HeadsUp’s Acts of Random Kindness to mark World Mental Health Day
– Volunteers take to the streets of Dublin and Galway extending Acts of Random Kindness –
Sunday, October 3, 2010: HeadsUp has teamed up with Ark° to call upon people across Ireland to perform Acts of Random Kindness (or Arks) this coming Sunday, October 10, to mark World Mental Health Day. The call to action came as RTE’s Baz Ashmawy, presenter of Do the Right Thing, and TG4’s Róisín Ní Thomáin and Sinéad Ní Loideáin, joined volunteers to carry out Arks on Dublin’s Grafton Street and Galway’s Eyre Square. Their mission was to brighten up the day of passers-by and, in turn, ask them to pass on the favour to others, thereby spreading the feel good factor far and wide.
Arks – like offering to give a lost tourist directions, helping a person with a flat tyre, or simply asking someone how they are – not only make the world a more pleasant place for all of us but also have a positive impact on our mental health. Studies have shown that kind acts can foster a sense of well-being, enhance self-worth and can positively impact on people’s mental health.
Collette Ryan, HeadsUp’s Project Manager, commented:
“On World Mental Health Day, HeadsUp wants to focus on the importance of promoting good mental well-being. That’s why HeadsUp is calling on people to perform Acts of Random Kindness this coming Sunday October 10, and every day, to help impact positively on our mental health. Now more than ever, Ireland needs a lift and an act of kindness to a friend or stranger will not only make their day better but can also boost your own mental health.
“Acts can be very simple, and don’t have to cost a cent. Paying a little more attention to the people around you and offering help and assistance, or even just a friendly word or warm smile, can make all the difference to a person’s day.”
HeadsUp and Ark° would also like people to share their kindnesses by logging onto www.headsup.ie and uploading their stories, pictures and videos. This sharing of experiences will hopefully encourage more and more people to do Arks and help to make life better for all of us.
Social entrepreneur and Ark° founder, Cameron Stewart, is thrilled to be a part of the campaign alongside HeadsUp to promote World Mental Health Day:
“Ark° is all about pushing the philosophy of kindness in a society where we’ve become increasingly closed off. Together with HeadsUp, we hope to bring some added kindness to our streets this weekend to promote a healthier mind, and to show what even a little bit of kindness can do to the world.”
HeadsUp is a youth project run by Rehab aimed at promoting mental health among 15-24 year-olds, with the aim of reducing the number of suicides among young people in Ireland. One in four people experience mental health problems at some point during their lives. At www.headsup.ie, users can access information on how to deal with everyday hassles, how to look after their mental health and how to deal with the manifestations of mental ill-health.
HeadsUp provides a range of initiatives including HeadsUp Text, a free and confidential 24-hour text service supported by Meteor, which has received text messages from over 11,700 people since August 2007. By simply texting the word HEADSUP to 50424, young people can receive details of various helplines and support services on a range of topics, including teen issues, alcohol, suicide, drugs and mental health.
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About HeadsUp
In addition to its text service, HeadsUp also runs a number of projects, including: ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training), which equips people with the knowledge and the ability to intervene when someone is considering suicide; HeadsUp Lifeskills, a course aimed at enhancing young people’s skills and abilities in dealing with life’s ups and downs; and Raising Boys for Fathers, a parenting programme which helps fathers to improve their communication skills with their sons in dealing with life’s problems. An interactive website – www.headsup.ie – developed with the direction of a panel of youth advisors, aims to promote positive mental health and provides information and support, including details of support services and online Cognitive Behavioural Therapy-based courses.
About Ark°
Ark° is a not-for-profit movement encouraging Acts of Random Kindness through its ethical clothing range. Ark°’s idea is that one Act of Random Kindness (an Ark), should be performed every time its brand is worn. The clothing acts as a reminder to be kind, allowing people to look good while doing good. The clothes are also designed so that they carry a message, inspiring others to be kind and getting them to think differently about the way life should be lived.