Love Your Community
We've included the girls answers to our questions below and also a little behind the scenes video of the day so make sure to check that out too.
Huge thanks to all the girls involved, Dean Ryan McDaid for photography, Simon from Kilig Productions for videography and to all of you for the support you've given the campaign so far.
Hannah O Toole - @hannnahlulu
How do you show your love for your community?
I make a conscious effort to bask those in my community with all the love I can muster up. The matter of the fact is, you just don’t always know what others may be going through in their personal life. So by trying to bring a touch of joy to every soul you come across can make a huge difference. Just do your thing and be a good person.
In what way do you feel loved by your community?
The support I receive from my friends makes me feel loved by my community. Each relationship is so unique and I cherish them all in different ways. Having a strong support system of people you can turn to when times are rough or simply just people to chill out with, who can lift your spirits is seriously underestimated.
What does community mean to you?
Growing up, I didn’t have the most supportive of family units but this encouraged me to explore outside. Finding your lil tribe, who get you and not only accept your quirks but encourage you, is so important for human flourishing and just general well-being.
What steps do you think we can all take to make our communities more inclusive, happier spaces for everyone?
I’m genuinely proud to be a millennial, we get so much slack from older generations over silly things, however, I feel we are working together to make our community a more progressive and inclusive place for everyone.
Do you think there is enough of a conversation going on about mental health in Ireland?
Undoubtedly there needs to be more conversations held about mental health.
What ideas would you have about opening up the conversation?
Simply having the courage to start talking. I know it’s a lot easier said than done as people fear judgement due to the stigma attached to mental health, but opening up the conversation will reduce peoples unease around the subject.
Are you aware of the spike in suicide rates for young females in Ireland in the last year alone?
Prior to the campaign I had no idea about the spike in suicide rates for young females living in Ireland. I was genuinely shocked and saddened to hear.
What is your advice for someone who may be feeling like taking their life?
Please speak to someone. The power of sharing your emotions with another is seriously underestimated. I promise you will feel such a huge relief from just talking.
Wei Ying Chang - @_weiying
How do you show your love for your community?
I show my love to my community by showing respect and trust, celebrating successes and remembering the little things. I think it’s important to show your appreciation and support by making an effort to help out people in your community and recognising their accomplishments.
In what way do you feel loved by your community?
I feel accepted for who I am and always feel welcome and comfortable to reach out to my community for help when I need it. The Malaysian/Chinese community here in Ireland is so close, there’s definitely an almost familial bond between us. I remember the happiness and excitement I’d feel when we’d go over to each other’s houses and eat dinner together. We’d also get together for holidays such as Chinese New Year, it felt good to embrace and celebrate our culture. Even now, I still keep close friendships with them, we basically grew up together, so I suppose there’s a sort of community love there.
What does community mean to you?
For me, being part of a community means having a safe and happy place to go to. I find that there is a strong feeling of togetherness and a common sense of identity and vision within a community. It is a support system that is there to show love, support and encouragement during tough times.
What steps do you think we can all take to make our communities more inclusive, happier spaces for everyone?
I think having respect for everyone is one of the most important things to have in life, even if you have completely different views. Promoting equal treatment and opportunities along with celebrating diversity will strengthen the bonds within communities.
Do you think there is enough of a conversation going on about mental health in Ireland?
Yes but only in certain environments.
Where are you seeing this happen?
The student union in college organise mental well being talks during the college year which I think is effective and helpful. They cover topics such as handling stress, anger and grief and encourage you to channel those emotions in a positive and productive way. I think this is helping people realise that mental health is just as important as physical health.
Are you aware of the spike in suicide rates for young females in Ireland in the last year alone?
Yes, I find it deeply upsetting.
What is your advice for someone who may be feeling like taking their life?
My advice to them is to remember that they are loved dearly and that there are people out there to support and care for them. Speaking to loved ones and opening up to them about the difficulties in life is helpful in figuring out positive solutions. Focus on healing rather than ‘getting out of depression’. It is a process but don’t give up hope, trust it.
