Northeast Regional Drug and Alcohol Task Force is a government appointed body with responsibility for implementing Ireland’s national drug strategy and related policies in counties Cavan, Louth, Meath & Monaghan; with membership drawn from a range of local public sector and community service providers and other key stakeholders. The role within the SUMIT will be to undertake the following:

Recruitment and provision of management support to the local project team. Provide leadership and coordination of the SUMIT project in the northeast local demonstrator area. With knowledge of local concerns and commitment to the northeast region will play a critical role in promoting and facilitating networks and partnerships with local communities implementing the project on the ground. Engaging with local agencies involved in supporting people with complex challenges relating to substance use and identifying the most appropriate digital solutions to respond to the health needs of this vulnerable cohort of people. Input into the SUMIT Steering Group and play a key role in sharing learning in the Communities of Practice.

Start360 has been the leading provider of support services in Northern Ireland for over 30 years. Our mission statement is that ‘Change Starts Here’ and our vision is ‘Every Person Stronger’. We currently employ 82 people, delivering 27 services. Start360 has extensive experience in supporting people with offending behaviours and individuals who have had contact with the criminal justice system. As an Associate Partner, START 360 will provide local coordination, particularly for the prison demonstrator and share learning through the Communities of Practice. We will advocate for the SUMIT project at a cross-border level within prison services. With knowledge of local concerns and commitment to people transitioning from prisons START 360 will play a critical role in promoting and facilitating networks and partnerships with local communities implementing the project on the ground.

NHS Fife are interested in developing digital approaches which support easier access to treatment, building on work we have already done in this area (e.g developing use of video consulting). Fife are providing programme management for the four nation, >£5M Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) funded by Scottish Government Chief Scientist Office and UK Government Office for Life Science Addiction Mission addressing overdose detection, response and intervention. Our role would be to operate as an advanced local demonstrator to assist the local demonstrator sites in Ireland and Northern Ireland to anticipate and overcome some of the practical implementation issues they will experience. As an advanced demonstrator site, Fife will play a critical role in promoting and facilitating networks and partnerships with local communities implementing the project on the ground to aid acceleration in IRE /NI demonstrator sites.

Developing Healthy Communities is a community[1]based organisation with over 30 years’ experience delivering a diverse range of programmes designed to improve mental, physical, and social wellbeing. We support communities, families and workplaces through training, healthcare programmes and facilitation of partnership working. In 2022/23, over 30,000 people benefitted from interventions supported by DHC. Our role within the SUMIT Project will be to undertake the following:

Direct QUB SUMIT dedicated staff for networking for recruitment and provision of management support to the local project team. With knowledge of local concerns and commitment to the northwest region will play a critical role in promoting and facilitating networks and partnerships with local communities implementing the project on the ground. Provide leadership and coordination of the SUMIT project in the Derry-Donegal deployment area, working alongside partners within the Alcohol Forum in Letterkenny. Engaging with local agencies involved in supporting people with complex challenges relating to substance use and identifying the most appropriate digital products to respond to the health needs of this vulnerable cohort of people. Play a key role in the Communities of Practice.

Alcohol Forum Ireland is an independent national charity that provides support, information and services to individuals, families and communities impacted by alcohol and other drug harm, while also working at the wider levels to change Ireland’s problematic relationship with alcohol. AFI’s approach is shaped by evidence and is informed by the expressed needs of the people and communities. AFI has been the lead organisation supporting the development and expansion of evidence -based community action on alcohol in Ireland since 2016. Our role within the SUMIT Project will be to undertake the following:

Direct QUB SUMIT dedicated staff for networking for recruitment and provision of management support to the local project team. With knowledge of local concerns and commitment to the northwest region will play a critical role in promoting and facilitating networks and partnerships with local communities implementing the project on the ground. Provide leadership and coordination of the SUMIT project in the Derry/Donegal deployment area, working alongside partners within the Developing Healthy Communities in Londonderry / Derry. Engaging with local agencies involved in supporting people with complex challenges relating to substance use and identifying the most appropriate digital solutions to respond to the health needs of this vulnerable cohort of people. Play a key role in the Communities of Practice.

The Connected Heath & Wellbeing (CHW) Cluster (Dundalk Institute of Technology), www.chwcluster.ie, has over 70 members. The aim is to increase collaboration across key stakeholders in the health ecosystem. The six strategic pillars priorities include:

1. Innovation, Promotion & Collaboration

2. Internationalisation

3. Education, Skills, Training & Development

4. Regulatory, Cybersecurity & Interoperability

5. Sustainable Health Technology

6. Personalised Health Monitoring including Sports Technology and Wearables

Led by Breanndán Casey, the Connected Health and Wellbeing Cluster will support the SUMIT team in identifying potential innovative solutions, and organisations that could provide said solutions. We will support market engagement and procurement processes and procedures of identified SUMIT products (e.g. applications, web based tools, platforms) which will be used to improve treatment and support for SUMIT beneficiaries. The Cluster Manager will also support the SUMIT via active promotion and dissemination of SUMIT material, especially within the Republic of Ireland.

The Wheel is Ireland’s national association of charities, community groups and social enterprises. As a representative voice, we provide leadership to the charity and community sector and we advocate on behalf of our growing community of members. As a supportive resource, we offer advice, training and other opportunities to people working or volunteering in the charity and community sector.

The Wheel collaborates closely with SUMIT project partner SCVO, as a sister organisation with common purpose, along with the Northern Ireland Council of Voluntary Organisations (NICVA), the Welsh Council of Voluntary Associations, and the National Council of Voluntary Organisations in England. Shared learning between these organisations is essential to ensure the overall development of wellbeing of the respective sectors and exchange of innovation and best practice. The Wheel acts as a conduit to members and the wider charity and community sector sharing ideas and innovations for replication across Irish communities.

As associated partners in SUMIT, The Wheel can ensure:

There is sustained knowledge on supporting digital inclusion more broadly across the two geographies There is greater knowledge and capacity to level additional support and knowledge into the two geographies and join up activity, which is beginning to emerge.

In practical terms, the role as SUMIT associated partners would be largely dissemination by taking project results and sharing them with our extensive network of 2300+ members, and over 40,000 contacts in our database.

For The Wheel, the learning we gain will be a step towards our own goals of a digital inclusion programme for the sector in Ireland.

NICVA is the umbrella body for the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector (VCSE) in Northern Ireland with a membership of over 1300 VCSE organisations and a database of a further 5000.

NICVA provides capacity building support to the VCSE sector on a range of topics: skills development, leadership, and management, coaching and mentoring, organisational capacity building, governance, income generation, human resources, impact practice and advocacy. NICVA informs the sector of legislation and best practice to enable them to run effectively and adapt to the changing environment. Thier way of working is to work collaboratively within the VCSE and across the sectors on their behalf.  Much of the work of NICVA is about building the capacity of organisations, designing, and supporting a learning journey that is inclusive for all groups.

The added benefit NICVA brings to the SUMIT project is in the access it provides across sectors and the ability to share learning across the NICVA teams to the benefit of the VCSE. NICVA has well established communication channels, used extensively to promote learning, best practice, and opportunities across the sector. For example, over 2,300 subscribe to the weekly eNews.  NICVA bring a one stop shop approach to supporting the VCSE in Northern Ireland. As associate partners, NICVA will act as a dissemination partner for SUMIT to wider community and voluntary environment.