How do you look after you mental health as a young person from a minority background?

This year, SpunOut.ie is focusing on promoting positive mental health and wellbeing for young people in minority groups in Ireland. As part of this, we want to share your stories, opinions or advice to support other young people across Ireland. 

Share your story

We’re looking to hear from young people who have experienced Direct Provision, young Travellers or young people from migrant backgrounds. We want to hear about your experience learning about and supporting your mental health. We can then post your story on our site as an article, video or podcast.

Here are some ideas to get you thinking about what to include in your article

Tell us about:

• How do you look after your mental health?
• What areas in your life do you think impact your mental health the most?
• What mental health supports have you used before and found useful?
• Do you think people in your community would look for help with their mental health?
• What do you think should be done to help people in your community look after their mental health?
• What has your mental health journey been like over the years?
• What do you think are some of the barriers that block your community from accessing mental health services?

Why are we focusing on this?

One of our mental health projects for 2020 will focus on promoting positive mental health and wellbeing for young people in minority groups throughout Ireland. Our mental health is something that is always with us, but many people only associate mental health with experiencing a mental health difficulty. As with physical health, our mental health needs care and attention to help keep it healthy. The idea of positive mental health is not that a person will never experience a mental health difficulty, but that we can all make choices to help our overall health and wellbeing that can support us throughout our lives.

We know the importance of sharing information and lived experiences in a way that is accessible and culturally appropriate to young people living in Ireland from diverse backgrounds. We want to work closely with young people from minority groups such as those living in Direct Provision and members of the Travelling Community to make sure the content on SpunOut.ie is useful and supportive.

Do I need writing experience?

You do not need any writing experience. We’ll help you out every step of the way giving you feedback and suggestions for your piece. Your piece will be posted on SpunOut.ie and our social media so that thousands of young people across Ireland will feel more supported and encouraged to seek help.

To share your story, email [email protected]

Can my article or podcast be anonymous? 

Yes, it can be anonymous, you can use a nickname, or you can use your own name. 

Find out what other young people have to say

Here are some examples of articles and podcasts created by young people across Ireland. All of these started as drafts and we worked with the authors to get them ready for the site, so get in touch if you’re interested, even if you’re not sure how to get started.

• Why I advocate for mental health among minorities – Blessing Dada
• Take a day off for your mental health – Jessica Viola
• My journey to look after my mental health – Kyle McGee
• How I learned to live with my Dad’s mental health diagnosis – Anonymous
• My tips for managing you mental health in school or college – Isabel Schulte-Austum
• How I recovered from my suicide attempt – Leanne Coyle