Ami Jackson - @aha.j
How do you show your love for your community?
To be honest, I move about a lot and don’t feel a particular loyalty to any local community but I care about global issues. In my own life I like to think I’m good to my friends and they feel they can confide in me and I try to be a kind sister.
In what way do you feel loved by your community?
I feel blessed to have a supportive and loving family and incredible friends. I’m lucky to have people around me who understand and respect mental health as for many people that’s not the case.
What does community mean to you?
Community is literally just a group of people sharing a space and often it can be a very exclusive and pressurising place with massive discrimination. Having said that community is so powerful and important and when a community gets behind a positive cause that is how change is created. In its best form it is a force which can lead to real positive change. The online community is worth highlighting as well and it's probably what I relate most to on a day to day basis. It’s a constant stream of influence and it’s important to make sure that’s an inspiring space for you and not a toxic one, because it can be so easily!
What steps do you think we can all take to make our communities more inclusive, happier spaces for everyone?
A good community has similar values and ideals, is safe, equal, inclusive and welcoming. Campaigns like this one Nine Crows are doing are so important and there needs to be more stuff like this to broaden the discussion on mental health and lots of other issues.
Do you think there is enough of a conversation going on about mental health in Ireland?
No, I think it's improving, but no.
What ideas would you have about opening up the conversation?
Opening up about personal issues is automatically judged and I think thats the first thing we need to get rid of. We need to stop stigmatising mental heath and ridiculing difference. People need to speak out. It has to start on an individual basis. Openness breeds openness and as I have spoken to people they have shown honesty and openness to me. I have had mental health issues for a while now. It has affected my ability to function in normal society and keep important relationships. A while ago I was admitted to a mental institution as an inpatient as I had become a danger to myself and was going through a period of psychosis. I really didn’t think I’d ever see myself there, but it did me a world of good. I learned compassion again from the people there. Also, if you’re unfamiliar with mental health, just ask a question! You don’t need to have experienced mental health issues first hand to be allowed to talk about it, we just need to talk!!
Are you aware of the spike in suicide rates for young females in Ireland in the last year alone?
Honestly I wasn’t, I only learned that through this campaign.
What is your advice for someone who may be feeling like taking their life?
I want to give this one some time. It’s hard coming up with an answer to this as everyones experience is so different and I want to honour that. I’m sorry. I hope when I’m wiser and older I will be able to answer this.
Ciara Moran - @ciaram96
How do you show your love for your community?
By being there for the people around me and really listening when they come to me with a problem. I like to think I’m someone that people feel they can confide in, someone that they know they can count on as a loyal friend. Simple things like complimenting people can also help them feel loved. I remember somebody once telling me that every time they saw me I always had something nice to say about them and that really stuck with me. It’s nice to make the people around you feel good.
In what way do you feel loved by your community?
When I see people working to make this community a better place. People speaking out for human rights, be it gender, race or sexuality, make me feel loved by the community. Knowing that the people around me want this community to be a safe space for everyone is an amazing feeling and helps me know that I’m surrounded by good people. On a more personal level, the genuine support and love shown to me by my friends, whether it’s because something good has happened, something bad has happened or just randomly, my friends constantly make me feel loved just by being there for me and encouraging me.
What does community mean to you?
Community is having a stable support system around you, people you know you can depend on. It’s surrounding yourself with good people who have something in common with you, no matter how small. It’s a group of people with shared experiences who are on hand to give you what you need, be it someone to have fun with or a shoulder to cry on.
What steps do you think we can all take to make our communities more inclusive, happier spaces for everyone?
I think we’re definitely going in the right direction. Our generation is probably the most open-minded and accepting and I definitely feel we’re constantly working towards making our communities more inclusive and happier. We still have a long way to go but by if we keep opening up about difficult topics and educating each other on different issues, we’ll get there.
