News

Research team awarded Irish Research Council New Foundations funding

6 Apr 2021

Dr Sheena McHugh (Principal Investigator) and Dr Fiona Riordan (Co-investigator) have been awarded funding to conduct a project in partnership with Friendly Call Cork/Cork City Partnership.

The project ‘Learning how to create Integrated community Networks through Knowledge exchange’ (LINK), was one of 76 projects funded as part of the Irish Research Council New Foundations scheme, which aims to connect researchers and community/voluntary organisations. The project aims to understand the current and changing scope of a local befriending service, Friendly Call Cork, during the COVID-19 pandemic and explore how to maximise its potential through integration with community healthcare services. COVID-19 has increased the focus on befriending services like Friendly Call, as a way to connect with and support older people and individuals with physical and mental disabilities who may be vulnerable, cocooning, and lonely. Improving the links between befriending services and community healthcare services will make the most of their potential to reach vulnerable people.

You can read more about the LINK project here.

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