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ROCHELLE TOOLAN HAS been volunteering with Aware for nearly two years.
“I originally got involved as I felt that depression was an increasingly common condition and I wanted to be part of an organisation that offered people support and information to empower them through what can be a difficult time.
“From working with Aware, I have learned so much about how different people may experience depression and the steps that they can take to begin to feel better.”
Colm is a service user of Aware, he said, “I cannot emphasis the level of comfort the Aware support group provided…it meant I wasn’t alone.”
Speaking about volunteering on the support mail service with Aware, Toolan said it gave her “the ability to actively listen to what a person is saying…often it can be difficult to really hear what is being said, and not to form our own opinions, and so my volunteering with Aware has helped me attain these skills.
It has also enabled me to empathise with people, rather than sympathising, and to focus on the positive steps that people can and have taken to overcome this difficult experience.
Aware reports that, “Over 450,000 people in Ireland experience depression at any one time and in severe and untreated cases, it can lead to suicide.”
The support services provided by Aware give people the opportunity to learn about their condition and develop management skills for dealing with it.
One service user said, “I understand myself and others a lot better.” Aware said that:
Volunteers are so important to everything we do, the more volunteers we have the more we can reach out.
How to get involved
Service user John: I learned what to do when the darkness comes.
Anne McCabe is Aware’s Training and Recruitment Officer she told TheJournal.ie that the service has a whole range of different volunteering opportunities.
Aware is currently looking for volunteers for a supporter role for its Life Skills Online Programme, a Support Group facilitator for face-to-face depression support groups and volunteers for a new online support for students aged 15-18 called Beat the Blues.
The first step to become a volunteer with Aware is to apply online. If you’re interested in volunteering in any of these positions you can apply here.
You will then be called for an interview and training goes on from there. McCabe said the interview “gives a chance to see if we are a good fit for each other.”
McCabe explained how full training is given and that the minimum training is 24 hours but that there’s always ongoing training after that.
She explained how the service usually has two recruitment drives during the year and how they are now looking for volunteers for December to start training in February.
Aware asks all volunteers for a commitment of 18 months and says that you must be available for 3 hours a week.
The charity also asks anyone who is considering volunteering to read its volunteer commitment statement.
People considering volunteering with Aware are advised to keep updated on recruitment with Facebook and Twitter.
Beat the Blues
People who aren’t in a position to volunteer long-term can get involved by donating a few hours this September 25, 26 and 27 to help with Aware’s #BeattheBlues campaign.
The fundraiser aims to secure funds so Aware can continue to deliver its Beat the Blues secondary schools positive mental health programme to 15-18 year-old students in schools nationwide.
McCabe said that getting involved with fundraising can be a good way to get to know the organisation before becoming a volunteer.
Volunteers are needed to help with bag-packs in Tesco stores nationwide. Every €6 raised will mean that one student can participate in Beat the Blues.
People interested can mail fundraising@aware.ie or call Jane on 01 661 7211.
Helplines
Samaritans 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org
Console 1800 247 247 – (suicide prevention, self-harm, bereavement)
Aware 1890 303 302 (depression anxiety)
Pieta House 01 601 0000 or email mary@pieta.ie - (suicide, self-harm, bereavement)
Teen-Line Ireland 1800 833 634 (for ages 13 to 19)
Childline 1800 66 66 66 (for under 18s)
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A lot of people worry what their friends neighbours and enemies think about them.This is a bad thing to do I learned years ago don’t give a flying fig what people think.
Improves with age I believe. That’s sounds like a slight but it’s not.
That’s the first sensible comment you’ve ever made on the journal ( that I’ve seen ) Denise, we’ll done.
Unless you experience this evil, debilitating, horrible, illness, it is so hard to explain. No ‘cheering up’ or ‘worrying less’ will make it go away, it is an illness and with the right support you can get better. Well done to Aware for the work they do.
Truth time , well said
This is from personal experience. If you want to help someone with depression, learn to recognise when someone has it. If they are non-social, detached and quiet it is certainly a trigger. If you suspect someone has depression, you have to approach them in a passive manner. Never be confrontational. Sit them down and say “Listen, I’ve noticed you’ve been down a lot lately. I think you might have depression. Would you care to talk about it?”
People with depression don’t want to be told straight out that they have depression. A lot of us don’t know that we have it, and it may trigger anger when someone tries to flat out tell us what we are feeling.
Taking a more passive, open manner will encourage us more to talk. You have to pick the right environment too. Never do it when you’re drunk. Do it when it’s quiet and in a one on one manner. Perhaps offer to make a cup of tea for the two of you.
The absolute worst thing you can say to someone with depression is “cheer up”. Just be conscious, aware and accommodating. Understand that depression can often come with a confrontational mood.
Also – don’t tell someone to “seek counselling”. Suggest that there’s some really understanding people that they can “talk to”.
Language and tone is everything.
It would be interesting to know how many Bankers children have committed suicide, How many politicians children have committed suicide and how many Developers children have committed suicide? These people are the biggest contributors to suicide in Ireland. It may well be that they are still living stress free and the people committing suicide are actually victims of the sins of these people. Priory Hall is typical of what happens in Ireland. The Dublin City Manager responsible for Priory Hall got promoter to CEO of Irish Water while the poor man who took his life was being punished.
As someone who has experienced depression in a personal capacity, I must take issue with your comments on the status of people who have depression and/or commit suicide. Yes of course there are lots of people out there who have depression like symptoms primarily due to their life circumstances and how they view themselves. However there are lots more like me, who experienced depression in spite of my life circumstances ostensibly being in reasonably good order. i.e. working full time, loving family, good friends etc.
In my case depression entailed a chemical imbalance which rendered me in a dark, dark place the likes of which I would not wish on any human being. Your comments about’ bankers children, developers children’ etc. I find to be trite, ignorant of the subject matter and not worthy of a conversation about the societal ills of depression and its extremity in the form of suicide.
In fairness, f*ck off.
If you don’t know the facts regarding mental health issues , depression and suicide maybe you should go and educate yourself before you put up a post with such total and utter bullshit as you have posted.
Education is a wonderful thing.
My post is for you Mindfulirish
Chalk8down super post .
I have just also commented on ignorance of the post from Mindfulirish
You can always refer them to One Life Support on 1800 247 100
Hate seeing those words being used ‘ I empathise’ . How can you – if you’ve never gone through what those who are suffering are going through?! Sympathise away .
Give up worrying,there won’t be a word about what you was worried about the following day and don’t go to work mondays have a lie in.
yes monday should be deleted from the week, add 4 hours on to the other days…………
The other days are too long , imagine having to add another 4 hours ? Best to just have a 4 day week and forget about Mondays
If you are suffering from depression, I recommend the http://destroydepression.com system.
Written by a former sufferer of depression, it teaches a simple 7-step process to eliminate depression from your life.
Ha ha . red thumb b I a t c h e s
Amazing book, well worth a read and the 6 minute exercise.
No, because I don’t care about other people. Who’s gonna help me with my sociopathy?
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