Do you think there is enough of a conversation going on about mental health in Ireland?
No definitely not. We may have progressed a lot in recent years, but we still have an old-fashioned method of sweeping things under the carpet and only acknowledging them when something serious happens, which is just not good enough.
What ideas would you have about opening up the conversation?
We need to start talking and really talking. There is still a serious stigma attached to mental health, we’ll open up a little bit but not enough. Talk to people around you, post about it on social media, make mental health discussion commonplace in public consciousness. Normalise talking about mental health. The conversation opening up can be the jumping point we need into actually tackling the problem. Make it something we can’t ignore, a serious issue that we need to do something about.
Are you aware of the spike in suicide rates for young females in Ireland in the last year alone?
No, until starting this campaign I wasn’t aware of just how serious the issue was and I think that’s half the problem. People aren’t informed of the true depth of the situation, which just further alienates people who are already feeling isolated. They feel alone, like they’re the only ones feeling this way when in reality, there’s so many people in the same boat, it’s just not spoken about.
What is your advice for someone who may be feeling like taking their life
Speak to someone, no matter who it is, telling someone how you feel will help. Surround yourself with positive influences. Don’t be scared to attend something like therapy, sometimes talking to a professional and addressing how you are feeling can help you see what the true issue is and really help you work through it. Remember what you are feeling is temporary and suicide is a very permanent solution. It may not feel like it right now but there truly is people out there who care about you and who are more than willing to hear your problems, you are not a burden. Take it slow, nothing will change overnight but you will get there eventually.
Conny Donohoe - @connygfromtheblok
How do you show your love for your community?
Straight off the bat, I love supporting Irish projects like films and music and art and businesses. There is so much Irish talent that goes so under the radar so always showing them love is a really easy way of supporting our community. Right now with the abortion referendum I also love going to as many repeal marches and events as I can, seeing all different types of women come together to stick it to the man is a great example of community pulling together the way we should.
In what way do you feel supported by your community?
There was a march recently in Dublin for a call to improve trans and gender non-confirming people's medical/legal rights in Ireland and the feeling of unity and togetherness with everyone marching was really inspiring and reasurring. My whole family came with me and I saw so many people I know coming out to support. I feel like that's the epitome of community showing each other love in a big way, they way they should.
What does community mean to you?
Community for me is being apart of a group of people that all go through similar things, support each other and show each other big love. It gives me a sense of unity and unconditional support. More specifically for me, this year meeting more people from the trans/queer community has been so reassuring that things do get better and we all have each other to talk to and confide in or whatever.
What steps do you think we can all take to make our communities more inclusive, happier spaces for everyone?
People love pushing this agenda right now that PC culture has gone too far and I think it's a pathetic excuse for people to just say whatever they want and not deal with the consequences when they offend people. When minority people/communities are talking about the issues they face we need to be listening rather than jumping to defend our previous actions. I think we can all constantly check ourselves and listen and research and really embark on the pursuit of 'wokeness' . That's what's gonna make our communities more inclusive happier and diverse spaces for everyone.
Is there enough of a conversation being had about mental health in Ireland right now?
There's definitely more conversation being had right now than there's ever been before but it's definitely not enough. There's great organisations like Jigsaw, HeadStrong and Spunout that are there for young people dealing with mental health issues but of course there is always more that can be done!
What ideas would you have about opening up the conversation?
We could definitely do with raising more awareness about mental health issues with young kids in schools and teaching them positive coping mechanisms for whatever issue they are dealing with. That way when the day comes that they are dealing with this stuff they can cope with it in a better way. We also need to be encouraging more people to be open about their struggles, listening to them and supporting them. We need to shake this narrative that's so popular nowadays that mental health is attention seeking and over exaggerated or whatever else.
Are you aware of the spike in the suicide of young females in Ireland this year alone?
I wasn't aware but I'm not surprised giving the way we treat women in general in this country and world wide. Now that I think of it anyone I know who battles depression specifically is a women. It's very concerning and upsetting.
