Agencies come together to ask people of Mayo, ‘HELLO, How Are You?’
TO celebrate Mental Health Ireland HELLO, How Are You? Day this month, Mental Health Ireland (MHI), Castlebar Library, Midwest Radio, Mayo County Council, Mayo Mental Health Association and HSE Community Healthcare West came together to ask the people of Mayo, HELLO, How Are You?
HHRU is a campaign about connecting with those around us and engaging in open conversations about mental health. It’s about asking the question “How Are You?” with meaning, and really listening to the response.
It aims to tackle the lack of connection or belonging that people experience by inspiring individuals to ask how others are feeling. This opens up a conversation to allow people to listen and encourage action by signposting to local support and services.
There was a vibrant crowd outside the county library consisting of members of the public, volunteers and staff from partner agencies for the open talk morning and supported by a free coffee van parked outside the library. Midwest Radio were on hand with numerous interviews with psychologist Dr. Sean Foy, author Patrick Tracey and live music from Westport singer songwriter Brian Duffy.
Students from Davitt College and St. Joseph's in Castlebar also attended the event. The students recorded a number of live podcasts sharing their thoughts about their mental health and what they do to support it. These can now be viewed on MHI's Instagram account.
Teresa Keane, training and development officer with MHI, explained: “The campaign breaks down the steps: H.E.L.L.O.(H: Hello, E: Engage, L: Listen, L: Learn and O: Options) which supports people to reach out, say hello and ask how are you? We asked community groups, workplaces and organisations across the country to join us, get involved and host an event such as a coffee morning, a walk or a workshop. No event is too small to start conversations and to say Hello, How Are You? As an individual, you could pick up the phone and call a family member or friend or meet someone for coffee, while using tools and resources that can be downloaded from our website. We are a nation of great talkers! Let’s make those conversations even more meaningful.”
Dr. Anne Cullen, consultant psychiatrist, spoke about the O of the Hello Framework, stating: “The majority of mental health problems are treated outside of the mental health services by GPs and community services. I am delighted to see the development of the West Be Well website (West Be Well offers information on voluntary, statutory and community groups involved in wellbeing, mental health promotion and suicide prevention initiatives in Galway, Mayo and Roscommon). I am confident it will be a trusted resource for anyone who may be experiencing mental health difficulties and their family and friends in the local area.
“It takes immense courage to seek help from mental health services and it is our responsibility to ensure people have access to timely, safe, evidence-based supports when they are in need of help. I firmly believe the West Be Well website will help to ensure people in the Galway, Mayo and Roscommon areas have access to appropriate information and supports for their mental health.”
Kevin Kelly, CEO of Mayo County Council, added: “This project is an excellent example of how reaching out and asking hello can impact individuals, family members and people we care about in our community. The framework supports people to ask the question and then supports the person to successfully address the challenges they may be facing in a timely and effective and supported way.”