Green Ribbon Campaign 2021

This year’s Green Ribbon campaign will take place over the month of September. See Change, the national organisation dedicated to ending mental health stigma, organise the Green Ribbon campaign each year to get as many people as possible talking about mental health and to help end stigma and discrimination. The workplace is a key setting for creating a positive change around attitudes to mental health. By taking part in the Green Ribbon campaign, businesses can create a culture shift in their workplaces where employees feel supported and secure in starting a discussion about how mental health can affect each one of us.

What is the Green Ribbon Campaign?

The Green Ribbon is an international symbol for mental health awareness. As part of the Green Ribbon campaign, thousands of ribbons are distributed nationwide free of charge in conjunction with local and international events creating a movement for positive change. The theme of Green Ribbon 2021 is all about inclusion. Throughout the campaign, the topic of exclusion, where it shows up in society and what people can do to become more inclusive will be discussed.

Who are See Change?

See Change is Ireland’s national mental health stigma reduction partnership. See Change works in partnership with over 100 organisations to open minds about mental health problems and end mental health stigma and discrimination. See Change’s work is informed by people with lived experience of mental health difficulties, who are best placed to give insight into mental health stigma and reduction.

See Change has developed a six-step pledge programme to help Irish workplaces create an open culture around mental health and play a role in challenging mental health stigma. The six-step pledge includes providing training for managers, developing a mental health policy, facilitating mental health awareness training and promotion, and engaging your networks including people outside your organisation. More information about the workplace pledge can be found here.

How to Get Involved in the Green Ribbon Campaign?

• Order Green Ribbons for your Staff: Contact admin@seechange.ie with the following details to order your green ribbons: Contact Name, Company Address (including Eircode), Contact Email, Contact Mobile Number, Quantity of Ribbons.
• Download the Supporters Pack: A full suite of resources to help your organisation get involved in the Green Ribbon campaign are available to download at https://seechange.ie/.
• Decorate your Workplace: Put up Green Ribbon posters, bunting, flags and props in your home office, meeting rooms or your staff canteen. This can help spread awareness both internally with staff and externally with clients and stakeholders.
• Organise a Green Ribbon Event: Organising your own event can create real change in the workplace. It gives staff an opportunity to come together and talk openly about mental health. Ideas for events include a See Change stigma reduction presentations, panel discussions, walk and talks, coffee mornings and information sessions about mental health supports.
• Light Up Green: See Change organise the Light Up Green event each year where buildings across Ireland light up green in a way to visually show support for the Green Ribbon campaign.
• Join the Social Media Campaign: Social media is a great tool for keeping the conversation going around mental health. Snap a picture of your Green Ribbon events and share on social media with the hashtags #GreenRibbonIRL #EndTheStigma.
• Add to your Email Signature: Share the Green Ribbon Workplace Supporter email banner with staff in your organisation and add to the end of your email signature.
• Join the Green Ribbon Launch: Your organisation can attend a virtual Green Ribbon Launch event to see speakers share their own personal experience of mental health difficulty and spread awareness to end mental health stigma.
  
  

The Dublin Virtual Launch will take place on Wednesday 1^st September at 11am – 1pm with speakers including Cllr. Alison Gilliland, Lord Mayor of Dublin; Joe O’Brien T.D., Minister of State for Community Development and Charities; Seónaid Ó Murchadha, Founder of Amputee Disability Federation Ireland; Louise O’Brien, CSR Manager at Boots; and Carrie Deway, See Change Ambassador. To register for this event click here.

The Cork Virtual Launch will take place on Friday 3^rd September at 11am – 1pm with speakers including Cllr. Colm Kelleher, Lord Mayor of Cork; and Mary Butler T.D., Minister of State for Mental Health and Older People. To register for this event click here.

For more information about the Green Ribbon campaign and how your organisation can get involved, visit https://seechange.ie/green-ribbon/