Minister helps launch new programme designed to assist people in Cork in recovery from addiction 

Minister for Finance Michael McGrath met with participants from Northside Community Enterprise’s (NCE) Outreach programme as he assisted with the launch of the NCE wellness programme.

The programme was developed by NCE Outreach to further assist those in recovery from addiction by offering them outdoor and leisure activities, as well as helping them to develop skills to assist with living independently.

NCE Outreach is a community employment project that works in partnership with local addiction treatment centres, Cuan Mhuire and The Tabor Group, and the Probation Services of Ireland, to provide training, further education, and work experience for people recovering from addiction.

The project’s aim is to promote social inclusion and provide training opportunities to allow for the reintegration of participants into their communities. Mr McGrath unveiled a plaque to launch the programme, which was developed in partnership with the support and funding of the Department of Social Protection and Cork Education and Training Board (ETB).

Speaking about the launch of the wellness programme and NCE Outreach, the sponsor and chairperson of the NCE board of management, Fr John O’Donovan, said: “Our programmes focus on developing the confidence and self-awareness of our participants, while assisting them in identifying their next steps in relation to retraining, upskilling, re-entering education, and employment.

“We have witnessed how, through a supportive, collaborative environment, the untapped potential of many individuals can be harnessed in a positive and productive manner.

“Over the past three years, NCE Outreach has had 400 participants in our programmes, with over 50% progressing to either employment or further education.

“It is the feedback of these 400 participants that provided the initial framework for the NCE Wellness Programme. Their feedback gave us invaluable insights into what our participants visualised from such a programme.”

Fr John said that since it began in 2022, the initial feedback from participants on the NCE Wellness Programme had been extremely positive, with plans firmly in place for further expansion in the future.

He thanked the Department of Social Protection and Cork Education and Training Board for funding the programme and also acknowledged the NCE’s Board of Management, management and staff.