At Carnaross GFC we value the health of our members and recognise the role we can play in providing opportunities, information and education on a range of health issues.

The club health and wellbeing policies and procedures will be available on this page, with useful links for health and welfare.

This page has been prepared by Brian Comaskey, our Health and Wellbeing Officer.

Contact Brian at 086-6696761 with any queries or if you need any further information. 

Health & Wellbeing Officer (HWO)

All GAA clubs are being asked to appoint a Health & Wellbeing Officer, a key element of this role includes, ensuring appropriate policies are in place, foster a supportive and open culture in the club, ensure the club is open and welcoming to all the community, where appropriate, make suitable health and wellbeing programmes available to club members, develop appropriate partnerships and links in your locale. The GAAs strength as the largest sporting and community organisation on the island of Ireland is in providing access to our members to service providers who have the skills, resources, remit, and time to deliver on health and wellbeing. 

Brian Comaskey has been appointed by the club executive committee to the role of HWO. Brian has recently completed training with the Meath county board and is now fully committed, as part of the overall philosophy of Carnaross GFC, to implement his knowledge and skills with the clubs support while working and liaising with the County Health & Wellbeing Sub-Committee to ensure that our club has appropriate GAA policies in place and that they are implemented and monitored, and that the club fosters a culture that promotes health and wellbeing amongst all club members and, where possible, the local community. 

As part of the role as HWO, Brian will promote and support at club level any activities organised by the County Health & Wellbeing Sub-Committee. Provide reports, as required, to the Club Executive on plans and activities, including a report for the club AGM on work completed and any plans for the subsequent year. Ensure appropriate policies and activities are implemented at club level, e.g. Club Drug & Alcohol policy. Work with the club Executive to promote health messages at club games and events. Encourage the club to include the wider community (parents, past players, older members etc.) in any health promoting plans or activities, and will ensure adequate policies are in place in all respective areas to meet current demands of the Carnaross Community. All policies shall be evaluated annually and adapted as services require. 

Where to start?

First of all a working group is to be formulated, anyone interested or willing to come on board would greatly be appreciated Identify deficits and areas that need intervention, supports, polices.

How are we going to do this?

Steps - what to do?
Policy - identify policies/areas
Partnerships - identify organisations that will supply adequate resources
Environment - signage, leaflets, talks, philosophy and culture
Activity - training, health promotion, making information available

After meeting with the executive committee areas that stood out for intervention included:

Physical Health – healthy eating for under age, educate on making a healthy choice. Introduce other activities such as walking or running groups or incorporate into other sub groups

Mental Health – mental health policy, introduction of GAA mental health charter, dealing with mental health issues that may occur, Suicide prevention, code of behaviour for members

Social Inclusion / Community – social club, older members group-men’s shed

Carnaross GFC Aims of be a Healthy Club

GAA clubs already contribute to the health and wellbeing of their members by providing opportunities to develop their physical, social, emotional, and psychological health. 

Carnaross GFC aims to help all the members of our community by identifying what we are already doing well, identify areas where we can or would like to improve, and empower our members to ensure that everyone who engages with the club benefits from the experience in a health-enhancing way, be they players, officers, coaches, parents, supporters, or members of their local community. 

Our aim is to embed a healthy philosophy in the club while integrating health into the day-to-day club activities in a sustainable way. It also aims to place our club at the heart of the community, making it a beacon for health in the locality.

Please see http://www.gaa.ie/my-gaa/community-and-health/ for further information.

 

Physical Activity

Let's move more and sit less. If you take one thing from this section, let it be that simple message.

​It is recommended by the World Health Organisation that children and young people (aged 2-18) should be active moderate to vigorous level, for at least 60 minutes every day. This should include muscle-strengthening, flexibility and bone-strengthening exercises 3 times a week.

Adults (aged 18 - 64) should be active for at least 30 minutes a day of moderate activity on 5 days a week (or 150 minutes a week). 

Older people (aged 65+) should be active for at least 30 minutes a day of moderate intensity activity on 5 days a week, or 150 minutes a week with a focus on aerobic activity, muscle strengthening and balance.​

People with disabilities should be as active as their ability allows and should aim to meet adult guidelines of at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity on

​Healthy Eating

Info to follow

Mental Fitness

Info to follow

Gambling, Alcohol & Drug Education

ASAP programme

​The Alcohol & Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP) Programme was the GAA’s first foray into more formal health promotion. A joint venture with the Health Service Executive (HSE) the ASAP programme was introduced in 2006 at a time when Ireland’s alcohol consumption was at an all-time high (peaking at over 14 litres of pure alcohol per person ages 15+). 

