The Better Together Club. Transforming the lives of ordinary people through social interaction.

Description

The Club meets weekly and to date have participated in the following,
social outings, trips to cafes, tours to Clonakilty and Killarney, chair yoga,
talks by health professionals, bingo & card playing, simple chats that lead to new friendships
music & singing sessions, talks re fire safety in the home and improving home security
bereavement talks.
The Club has also forged links with Marymount Hospice, Cork City Fire Brigade, the Community Gardaí and the local Community Warden.

Aim of Initiative

“Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much

Who is it aimed at

Keller

3 Steps critical to success

1. , “The initiative is aimed at both men and women who would like to forge new friendships, who perhaps are suffering from loneliness and isolation, who may have suffered a bereavement to meet like minded people but to meet in a free and welcoming space that provides a sense of belonging.
2. To source the right facilitator who is a genuine community volunteer, passionate and compassionate, empathetic and energetic, positive and supportive, inspirational and motivational. Mary’s personality contains all these attributes.
3. To provide a venue that is free and welcoming, wheelchair accessible, age friendly but most of all safe where people would experience a sense of belonging. With this in mind Tory Top Library with it’s private Community Room provides the ideal setting.

3 Challenges in Planning / Delivery

1. The Better Together Club has proven that working together can produce significant changes and promote vast opportunities for both individuals and communities to grown and develop. In her short but extremely impactful time as facilitator of The Better Together Club, Mary has indeed proved that it has certainly lived up to it’s name or simply put “Ní neart go cur le chéile
2. .
3. Sourcing the right facilitator.
   In the early days when trying to establish the group, there were only three members and it was in danger of folding as it was self led. It was only when Mary O’Brien and Mary Quigley came on board that the group blossomed.

3 Outcomes / Benefits

1. Publicity- to spread the word and to make sure that those that needed it the most, heard about the group.
2. The quantitative benefits are evident in an increase in membership so much so that the group is now full and there is a waiting list.
3. The qualitative benefits can be measured in terms of improvements to people’s physical well-being and mental health, reduced feelings of loneliness and an increase in their self-esteem to name just a few.