Senator Lynn Ruane, serving member of Seanad Éireann, opened the Mná le Chéile change event at the SETU Arena in Waterford on 6 and 7 March. The two-day event aimed to explore challenges faced by women in accessing help for homelessness, mental health issues, and substance use, and create an action plan to improve services in the south east of Ireland.
Over 250 participants engaged in reflection and action planning to bring about transformative change. A key aspect of the Mná le Chéile event is that attendees will hear women with lived experience share their invaluable insight on the provision of mental health and homelessness services in the south east region. Participants engaged in reflection and action planning, with the opportunity to become part of the change in creating gender sensitive policy, practice, and service responses for women in homelessness, mental health, and substance both regionally and nationally.
Speaking at the opening of the two-day event, Senator Lynn Ruane said, “We have come on leaps and bounds in our understanding of homelessness, addiction and mental health in Ireland, and how they are often intertwined. But we are still far off developing services that meet these needs and that are sympathetic to their context, especially for women. I’m delighted to be in Waterford for this week's Change Event, to discuss the importance of creating better service design, that is more adaptive and responsive to the needs of women and their journeys. I’m honoured to have the opportunity to be here alongside those with lived experience and those involved in service delivery in the South East, to share in developing a vision for a more compassionate, understanding and responsive society in Ireland.”
Mná le Chéile emerged from a co-produced symposium held in late 2023 which involved over 70 women and numerous service providers from the south east. The work of the symposium identified a number of barriers to accessing services with women saying they often feel invisible in seeking help.
Seven key themes were uncovered as posing challenges to women in homelessness and/or addiction/mental health. These themes are central to the Mná le Chéile event and include: mothers and children; women accessing mental health services; women in sex work and the stigma around this; societal barriers and expectations experienced by women in homelessness and substance use; lack of female specific services; and women’s health issues, including hormones and menopause.
The Mná le Chéile (Women Together) event is pertinent in light of both International Women’s Day 2024 on 8 March, and the upcoming family and care referendums. Conversation and action planning that combines the insights of those with lived and learned experience; including service users, policy makers, service providers, researchers, carers, and family members affected by homelessness and addiction, is crucial to the development of care and services for women across Ireland.
Mná le Chéile was supported by the HSE and Waterford City and County Council. Its collaborative partners include: Tinteán Housing Association; South East Regional Drug and Alcohol Task Force (SERDATF); Better Together; South East Technological University (SETU); DePaul Ireland; and the Cornmarket Project.
Group photo caption: Senator Lynn Ruane is pictured with event organisers from South East Technological University (SETU); Tinteán Housing Association; South East Regional Drug and Alcohol Task Force (SERDATF); Better Together; DePaul Ireland; and the Cornmarket Project