Resources for Councils and community responses to COVID-19

This page features items that may be useful for Council teams and community groups responding to COVID-19.

Some may be helpful for staff and volunteers for their own wellbeing, and others may be helpful for them in carrying out their role during COVID-19.

Each item has been selected by Public Health Agency. Not all have been authored by PHA. The original author for each item is responsible for its content, advice, production and maintenance (including all required updates).

• General Helpline Training (Advice NI) - a series of short (10-20 minute), concise modules covering key helpline skills - quickly identify routine enquiries, priorities, quick fixes and emergencies. Assign resources that best fit the client’s needs.
• Helplines NI website – now includes all new COVID -19 related helplines, both national and local
• Psychological First Aid interim guidelines and a short E-Learning module course
• Suicide prevention e-learning – to explain some of the warning signs and helps the learner to feel more equipped when dealing with difficult conversations around suicide.
• Stress Control online classes. The sessions are effective in helping to reduce symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression and they include techniques to get a good night’s sleep!
• Health Protection and Health and Wellbeing guidance and resources. These include translated versions and adaptations for various groups 
• Healthcare Apps to support health and social wellbeing, eg. manage stress, improve wellbeing, stay fit, eat well, improve sleep.
• Directories of local mental health and emotional wellbeing services (local to each health and social care trust area)