Thursday of this week is the first ever national Hello, How Are You? day, organised by Mental Health Ireland.
The initiative was first established in Austrailia and was brought to Ireland in 2015 when Co Carlow ran an event.
It's since been run in Mayo, Meath and Westmeath and this year is the first national rollout of the initiative.
Advertisement
Mental Health Ireland says the unique premise of this campaign is to encourage people to not just ask the question but to support people in knowing what to do next. There are five steps to saying H.E.L.L.O. and asking the question.
- H – Say Hello. This encourages starting the conversation, asking the question, using open ended questions and choosing the right place to talk.
- E – Engage with the person. This is about being friendly and engaging and using inviting body language
- L – Listen to the person. Be relaxed and show that you are listening by nodding appropriately, and asking open ended questions that will give you more of the story.
- L – Learn about the person. Let the person know you have listened by repeating back what you have heard them say. Ask if they are aware of supports available and have that information to hand. Example of supports include Self Help Groups like AWARE, GROW, SHINE, their Family Resource Centres, GP etc. Find details on local supports by going to www.yourmentalhealth.ie.
- O – Ongoing support. Check back in with the person and see how they are getting on.
MHI Development Officer Finola Colgan has been speaking on the Let's Talk show about the initiative.
