Conor Hickey, Director of Crosscare illustrated the wide range of services currently being offered by Crosscare.
“I am extremely proud of the way the team in Crosscare have responded to the crisis. From early on, priorities were established and resources concentrated on keeping key services open. Good contingency planning and regular communication with all staff and volunteers has meant that the staff group remain united and morale is generally as good as can be expected under these trying circumstances.While some of our face to face services have had to be adapted to meet HSE requirements, as much as possible we are continuing to provide supports through other remote means including phone and web based technologies. Full details of our current service provision for our service users is as follows:
- Our Homeless Services including our residential facility for young people are open and operating normally and in line with HSE guidelines. We are working closely with the HSE, Dublin Regional Homeless Executive, Tusla and other government bodies, local authorities and colleagues in other similar organisations to ensure that our service users’ needs are supported and our people are kept safe.
- At the request of the HSE we are taking over the management of an extra 100 bed facility in the city centre designed to cocoon vulnerable people out of existing overcrowded homeless services.
- Our Food Banks remain open to support those most in need at this difficult time and we have made changes at a local level to ensure that the health of all involved is safeguarded.
- Additional food parcels are being delivered to families and individuals across the city from our centre in Blanchardstown.
- Our Community Cafes remain open providing takeaway services to protect the health of our teams and customers.
- Our Carecall team are operating a normal service making calls daily to all our clients. In partnership with the charity ALONE we are supporting the work of their helpline by taking over lists of older people who require daily contact and higher levels of support. We have also transferred 11 of our staff who were confined to home to ALONE to help them deal with the surge in numbers calling their helpline.
- All Youth Services are being offered through telephone and on line support platforms.
- Our Drugs and Alcohol Programme team are carrying out online sessions with their clients.
- Our Voluntary Clubs team continue to support the local volunteers across the city.
- Crosscare Information and Advocacy Services remain very busy with all services now being offered by phone and email.
On its part Accord Dublin today announced a new help line for people struggling with relationship issues.
ACCORD Dublin has setup a helpline to provide support for people struggling with relationship issues during this time of self-isolation. The contact number is 01 9059555. The line is open from 10 until 1 pm every Monday to Friday.
More details from their new website www.accorddublin.ie