What advice would you have for somebody considering taking their own life?
I suppose the main point to try and get across to somebody feeling that way is that they are very much loved and although it might not seem it right now but there are so many people that want to help you beat your demons.
Aisling Kelly - @aislingkellymakeup
How do you show your love for your community?
I show love by being compassionate and empathetic to those around me. I have respect for others in all walks of life and make an effort to treat everyone equally and with authenticity. I also try to stand up for those who are not in a position to do so for themselves whenever I can - and hope that others would do the same for me.
In what way do you feel supported by your community?
I feel loved by my community when I witness others selflessly working towards making my life, and the life of others around us, a better place. Those of us who fight for equality, positive political and social change, and for a better quality of life are showing love to each other and to future generations. I'm proud to be living in this timeline for this reason.
What does community mean to you?
To me, the meaning of community is fluid. I would tend to automatically think of 'community' as where I live and how I interact with my neighbours - though I think many of us have lost the sense of community in that way, especially those of us who live in cities and who work long or irregular hours. But I think for many of us, 'community' encompasses the people we interact with regularly, whether in daily life or online. A lot of people my age were the first to grow up using social media as a means to connect with other like-minded people and as an introduction to others who live completely different lives to our own in a safe and healthy way. Typically we were warned not to talk to strangers online but actually, some of my most valued relationships in my life began through social media. I think we have the ability now to create our own communities that are flexible and open to people with varying interests, ideas and experiences. This helps us all to be more open-minded, empathetic and compassionate - which is what I think 'community' should mean.
What steps do you think we can all take to make our communities more inclusive, happier spaces for everyone?
I think the key to making life in general a happy and inclusive place is education. To feel included is to feel considered, understood and accepted - and that begins with conversation and learning. If you're unsure about who a person is, or where they're coming from - ask them. Likewise, if someone is showing confusion about who you are or your beliefs - create a calm and understanding discussion and learn from each other. I think a lot of negativity comes from fear and a great way to combat fear is to speak, listen and learn from one another.
Is there enough of a conversation being had about mental health in Ireland right now?
I think we have come leaps and bounds in terms of conversing about mental health in Ireland but there is still a long way to go.
What ideas would you have about opening up the conversation?
In schools and colleges now it's more common to have things like meditation classes, group discussions about feelings, societies, mentors/councillors checking in on students, etc. But from personal experience, it can be scary to leave education and feel like there is no one checking in on your well-being on a regular basis anymore. I would love to see people being encouraged to ask friends and family how they're doing more often. Life is tough and we can be overwhelmed with negativity in the media - where we tend to see lots of stories that are triggering to those who have experienced similar harrowing situations. Keeping this in mind when using social media would be great - think twice about commenting your opinion on news articles and be mindful about how your comments could be interpreted by others who are sensitive to the topic. If you notice something affecting a friend of family member - check in on them and ask them if they want a chat.
Are you aware of the spike in the suicide of young females in Ireland this year alone?
I wasn't acutely aware of a spike in suicide rates among young females in Ireland but sadly I'm not surprised as I have unfortunately seen too many cases in my own circles recently. It's a tragic and a harrowing epidemic.
What advice would you have for somebody considering taking their own life
My advice to someone who is feeling like taking their own life is to reach out to someone, anyone. If you are feeling like you are at the lowest point and you have no way out - please know that there is ALWAYS a way back from that feeling and there are ALWAYS people who care about you and who would do anything to help you feel better. As cliched as it sounds, a problem shared really is a problem halved. Talking about your feelings is really scary but it is hugely relieving just to put it out into the world. You have nothing to lose by reaching out to a friend, family member or even anonymously online or over the phone to a helpline. There are so many of us who would never judge you for feeling that way as so many of us have gone through that same feeling even numerous times throughout our own lives and come out the other side thanks to the help of others. I'd like to put myself forward as someone who is willing to listen and to do my best to find a positive solution to how you're feeling. 
