worker.  He ran a men’s group in Sankalpa with great skill, compassion and professionalism.  He had just completed the Merchants Quay course on addiction and was hungry to learn more  and to help others in what ever way he could.  He was also very involved with the support group “Unmarried and Seperated Parents of Ireland (www.uspi.ie).  May he rest in peace.

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Posted in Sankalpa News, Video | 12 Comments »

The meaning of Sankalpa

Thursday, September 1st, 2011

Recently I gave a presentation to the participants and staff of Sankalpa on the meaning of Sankalpa.  I hope you will take the time to look at this short presentation as Sankalpa is a way of being that we can all learn and practice!  By Dr. Tom O Brien, Manager, Sankalpa

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Sankalpa begins it fundraising campaign in Ballymun!

Monday, February 28th, 2011

Sankalpa got its fundraising campaign off to a successful start at the weekend in Ballymun.  While the last of the votes were being counted in the General Election, some members of the Sankalpa fundraising team organized a collection outside some of Ballymun’s catholic churches.  The people of Ballymun were very supportive and generous at a time when every euros counts.  The team raised 242 euros!  We really appreciate the support of the people from Ballymun.  Our next fundraising event will be our bag pack organized by our fundraising co-ordinator Joeann Byrne.  We are still looking for volunteers, so if your interested please contact us at hello@sankalpa.ie

Below is a list of fundraising activities complements of Enable Ireland (www.enableireland.ie).

A-Z Fundraising Ideas

A

Absailing
Aerobathon (sponsored per minute or charge those taking part)
Antique Fairs
Art Exhibitions
Astrology Evenings
Athletic meetings
Auctions

B

Baby-sitting
Bad Hair Day
Bad Tie day
Bag Packing
Bake sale
Baked beans bath
Balloon race
Barbeque
Barn Dance
Bazaar
BBQ
Beard Shaving
Bed push
Bike tours
Bingo
Blind Date
Bob a job
Book and Jumble Sale
Book sale
Breakfast event
Bridge drive
Bring and buy sale
Bungee Jumping

C

Cake sale
Car boot sale
Car cleaning
Car rally
Car Wash (suitable for all ages)
Carol Singing
Casino night
Casual day at work/school
Children’s sports day
Christmas Day Swim
Church Collection
Churchgate Collection
Cinema charity screening
Coffee mornings
Coin chain
Coin collections
Coins (fill a smartie tube/jar with coins)
Comedy Night - www.laughterlounge.ie
Concert

D

Dance
Dance-a-thon
Darts Tournament
Dinner Dance / Party
Disco
Do door-to-door collections – we can supply you with all you need!
Dog show
Dog Walking
Donations in lieu of presents
Donkey Derby
Drama
Dress down day at work
Duck race

E

Easter bonnet competition
Easter egg hunt
Egg & Spoon Race
Exercise Bike Marathon (complete ‘shifts’ over a set period)
Exhibitions
Expeditions

F

Face Painting
Fancy dress ball / competition
Fashion show
Festivals
Film show
Firm wide raffles, auctions and collections
Fishing Competition
Five-a-Side
Flower show
Football Match
Football tournament
Fortune telling
Fun run

G

Gala evening
Garden party
Gigs
Girls V Boys Day / Event
Give up something for Lent and get it sponsored!
Golf classic
Golf Day (invite local firms to organise teams)
Golf tournament
Good as new sale
Gourmet Raffle
Greyhound meeting
Guess the amount of sweets in a jar
Guess the Height / Weight / Amount…
Gymkhana

H

Halloween fancy dress party
Halloween party
Head and beard shaving
Head Shave
Hill Walking / Running
Hopscotch
Horse Race
Horticultural Exhibition (charge and admission or sell plants)
Human Chain

I

Individual Gifts
Indoor Games Night (board games, skittles, cards)
Inter-departmental quiz in your workplace
Irish Coffee Morning

J

Jamboree
James Bond event
Jelly Eating Challenge
Jigsaw Puzzle Challenge
Joke Competition
Juggling Challenge
Jumble sale

K

Karaoke Evening (ask a local pub to host a karaoke night for you and charge entry)
Karate Event
Kite Flying
Knit In
Knitting Challenge
Knitting Sprint (knit for an hour – provide regulation wool and needles!)
Knobbly Knees Challenge
Kris Kindle

