CAIRDE

13/03/2026

Important conversations about mental health are happening in our communities.

At our latest Migrant and Ethnic Minority Mental Health Engagement Meet-up, we came together to clarify priorities for our ongoing work to strengthen mental health engagement with migrant and ethnic minority communities to create more inclusive mental health services.

The discussion built on our recently launched report, "Improving Mental Health Engagement for Migrant & Ethnic Minority Women" which highlights key challenges and sets out recommendations to improve mental health services and engagement.

Despite the challenging weather, it was wonderful to see both familiar and new faces. The meeting created a warm and supportive space for honest conversations, shared experiences, and thoughtful reflections.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to participate and contribute. Your voices are essential in challenging health inequalities and advocating for more equitable access to mental health services.

If you are from a migrant or ethnic minority background and have used mental health supports in Ireland, we would really value hearing from you. Your experiences can help inform our work and shape better, more inclusive services.

Please get in touch with Dallal: dallal@cairde.ie

You can download the report here: https://bit.ly/CairdeMentalHealth

08/03/2026

International Women’s Day is a moment to recognise the strength, leadership, and resilience of women everywhere, including the many migrant, ethnic minority, Roma and refugee women who are shaping healthier communities across Ireland.

At Cairde, we see every day how women step forward as advocates, connectors and changemakers. Through our work on minorities health, mental health engagement, peer support and initiatives such as the Roma Influencers Network, women are sharing knowledge, supporting one another, and helping ensure that health services respond to the realities of their communities.

This International Women’s Day, we celebrate the voices, leadership and solidarity of all women. We recommit to building a health system where every woman can access the information, support and care she deserves.

Explore supportive, multilingual and accessible health information at HealthConnect.ie.

04/03/2026

Cairde Balbriggan had a great time working with the Balbriggan Travellers Project and all the partners to bring this Women's Day event to life. Big thank you to all participants for making this day so special.

03/03/2026

We are delighted to have contributed to this important document.

03/03/2026

Belly breathing technique from our friends Mental Health and Well-being with Dallal and Wafaa.

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

كيفية ممارسة التنفس البطني - دليل
ضع إحدى يديك على صدرك، والأخرى على بطنك.
خذ نفسًا عميقًا ببطء من أنفك.
اشعر ببطنك يرتفع بينما يملأ الهواء جسمك من الأسفل إلى الأعلى.
احبس أنفاسك برفق لثانيتين... ثلاث...
الآن أخرج الزفير ببطء من فمك.
دع بطنك يسترخي.
مرة أخرى، خذ نفسًا عميقًا ببطء من أنفك.
توقف للحظة.
أخرج الزفير ببطء من فمك.
خذ نفسًا عميقًا... يرتفع بطنك.
احبس أنفاسك.
أخرج الزفير... يسترخي بطنك.
مرة أخرى.
خذ نفسًا عميقًا ببطء من أنفك.
احبس أنفاسك للحظات.
أخرج الزفير ببطء من فمك.
استمر في هذا الإيقاع البطيء والثابت لبضع دقائق، وشعر بارتفاع وانخفاض بطنك تحت يديك

إذا أردت مشاهدة الفيديو، اضغط على الرابط الموجود أسفل:

https://players.brightcove.net/6270243571001/Fa2Mt9tStj_default/index.html?videoId=6368813169112

02/03/2026

In Cairde’s new report, 'Improving Mental Health Engagement for Migrant & Ethnic Minority Women', slideshow 1 explored what engagement means, and slideshow 2 unpacked the determinants that shape whether it’s possible.

This slideshow focuses on what women themselves proposed as the way forward. Participants clearly articulated the strategies and methods needed to meet the realities of their communities and to move from tokenistic inclusion to meaningful influence.

See the slides below to learn more about the pathway to strengthened participation and read the full report here: https://bit.ly/CairdeMentalHealth

This report was developed in partnership with HSE Ireland Ireland Mental Health Engagement and Recovery, the DCU HSE Ireland HSE IrelandHSE IrelandHSE IrelandHSE IrelandHSE Ireland Mental Health Engagement and Recovery, the DCU CHUMS Study team, and the lived experience experts. Funded by the Roinn Sláinte, Department of Health.

26/02/2026

Big thanks to everyone for the strong collaboration and shared commitment that keep this project focused and people-centred. The Roma Influencers Network is led by Klimaka NGO (Greece) in partnership with Cairde in Ireland, Cooperctiva & CESIS in Portugal and Sastipen in Romania.ographic materials are in the final stage of production, with filming completed and the visuals coming together. We can’t wait to share them with you!

