Jun 14, 2025 | Health and Wellbeing, News & Events
🌟 That’s a wrap on KCYS Workplace Wellbeing Week 2025! 🌟
This week, the KCYS team took the opportunity to spotlight wellbeing and embraced a wonderful mix of activities focused on connection, reflection, creativity, and fun — all rooted in the Five Pillars of Wellbeing. Our week was filled with fun filled moments, making connections. reminders of what makes us feel good, and ideas on how to mind ourselves and support one another in meaningful ways!
Here’s how we brought each pillar to life:
🤝 Connect – We kicked off with a full-day a Team Building Day on the Lakes of Killarney, organised by Shannon & our social committee — plenty of laughter & antics, with new memories made.
🌿 Take Notice – What a way to start Tuesday with some Mindfulness with Helena, and by Friday we slowed things down with a peaceful walk in Killarney National Park, with our expert guides, Dinny & Stephen!
📚 Keep Learning – Being creative is not only a great way to decompress, but a great way to learn – we had two very different creative workshops delivered by our own Pavlina & Leanne, allowing the artistic (or not so artistic) streak to shine!
💃 Be Active – A feel-good movement session with Ray helped us loosen up, lift our spirits, and shake off the Thursday slump.
🎁 Give – Whether sharing time, a listening ear, or a favourite dish at our Pot Luck Lunch on Friday (organised by Henrique & Selena), we were reminded of the power of generosity and everyday kindness.
Throughout the week, our staff also took part in lighthearted daily challenges (yes, Wordle made the cut!) and reflected on how even small acts of self-care and connection can make a big impact.
In KCYS, we know that wellbeing isn’t a luxury — it’s the foundation of a healthy, compassionate, and thriving organisation. When we support each other to feel well, we all do better — for ourselves, our teams, and the young people, their families and the communities we serve.
A huge thank you to everyone who joined in and helped make the week meaningful!
Here’s to carrying these habits forward!
Jun 11, 2025 | Health and Wellbeing, News & Events
Date: 9th – 15th June 2025
Where: Cork & Kerry
Babies, toddlers, and their parents will enjoy a week of free events, from fun activities to learning about infant mental health.
Throughout the week, parents, expecting parents, carers, and families are invited to join free talks, playgroups, and storytelling sessions, all designed to support infants’ emotional and social development.
These events offer opportunities to:
- Learn about your baby’s developing brain
- Connect through play and shared experiences
- Build strong, nurturing relationships from the very beginning
- Check out the full calendar of events: https://bit.ly/IMHWeek25
Sep 16, 2024 | Health and Wellbeing, News & Events
At Croíge, we love getting out with the young people we work with and immersing ourselves in nature. A trip to the beach can not only be fun—it can also be therapeutic! Here’s why the beach is such an effective stress reliever:
🔊Sound of Waves: The rhythmic sound of waves creates a meditative atmosphere, lowering heart rate and reducing stress hormones. This natural white noise also improves sleep quality.
🌅 Natural Beauty: the beautiful views help clear the mind, providing a sense of peace and tranquillity. This natural scenery fosters a deep sense of relaxation and helps melt away stress.
🌊 Physical Sensations: Walking on the sand massages the feet, stimulating pressure points and promoting relaxation. The sensation of cool water on the skin can reduce muscle tension and promote a sense of calm.
🍃 Fresh Air: The clean ocean air improves oxygen intake and boosts serotonin levels, lifting mood and reducing stress.
☀️ Sunshine: Sunlight increases serotonin production, enhancing mood and focus. It also regulates circadian rhythms, improving sleep patterns crucial for stress management.
🏃 Exercise: Beach activities like walking, swimming, or playing games release endorphins, natural stress relievers. Even light exercise can help improve mood and reduce anxiety.
🌴 Escape from Routine: A beach day offers a break from the daily grind, refreshing the mind and reducing burnout.
🧘 Mindfulness and Presence: The beach environment encourages mindfulness. Engaging in simple activities like watching waves, collecting shells, or feeling the sand can help anchor you in the present moment, reducing anxious thoughts.
🍃 Connection with Nature: Being in nature reduces cortisol levels and increases feelings of well-being. The beach’s combination of water, sand, and open sky is a great setting for stress reduction.
🌈 Sensory Engagement: The beach engages all five senses: sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste. This multi-sensory experience can help ground you and provide a distraction from stressors.
🏖️ Play and Leisure: The beach is a place of play and leisure, from building sandcastles to lounging in the sun. These activities promote fun and relaxation, essential for reducing stress.
🎨 Creativity: During our time in nature, we often collect treasures such as shells and sticks to use in future craft projects. This hands-on activity not only fuels creativity but also creates lasting memories from our beach outings
Mindfulness Activity to try at the beach:
The 5-4-3-2-1 Technique
Try this simple exercise on your next beach trip to promote relaxation:
1. 5 Things You Can See: Look around and identify five things you can see.
2. 4 Things You Can Feel: Notice four things you can physically feel.
3. 3 Things You Can Hear: Listen for three distinct sounds.
4. 2 Things You Can Smell: Take a deep breath and identify two smells.
5. 1 Thing You Can Taste: Notice any lingering taste.
The beach provides a holistic environment addressing multiple aspects of stress relief, from physical relaxation to mental clarity and emotional support.
Apr 5, 2024 | Health and Wellbeing, Leisure, Sports/Travel
6 ways to stay safe on a night out
- Stay with your friends- If you are not able to find them and decide to go home, it is a good idea to order your taxi from inside the premises you are in and wait there until it arrives.
- Try and arrange a drive home and go with someone you know. Using a taxi app, such as FreeNow. This allows you to have full information on the driver, such as license and car type without having to take the information down yourself.
- Have emergency money- It is a good idea if you are on a night out to keep some money on you separate to your wallet or purse. By doing this it means that if your lose it or it gets stolen that you will still have some money to get a taxi home if you need to.
- Avoid taking drinks from a stranger- If you are on a night out avoid taking drinks from people you don’t know or leaving your drink unattended. If you want to dance or go to the bathroom, you should avoid leaving your drink alone. Where possible leave it with someone you trust or finish your drink before leaving the table.
- Charge your phone- Fully charge your phone before you go on a night out. Having a working phone means that you can call someone if something goes wrong. It also means that you can use it to book a taxi or call someone to come collect you. You should also try to have credit on your phone before you go out.
- If you decide to go home with someone- tell your friends, the address and their full name. Always use protection. If you are a female on contraception, it is important to use a condom to protect against STI’S.
All of this information is available on SpunOut
Nov 25, 2022 | Health and Wellbeing
Need to Talk? Help is a phone call away . . .
Nov 25, 2022 | Health and Wellbeing
A resource to support your mental health and wellbeing every day.
Mental health is about how we feel, think and behave in the world. Like our physical health, our mental health can vary, depending on what is happening in our lives, our ability to cope and how we are looking after ourselves throughout our adult lives.
Read more about it here
Check out this is a short film with Kerry Comhairle na nÓg highlighting that young people have to deal with a number of different issues and pressures and these are not always visible. The project was made possible by funding from Healthy Ireland through Kerry CYPSC. We are very grateful to them for their support. Watch it here.
