Green Ribbon

See Change, the National Stigma Reduction Partnership has launched the annual Green Ribbon Campaign, to promote open discussion of mental health during May 2015.

Throughout May, hundreds of local and national events will take place as part of the Green Ribbon national calendar. This social movement to encourage a national conversation about mental health is led by 90 partner organisations, hundreds of volunteers and an unprecedented 60 campaign ambassadors (two of whom are on campus, Chloe and Fiona) with real-life experience of mental health problems ready to share their own stories to help others and end stigma.

Please Talk are proud to be working with See Change to bring the Green Ribbon to NUI Galway again this year. Ribbons will be available free of charge at all campus restaurants, the Library, Students Union and Student Information Desk, so make sure to pick one up. There are plenty of other ways to show support as well, take a look here.

The Green Ribbon top tip for starting that conversation? You don’t have to be an expert to start talking about mental health or have all the answers. Sometimes the most helpful thing you can do is to let someone know that you are there for them and simply listen. 

We often hear that we need to talk more about mental health and the simple and free Green Ribbon provides a practical way of turning that into action. The 500,000 people who will be wearing Green Ribbons this May will not only be showing their support for the campaign but also leaving the door open for conversation. For someone who might be going through a tough time, just knowing that they don't have to avoid the subject with you can make all the difference.

2015 marks the third year of the campaign where in 2014, over 1.6 million conversations about mental health were sparked during Green Ribbon month.

Are you ready to start your conversation?