L

Lawn mowing
Leg Waxing (good for the men!)
Line Dancing
Litter Collection (sponsored per item/black sack)
Little Italy party
Local Pub Quiz
Lottery
Lunch runs at the office
Luncheons
Lunch-time event

M

Magic Show
Marathon (get fit and run a marathon, get people to sponsor/guess your time!)
Marathons / Mini Marathon
Masque Ball
Matched giving from companies for employee fundraising
Mountain climbing
Mums Run (ask your local school to help)
Murder mystery evening
Music recital
Musical Chairs

N

New Year’s Eve party
Night In (stay in on Saturday night with your friends and donate the money you save)
No Smoking Day
No Smoking/No Chocolate Day (give up your vices for charity)
No uniform day

O

Obstacle Course
Odd One Out
Oiche Gaelach
Old Time Dance (sponsored per dance)
Open Gardens – garden parties around your neighbourhood

P

Pancake breakfast
Panto
Parachute Jumps
Payroll deduction
Penalty Shoot-out
Pet show
Pie Eating Competition
Pillow Fight
Pizza party
Plant sales
Poetry Competition
Pool Competition
Pram Race (babies not included!)

Q

Quiz Night (general knowledge table quiz or themed quiz e.g. music/tv)

R

Race Night (horse/greyhound racing)
Radio Controlled Car Race
Raffle
Rag weeks
Read-a-thon
Role Reversal Day

S

Scrabble Tournaments (pay to play or sponsor points)
Shave- a- Thon
Shoe Shining
Sleep-out
Sponsored Bag-Pack
Sponsored bike ride for young and old
Sponsored Cycle / Walk / Run / Slim / Silence / ANYTHING!
Sponsored Dart Match
Sponsored Dog Walk
Sponsored Events, e.g. slimming
Sponsored silence
Sports day
Spot the baby photo competition
Street Collections (Don’t forget – you will need a Garda permit)
Street party
Supermarket Bag Packing
Swear box
Sweepstakes
Swimathon
Swimming gala

T

Talent competition
Talks and demonstrations – e.g. book readings, cookery demonstrations
Tea party
Teddy bear’s picnic for children
Tennis tournament
Theatre Premiere or Gala Evening
Theme evening
Themed event based on particular countries/cultures
Three-legged Race
Tombola
Treasure Hunt (sponsored/ask local firms to donate prizes)
Treks
Tug-o-war

U

Unwanted Christmas presents sale
Unwanted Gifts Sale
Used Book Sale (bestsellers at bargain prices)

V

Valentine’s Day event
Valet Services
Variety Show (sketches, song, dance, readings)
Vegetable sale
Veteran car rally

W

Walks
Weigh-a-thons
Welly-Throwing Contest (sell your tickets or ask for donations at the end)
Who wants to be a millionaire
Window cleaning
Wine & cheese party
Wine and chocolate night
Wine tasting
World record beating attempt

X

Xmas Pantomime
Xylophone Concert (?!!)

Y

Yacht Race
Yard Cleaning
Yodelling Competition
Yoga Demonstration
Your own thing!

Z

Zany Ideas
Zodiac Readings
Zzzzz – a sponsored sleep in or even stay-awake!

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BETWEEN THE CANALS

Tuesday, February 22nd, 2011

Between The Canals follows three small time criminals from Dublin’s North Inner City as they each aspire to be somebody in a fast changing society: Liam (Dan Hyland) a small time dealer who wants to quit his life of crime to become an electrician and provide for his girlfriend and son; Dots (Peter Coonan), a crazy, irresponsible thug with ambitions to become a big time dealer and Scratchcard (Stephen Jones), a drug user with no ambitions but to stay on social welfare and watch the world go by.

Liam is torn between life in the flats and his responsibility to be a good father to his son. He has to just get through this one day and maybe things will look brighter on the other side. But it’s Saint Patrick’s Day and, in Dublin City, this means trouble everywhere. A heartbreaking and occasionally hilarious story of loyalty, duty and masculinity.

Showing at the IFI from March 18 – 24

www.betweenthecanals.com

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Sankalpa supports Citywide Campaign

Friday, February 4th, 2011

Today Sankalpa travelled from Finglas to Dáil Éireann to support the Citywide Drugs Crisis Campaign to make the drugs crisis an election issue.  The event was was well attended by community groups and services who work with drug users.  Drug rehabilitation and recovery reduces crime and saves lives.  Drug prevention programs offer hope of better lives to young people.  According to Dr. Tom O Brien, Manager of Sankalpa, ‘the problem in Finglas is huge.  The drug problem is fueling gang and gun culture.  If governments cut services further, it will send a message to young people in Finglas that there is no hope.  We need a government that will treat all of its citizens equally and that means prioritizing young people from Finglas and Cabra, in the same way we prioritize young people from Blackrock and Foxrock’.