Robyn Deane - @misssrobyn
How do you show love for your community?
I think as a whole one of my main goals in life has always been to empower other women, specifically plus size women. I grew up very insecure, depressed and felt that I never belonged in any sort of body category, it made me feel very isolated. But, I then got into social media. I discovered plus size model Tess Holliday when I was really young, I had never seen a woman so confident and happy. I try to post a lot of body positive content on my social media accounts, selfies of my body, photos of me without make up, etc. I would love to have a bigger platform to really challenge the industry that dictates our cultures beauty standards, and realising that made me think ‘oh, actually, I want to be a model.’ I once got a message from a beautiful 35 year old woman telling me that I made her believe that she was beautiful and that her fatness didn’t equate to ugliness. I was 17 at that time, doing my leaving cert, had crippling anxiety and spent all of my free time on the internet. I couldn’t believe it, her support gave me so much confidence.
In what way do you feel loved by your community?
My self expression has never been dismissed. When I’m ranting about the struggles fat women face within our society on Twitter for an hour, my friends and every other body positive person is right behind me. Listening and supporting.
What does community mean to you?
Community to me is comfort, Its relating to people who have had similar experiences and struggles as you. Its people who will show you kindness and empathy. Community to me is basically friendship.
What steps do you think we can all take to make our communities more inclusive, happier spaces for everyone?
Respect, kindness and showing genuine interest in the well-being and comfort of others. Asking if a person is okay, being open about how you feel within the situation, being cautious of triggers, etc.
Do you think there is enough of a conversation going on about mental health in Ireland?
No, I don’t. The stigma surrounding mental illness makes it seem as if it’s a choice. We’re fed the idea that mental illness is just being sad and chatting to your friends about it will make it all go away. Yes, that will help in some way, but there needs to be more. There needs to be more access to psychiatrists and therapists, colleges and schools need to have more than one counsellor. The government needs to put more funding into the adult mental health services because as a whole it’s a disgrace and again, adds to the stigma that no one actually cares. When professionals in Ireland start to treat mental illness as if they were treating physical illness, maybe then there will be change.
Are you aware of the spike in suicide rates for young females in Ireland in the last year alone?
Yes, I am aware. It's now more important than ever to rid the stigma attached to mental illness.
What is your advice for someone who may be thinking of taking their life
From my own personal experience, what helped me get through a very dark time was keeping busy and reading other peoples experiences of how they got through being suicidal. Make plans for yourself. Reward yourself for getting out of bed and showering. Things resolve at the most unexpected times, good things happen, things are constantly changing. 
Grainne Binns - @grainnebinns
How do you show your love for your community?
I always offer an open ear and do my best to offer advice where I can if it’s going to help someone even if I don’t know the person all that well. I am very open about my life on my social media and from this I like to think that people in my community online and offline see me as someone they could confide in if they ever felt like they needed someone to talk to. I always make en effort to compliment people too because I feel like something so simple can make someone smile!
In what way do you feel loved by your community?
I feel so loved in so many ways that I am so grateful for! Online and offline I feel the love! One stand out moment for me was quite recently when I posted on my Instagram story about having a bad mental health day and how difficult it can be to live with an eating disorder/body dysmorphia at times and within about 10 minutes I had so many supportive and encouraging messages, some from people I know and others from people I’ve never met before! I felt so cared about!
What does ‘community’ mean to you?
Community to me is everyone coming together and creating a safe environment that allows people to be themselves and be proud of who they are. It is about offering support in every aspect of life whether it be for creative endeavors, sexuality, mental health and just being able to have a good time and enjoy life, but also being able to have someone to talk to whenever things aren’t going so well!
What steps do you think we can all take to make our communities more inclusive, happier spaces for everyone?
I think it is important not to judge people, let people do what they want to do if it makes them feel good. At the end of the day we are all different and it is about accepting people for who they are and encouraging everyone to feel comfortable in their own skin! We need to lift people up, not knock them down!
