We currently offer support services to people in distress after hours 2 evenings per week. Currently the limiting factors ie the number of trained volunteers, financial limits and lack of other resources limit the centre to these hours. Over the next number of years we will aim to increase the number of nights the Haven Hub is open. Within 3 years we are aiming to have the service available 7 nights per week from 8pm to 3.30am to cover the peak times that people are at risk.

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This goal will be achieved by:

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• Lobbying the HSE to provide resources and funding
• Increasing Fundraising efforts.
• Effective recruitment and training of volunteers on a regular basis.

In 2019 yet again Limerick had the highest Suicide Rate in the country. The Haven Hub aims to give a platform for people at risk and those affected by suicide to express improvements that they feel may be needed in HSE crisis services. We plan to do this by:

• Having both a Service User Representative and a Representative of Families affected by Suicide on our committee to support and communicate the needs of service users and their families.
• Surveying service users and their families to enquire about their experiences to date with crisis services.
• Preparing a report outlining this feedback and reaching out to relevant organisations to collaborate in improving services.
• Lobbying for changes to current practices to reflect the needs of service users (and their families) identified in the report.
• Supporting and advocating for the rights of service users and their families when needed during interventions and in the aftermath of the interventions.

The Haven hub is governed by a Board of Management and operates under the guidelines set out by its constitution. We will prioritise best practice and good corporate governance by:

• Drafting further policies and procedure relevant to the services available at the Haven Hub.
• Obtaining charitable status so we can fundraise and operate in our own name.
• Committee members attending training sessions relative to their role on the board.
• Ensuring all annual accounts are accessible to the public, are transparent and a fair representation and that all financial activity and decision are in accordance with Financial Guidelines by the Charities Regulator and tight internal financial controls.

We have already set up a Suicide Prevention Exchange which will be a starting point to collaborate with all stakeholders. Over the next 3 years we hope to:

• Grow the Exchange to include more representatives to relevant services.
• Get representation from Mental Health Ireland, the HSE and the service improvement team involved in the Exchange.
• We currently have a representative for service users and a separate representative for families affected by suicide. These representatives will meet with the public regularly to ensure we act at all times in collaboration with their needs and the needs of those most affected by our service.
• Collaborate with any other similar organisations that aim to provide after-hours support to people at risk of suicide.

We wish to improve the awareness of the public when it comes to suicide prevention, the signs, the myths around suicide, the ways the public can assist in helping to keep a person in distress safe and refer them to supports to aid their recovery. We intend to do this by:

• Researching local organisations and the help available to those struggling with their mental health.
• Making a comprehensive list of all support organisations available on our website and social network sites, promoting the importance of reaching out when in distress.
• Training all Haven Hub volunteers in the navigation of these services.
• Delivering QPR Suicide Prevention Training with the Navigation of Local services training to interested groups such as teachers, parents, employers and the general public.

We wish to give our volunteers a high level and quality of training. Currently all volunteers receive Suicide Prevention and peer support training along with Safeguarding of Vulnerable People and first aid training. We wish to provide more extensive training to our volunteers by increasing the training opportunities by:

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• Linking with local organisations that are more advanced in their training to also provide training to our volunteers such as Boundaries training, Mental Health First Aid, Self-harm awareness, WRAP.
• Two Volunteers will be trained in MAPA (Management of Actual or Potential Aggression) Instructor Training so that all volunteers will be MAPA trained.
• Consistent and regular supports for all volunteers including availability of 1-1 counselling and weekly debriefing sessions
• Volunteering opportunities for ICHAS and UL students in the Haven Hub for co-op and placement opportunities for those studying psychotherapy/psychology.