Ambitious three-year plan to develop counselling services

A THREE-year plan to develop West Cork Counselling and Support Services was unveiled in Dunmanway.

Its chairperson Teresa O’Sullivan outlined the agency’s objectives to increase its core funding, secure a new premises, and increase the number of counsellors who can provide the people of West Cork with low-cost counselling.

The service, which has seen the number of people using the service increase year-on-year, is limited only by its current base of operations at Ross House in Dunmanway’s Main Street where there is just one room for counselling sessions. There are outreach facilities for face-to-face counselling sessions in Bantry and Skibbereen, but the chairperson said similar services in other areas, such as Clonakilty and Drimoleague, are needed if it is to be truly accessible.

WCCSS currently provides 35 counselling sessions each week but a second room, a meeting room, and a reception area, would give it greater scope to meet the increased demand for its services.

An independent consultant worked with all of the people who depend on the West Cork Counselling and Support Services to come up with the new three-year plan.

Initially, the service will be working to secure additional funding and additional therapy hours, but over the three-year period there will also be a public programme of events to reach out more to people in need. In addition, a concerted effort will be made to remove any remaining stigma around dealing with mental health matters.

Toddy Hogan, West Cork Travellers with Joanna McCarthy, Katy Desmond and June Hamill from the HSE and Teresa O’Sullivan of Cork ETB, board chairperson. (Photo: Taidgh Richards)

The West Cork service started 17 years ago as a crisis pregnancy programme, but has grown to meet a wide variety of individual and family needs.

WCCSS provides affordable and accessible counselling for people over the age of 18, for everything from bereavement to anxiety, stress, redundancy and relationship matters.

Anyone who thinks they might benefit from attending WCCSS can find out how to access the services closest to them on the website www.wccss.com.

People can also email info@ wccss.com or phone 023 8856852.

With population numbers rising in most West Cork towns and villages, as well as an additional need for trauma counselling for Ukrainians fleeing the war, the demand has never been greater, according to Teresa O’Sullivan.

She said that building a strong, more resilient service is possible because they have an excellent team, the backing of the HSE, and a fantastic voluntary management board. T

he board comprises Teresa O’Sullivan, Toddy Hogan, Joanna McCarthy, Marie Mulholland, Elaine Fitzpatrick, June Hamill and Erin Ashworth. These board members were praised as ‘powerhouses in the caring professions’ by Cllr Declan Hurley (Ind) who was deputising for county mayor Frank O’Flynn.

WCCSS can also provide people with information on other organisations, services and groups operating within the West Cork region.