Do you think there is enough of a conversation going on about mental health in Ireland?
I feel like within the last few years there has definitely been more conversation but I definitely do not think the current conversation is enough. We hear about it on mental health awareness weeks/days but what about the rest of the year? It is still a pretty taboo topic, the people who speak out about their struggles are often described as incredibly brave for doing so, and they are, however it shouldn’t still be such a taboo topic. It should be normal for everyone to speak about their issues without feeling embarrassed or ashamed. So many people suffer with mental health issues and if they don’t personally they definitely know someone who has/does.
Where are you seeing this happen?
I think social media has been a huge platform for people to share their own struggles which creates conversation! Especially when well known celebs or influencers/online personalities are open about their struggles, it can make someone’s feelings of being weird or alone for struggling disappear and even help them speak up about how they are feeling.
What ideas would you have about opening up the conversation?
I feel like just normalizing the conversation is one of the main things. Making it known from a young age that sometimes people aren’t ok. I definitely don’t think I knew what mental health was when I was in primary school or the early years of secondary school so when I hit my teens and began suffering with my own mental health, it was an alienating lonely experience! I do think this has changed slightly now but I think more needs to be done within the education system and within the home about normalizing it. I also think there needs to be a shift in only speaking about the more common mental health problems in society and we need to put more effort into adding the less spoken about struggles like eating disorders/psychosis/schizophrenia etc. into the conversation.
Are you aware of the spike in suicide rates for young females in Ireland in the last year alone?
I’m unaware of statistics and exact numbers but last year I heard of a number of girls who I didn’t know personally but knew of through friends who lost their lives to suicide. I think it was definitely the first year anyone close to me had lost a friend to suicide so I guess that’s living proof of the spike in suicide rates for young females!
What is your advice for someone who may be feeling like taking their life?
It is incredibly hard to think logically at such a stressful time and easy to feel like nobody cares about you or that things are ever going to be ok but my best advice is to just keep going, get out of the house, exercise, get some fresh air and try meditation. Speak to someone even if you think they wont care. One thing I always find really helpful and reassuring when I am going through a rough patch is to ask the question, will this still be a problem in my life in 3 months, in 6 months or even in 1 year? Because, literally everything in life is temporary the good and the bad moments. In the worst times, it is important to remember all of the good times and focus on everything we’ve overcome and achieved already so far in life! 
Eimear Lynch - @eimearslynch
How do you show your love for your community?
It’s always important to be kind to everyone and support each other. I also think everyone should have an opinion on issues that effect them or the people around them and stand up for what they believe in.
In what way do you feel loved by your community?
I like to surround myself with people who make me happy and are supportive with everything I do.
What does community mean to you?
To me, my community are the people I surround myself with and people with similar interests and beliefs as me.
What steps do you think we can all take to make our communities more inclusive, happier spaces for everyone?
I think it’s important to be open to try new things and be open minded. It’s also important to allow people to be creative and be themselves without limiting anyone.
Do you think there is enough of a conversation going on about mental health in Ireland?
I don’t think so. It’s still a very taboo topic that people are afraid to talk about.
What ideas would you have about opening up the conversation?
Social media is an important part in a lot of young peoples’ lives so I think more people posting about their experiences could be helpful. The “Me Too” movement was a great way to show people that they are not alone with their experiences with sexual misconduct. Something like that but about people’s mental health issues could be effective. It’s really helpful to your suffering to know you’re not the only one feeling that way .
Are you aware of the spike in suicide rates for young females in Ireland in the last year alone?
I had only become aware of it recently which I think is part of the problem. These statistics are often not spoken about.
What is your advice for someone who may be feeling like taking their life
Things get better. And although you may feel like there’s no happiness in your life at the moment, this moment is only a small part of your whole life and things get better.
If you need to talk to someone:
Pieta House: 1800 247 247
http://www.pieta.ie/
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