30.09.2023
MindMatters All–Island Conference Celebrates 3rd Year of Project
MindMatters Conference SOLD OUT but waiting list in operation.
MindMatters CoI, the Church of Ireland’s mental health promotion project, will mark its third year with a major all–island conference in Dublin on October 20. The project is delighted that the keynote speaker at the conference will be the Most Rev Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury. While the conference is now SOLD OUT, there is a waiting list in operation. If you would like to be added to the waiting list please email MHP@rcbdub.org. Similarly, if you have booked your place at the conference but your plans have changed please email the organisers so they can reallocate your place to someone on the waiting list.
MindMatters was launched on World Mental Health Day 2020 with the aim of increasing awareness of mental health within the Church and promoting a greater understanding of mental health issues.
The project began by commissioning extensive research, including the largest survey on mental health attitudes ever carried out by a Church on the island. The results of the survey and focus groups provided an evidence–based foundation for subsequent activities.
Following on from the research, MindMatters organised a series of Mental Health Awareness training sessions, attended by, among others, all 12 (at the time) members of the House of Bishops. This enthusiastic and visible support from the Church leadership has been a significant contributor to the success of the project to date. Over 400 people have attended training at the time of writing.
The third phase of the project has been the provision of ‘seed funding’ to a total of 74 local initiatives spread throughout the island of Ireland. There are five projects in Dublin and Glendalough.
St Ann and St Stephen’s project, ‘Upholding faith and rebuilding our faith community’, promotes connections across the church and wider city centre community through church music. The project aims to increase the sense of wellbeing within the parish community, encourage new footfall into the church and will be used as a platform to grow congregation numbers, maintain the strong choral tradition and enhance positive mental health across the parish and wider community.
Doras Oscailte in St Mary’s and Fingal Rural Deaneries in Dublin involved a series of workshops where participants learned more about mental health issues by focusing on mental wellbeing and what can interrupt it. It provided opportunities to talk and ask questions about mental health, and what to do when mental wellbeing is interrupted.
The Dioceses offered clergy in person training and support in a project entitled Ministry After Covid (MAC). The course aimed to help clergy address mental health repercussions of Covid and support them to develop and enhance their self–care to enable them to deliver their ministry in a post–Covid environment.
St Patrick’s in Greystones introduced a Tovertafel (Magic Table), an interactive device which stimulates interactive activities for a range of groups encouraging cognitive participation with emotional, sensory and mental health benefits.
Kilternan ran the Kilternan All Minds Matter (KAMM) programme which aims to develop a mental health and wellness thread that can be woven into all parish activities. The steps to achieving this are: employing a wellness coordinator one day per week, developing a calendar of events and workshops, coordinating a ‘Tiny Teachers’ programme, developing wellness appreciation packs for teachers in the national school and organising a KAMM Well–Fest.
In Arklow, Inch and Kilbride the focus was on education with a series of talks on mental health which were open to the whole community.
A project that all parishes are encouraged to follow is the ‘Take 5 Steps to Wellbeing’. As the name implies, this programme consists of five simple steps we can all take to improve our mental health and wellbeing.
The five steps are:
· Connect: Connect with the people around you: family, friends, colleagues and neighbours at home, work, school or in your local community.
· Be active: Go for a walk or run, cycle, play a game, garden or dance.
· Take notice: Be observant, look for something beautiful or remark on something unusual.
· Keep learning: Don’t be afraid to try something new, rediscover an old hobby or sign up for a course.
· Give: Do something nice for a friend or stranger, thank someone, smile, volunteer your time or consider joining a community group.
The conference marks the end of Phase One of the project, made possible by the generous sponsorship of Benefact Trust. It is free to attend, includes a hot lunch, and the organisers guarantee that everyone will be back on the road by 4.00pm – in plenty of time to watch the rugby! To book your place please register on event bright here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mindmatters-coi-conference-tickets-600321837777