The first workshop encourages young people to get their 5 A DAY to support their mental health.
These 5 a Day are:
1. Connect -With the people around you. With family, friends, colleagues and neighbours. At home, work, school or in your local community. Think of these as the cornerstones of your life and invest time in developing them. Building these connections will support and enrich you every day.
2. Be active -Go for a walk or run. Step outside. Cycle. Play a game. Garden. Dance. Exercising makes you feel good. Most importantly, discover a physical activity you enjoy and that suits your level of mobility and fitness.

3. Take notice -Be curious. Catch sight of the beautiful. Remark on the unusual. Notice the changing seasons. Savour the moment, whether you are walking to work, eating lunch or talking to friends. Be aware of the world around you and what you are feeling. Reflecting on your experiences will help you appreciate what matters to you.

4. Keep learning -Try something new. Rediscover an old interest. Sign up for that course. Take on a different responsibility at work. Fix a bike. Learn to play an instrument or how to cook your favourite food. Set a challenge you will enjoy achieving. Learning new things will make you more confident as well as being fun.

5. Give-Do something nice for a friend, or a stranger. Thank someone. Smile. Volunteer your time. Join a community group. Look out, as well as in. Seeing yourself, and your happiness, linked to the wider community can be incredibly rewarding and creates connections with the people around you.

The second workshop is about Cyber Safety and protecting yourself online. This workshops asks the young people to consider what they are publicizing about themselves and how to protect their data. This workshop is one that Clare Youth Service developed in conjunction with MacAfee and was endorsed and launched by the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs.

“Young people love being online but we have to think about safety more, sometimes an app or a conversation can be so engaging young people may forget who can see what. There’s huge benefits to the internet and we are fortunate to be so connected but we also see bullying and even more worrying things happening online. The youth service is a great place to talk about these and for young people to be open about what happens online and how we feel about it. This a great programme with really knowledgeable people to improve the online environment for young people” Said Margaret Slattery from Clare Youth Services

Both these workshops are rolled out in Post Primary schools and informal education settings throughout the county.

Connecting for Life Mid-West

Clare Local Development Company is a member of the Implementation Group of Connecting for Life Mid-West Strategy.