​The ASAP programme today includes tobacco education reflecting the desire by many GAA clubs to become completely smoke-free campuses (inspired by the examples of pioneering clubs in the GAA Healthy Club Project).

While each GAA club was once recommended to have a dedicated ASAP officer, the programme has now been included into the broader agenda delivered through the new health and wellbeing structure of at national, provincial, county, and club level.

The ASAP Programme aims to tackle the issue of alcohol and substance abuse through three key approaches:

- Prevent alcohol and other drug related problems from happening

- Educate members about relevant issues

- Respond appropriately should a problem arise

Extensive resources such as the Club ASAP policy and guidelines, manual, flyers, and SAOR (Brief Intervention) training booklets have been developed and are available to access and review by clicking on the relevant tabs above.​

Problem gambling

Problem gambling is becoming a growing concern in modern Ireland. To respond to this growing concern, the Association has produced a booklet of basic guidelines as an educational resource for our players, members, and clubs.

​This document aims to assist GAA members in identifying what problem gambling is and to encourage those who may be experiencing a difficulty to seek support and assistance. It also highlights the strict regulations and consequences – both within GAA rule and the broader laws of the land – regarding match-fixing or the use of insider information for the financial gain of the individual or team concerned, or any third parties involved.

​The Community & Health department, with the support of the National Health & Wellbeing Committee is also currently developing a gambling awareness workshop that will be tested at Congress 2017.

Community Development

The GAA would not exist without the communities we represent and serve.

​Every club in the Association already supports the development of its communities in a broad variety of ways, whether that's offering young people the chance to better themselves through sport or by supporting local charities through fundraising events and functions. The programmes outlined here aim to highlight how clubs can maximise their positive influence, be that by becoming more age-friendly and engaging older members of our communities or by supporting national campaigns such as those supporting road or farm safety.  

​The GAA can also play an important role in supporting its members and communities in the aftermath of what are called critical incidents. Each year the Community & Health team in Croke Park receives between 30-40 requests from clubs and counties for support in the aftermath of such a situation (a critical incident is defined as a situation that overwhelms one’s natural capacity to respond). These are as broad and varied in their nature as any situation that can befall any individual, club, or community.

Training & Personal Development

The Community & Health department is continually striving to ensure that it supports the growth and personal development of all GAA members and especially those interested in the sphere of health and wellbeing. 

To this end, a variety of interesting and innovative training and educational programmes have been devised for members. 

Please see http://www.gaa.ie/my-gaa/community-and-health/training-personal-development/ for details of training and educational 

 

Carnaross GFC Mental Health Initiative 2018

10 tips for Positive Mental Health;

• Eat well
• Keep active, mentally & physically
• Take time out
• Reduce alcohol intake and avoid drugs
• Socialise/talk to friends & family
• Give to yourself
• Enjoy life and have a laugh
• Sleep well
• Go easy on yourself
• Set goals for yourself and seek your dream

 

Useful Links

www.yourmentalhealth.ie
www.letsomeoneknow.ie
www.jigsaw.ie
www.pleasetalk.ie
www.reachout.com
www.belongto.org
www.spunout.ie
www.aware.ie
www.samaritans.org
www.teenline.ie
www.citizeninformation.ie
www.welfare.ie
www.menssheds.ie

Useful Phone Numbers

Aware 1890 303302
Samaritans 1850 60909090 text line 087 2609090
Teenline 1800 833634
ASAP 1800 459459
Childline 1800 666666
Parentline 1890 927277
HSE Information Helpline 1850 241850
Rape Crisis Centre 1800 778888 
1 Life National Suicide Prevention Helpline 1800 247100
Console (Bereaved by Suicide) 1800 201890
Alcohol Anonymous 01 4538998
Womans Aid 1800 341900
Homeless Service 1800 724724
ALBA (Adults who have Experienced Childhood Abuse) 1800 234112
Al-Anon & Al-Ateen (if someone's alcohol bothers you) 01 8732699
Bodywhys (Eating disorders) 1890 200444
CURA (Practical help for unplanned pregnancies) 1850 622626
GROW (Assistance for people suffering from mental health) 094 9026417
LGBT (Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender) 1890 929539
Senior Helpline (Listening service for older people run by older people) 1850 220444
Farm and Rural Stress Helpline 1800 742645
Senior Helpline 1850 440444
Garda Confidential Line 1800 666111
Pieta House (Centre for prevention of self-harm and suicide) 093 25586
Counselling Service 1800 234113
MABS (Money Advice and Budgeting Service) 090 6627811
Heads Up text line freetext headsup to 50434
National Cancer Helpline 1890 200700