It is officially the end of week 1 of the program and I can’t believe it! This week, we had the opportunity of visiting four sites: Trinity Disability Service (as discussed in my previous blog), Trinity’s SciFest, Saint Michael’s House, and Mental Health Ireland. At each site, we received insight on Ireland’s beliefs toward particular disabilities as well as programs that give support to these disabilities.
On Wednesday, May 29, we attended Trinity’s SciFest. Here, we interacted with ten first-year students with varying intellectual disabilities as they presented their final projects; the topic this year was to pick an idea that is of interest to them and apply it to science. All of these presentations brought creative perspectives to the table that I learned a lot about.
On Thursday, May 30, we traveled to St. Michael’s, which is a facility that offers services to older individuals with varying disabilities. As we walked into the building, we were greeted by Stephen, who gave us a tour of the facility as well as the background and ideals of it. In each room, we were greeted by smiling faces that, by the end of the day, we got to know. Throughout the day, I learned many things about this location. This organization provides services to 1800 individuals in the greater Dublin area. Individuals learn many life-skills and are encouraged to have independence. They are encouraged to work in their community, independently use public transportation, and have their voices heard when establishing a plan that benefits him or her. In all, I found this facility’s environment very welcoming and a place that promotes inclusion and independence of people with disabilities in a positive way.
On Friday, May 31, we visited Mental Health Ireland, where Martin informed us how their organization promotes positive mental health. During his presentation, there were many similar things to the US he informed us about, such as social stigma surrounding disability as well as the lack of awareness of it in society. However, there were ideas brought to my attention that I have never thought about before. For instance, he emphasized the idea of the family’s role in the effectiveness of getting the individual support. I am used to hearing about the client-counselor relationship, so I found this conversation insightful. Another thing that stuck out to me was that conversation surrounding mental health generally happens after a tragedy occurs. I found this important because it is a topic that should be emphasized more in society. In all, this location expanded my knowledge in counseling which is a field I find interest in. After Mental Health Ireland, we visited the James Joyce Tower & Museum and then walked around near the water. What a pretty sight!
Each place promotes the idea of choice for the individual, where each individual’s voice is being heard. This particularly stands out to me because sometimes this idea is overlooked in our society. So far I am learning a lot from these sites, and can’t wait to gain more insight at our remaining six!