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Posted in Addiction news, Sankalpa News | 2 Comments »

New Year New Beginnings!

Sunday, January 9th, 2011

I was listening to a radio programme on New Years Day where a panel of people came together to talk about the notion of happiness and good mental health coming into 2011.  The well-known writer and poet Theo Dorgan spoke about happiness as a very dangerous delusion to pursue.   It certainly does occur in life and we get glimpses of happiness and moments of grace where pure happiness can be felt.   However for him the feeling of increasing well-being is what makes life have meaning and that can be gained in all kinds of ways one of which includes a good and loving relationship.

Well-being is a very attractive idea and actually comes with a lot of benefits – for example an ability to manage unhappiness or sadness or the ordinary highs and lows of life.  Well-being means that physically, emotionally and mentally you are well – you have ease within your body, your mind and your head.  This is by far a more solid and life affirming condition than any other.

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Help Sankapa win the ‘Better together’ film competition!

Saturday, October 30th, 2010

Win one of three €3,000 cash prizes for your charity, club or association!

Help Sankalpa win  Just click here and vote for The Pharm! and then tell your friends!

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Sankalpa’s first short film highlights the problem of valium and alcohol addiction in Finglas

Wednesday, October 6th, 2010

‘The Pharm’ is a short film made by local people from Finglas and Cabra who attend the Sankalpa addiction rehabilitation program.  The film is about addiction to valium and alcohol and focuses on the plight on a mother who is struggling with life in Finglas.  The central character Deborah (Amanda Doonan) is not only struggling with the stresses and strains of her own life, she also has a teenage daughter Laura (Lynne Murray) who has started to mirror her mother’s behaviour.  Deborah turns to her Doctor (Ray Higgins) for support who in turn prescribes her valium without an adequate assessment of her needs and in the end the prescription reinforces her isolation and sense of despair.  Laura eventually convinces her mother to go to FAST (Finglas Addiction Support Team) but Debora is reluctant to admit she needs support. 

As a first film for Sankalpa ‘The Pharm’ provides a realistic portrait of the problems some women face when trying to deal with stress or depression.  The film highlights the ease at which doctors prescribe valium and how prescription medication does not really deal with the underlying causes of the problem.  There is clear evidence in the research literature that valium is widely used by heroin users.  Valium is sold openly in the city centre.  Some drug users secure a valium prescription from their doctors and then sell it on to supplement their income and to buy other drugs.   Recent research in the Irish context indicated that the prescribing of valium and other benzodiazepines increased with increasing levels of material deprivation.  There is also evidence indicating that prescribing of benzodiazepines is significantly higher among females than males.  Valium is being prescribed as a social support drug in the absence of adequate community services.  But the long term cost of this approach has yet to be calculated.  Our reliance on drugs to solve social problems has become embedded in our culture and is being passed from one generation to the next.  Then there the side effects such as liver damage especially when valium is combined with alcohol and other drugs.  It is hoped that ‘The Pharm’ will help to highlight the issue and show that there are alternatives to the medical approach for anxiety and depression.   

Sankalpa are running a competition in conjunction with the release of the film on the 8th of October.  For further details see www.sankalpa.ie  

The Pharm will premier at the Lighthouse Cinema on Friday the 8th of October and Minister Pat Carey will be in attendance.

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Posted in Sankalpa News, The Sankalpa program, Video | 3 Comments »

Áine Mac A Bhaird calls for a new approach to economic development, that cherishes all of our citizens equally!

Tuesday, October 5th, 2010

Áine Mac A Bhaird spoke on behalf of Sankalpa at a local event organized by the Finglas Cabra Local Drugs Task Force in the Ardmore Hotel on Thursday 30th September 2010.  The event was organized to showcase the creativity of local drug services and demonstrate their solidarity in tackling the drug problem in the local area.  Áine made the point that we dont want to go back to the way things were before the economic crisis.  She went on to say ‘we want something new, we dont want to go back to loads of money flying around, but nobody getting a better quaility of life’.

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