We are now in the final stretch of the awareness-raising work on early marriage and early motherhood in Roma settlements, with most activities completed and just a small number left to wrap up. And there’s also exciting progress on the storytelling side: the documentary short films and photographic materials are in the final stage of production, with filming completed and the visuals coming together. We can’t wait to share them with you!

Big thanks to everyone for the strong collaboration and shared commitment that keep this project focused and people-centred. The Roma Influencers Network is led by NGO (Greece) in partnership with Cairde in Ireland, & in Portugal and in Romania.

Learn more about the project: https://www.romainfluencersnetwork.eu/

24/02/2026

In Cairde’s new report, 'Improving Mental Health Engagement for Migrant & Ethnic Minority Women', slideshow 1, shared last week, explored engagement as a spectrum, from awareness to real influence.

Slideshow 2 looks at what shapes whether engagement is actually possible: navigating the system, cultural and language differences, socio-environmental pressures, and mistrust, including doubts about being valued as a minority lived-experience voice.

These are systemic issues, not quick fixes. The first step is listening to the strategies women themselves propose.

Swipe through the slides, and read the full report: https://bit.ly/CairdeMentalHealth

This report was developed in partnership with HSE Ireland MHRE, the DCU CHUMS Study team, and the lived experience experts. Funded by the Roinn Sláinte, Department of Health.

17/02/2026

In our new report, Improving Mental Health Engagement for Migrant & Ethnic Minoritised Women, one message came through clearly: mental health engagement isn’t a box to tick. It’s a spectrum.

For migrant and ethnic minoritised women, engagement can begin with awareness and mental health literacy, move through accessing and navigating services, and must lead to what really matters: having a voice, influence, and power in decisions that shape mental health systems.

Yet, persistent structural inequities still limit the participation and impact of migrant and ethnic minoritised women in Ireland. If equity is the goal, engagement structures must reflect women’s lived experiences, remove barriers, build trust, and create genuine pathways to meaningful involvement.

Swipe through the slides, and read the full report: https://bit.ly/CairdeMentalHealth

This report was developed in partnership with HSE Ireland MHRE, the DCU CHUMS Study team, and the lived experience experts. Funded by the Roinn Sláinte, Department of Health.

11/02/2026

Zapraszamy na spotkania z ekspertami ZUS, którzy wyjaśnią sprawy związane z emeryturami i rentami oraz omówią sposoby komunikacji z ZUS na odległość.

Podczas spotkań specjaliści ZUS omówią w szczególności:
➡️zasady ustalania polskich świadczeń emerytalno-rentowych oraz ich wypłaty;
➡️zasady składania wniosków o polskie świadczenia rentowe i świadczenia dla rodzin, a także o zasiłki pogrzebowe;
➡️sposoby komunikacji z ZUS (Platforma Usług Elektronicznych PUE, e-wizyta - rozmowa online z pracownikiem ZUS, Centrum Kontaktu Klientów - CKK).

Linki do spotkań⤵️
10.12.2026
https://zus.webex.com/zus/j.php?MTID=mb0861b28617450ff11cf103221a065e1

12.02.2026
https://zus.webex.com/zus/j.php?MTID=mb0861b28617450ff11cf103221a065e1

10/02/2026

Yesterday, we launched the Mental Health Engagement Structure for Migrant & Ethnic Minority Communities. Today, we are highlighting something at the heart of that work: the lived experience video launched as part of last week’s event.

If mental health services are to work for everyone, minority voices must be listened to. Not only as an add-on, but as a vital part of shaping how services are designed, delivered, and improved.

This video was created by people from migrant and ethnic minority backgrounds with experience of mental health challenges, either personally and/or through supporting family and community members. They share:

- what it’s like to use mental health services in Ireland
- what helps (and what doesn’t)
- their experiences of mental health engagement processes

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who took part and shared their stories. Your honesty and courage matter.

Watch the video and read the report: 👉 https://youtu.be/P1bEG4fiPE0

The video is part of Cairde & HSE Ireland Mental Health Recovery & Engagement (MHRE)’s Project.

This video was created by people from migrant and ethnic minority backgrounds who have experience with mental health challenges, either personally or through...

09/02/2026

Last week, Cairde, together with HSE Ireland Mental Health Recovery & Engagement (MHRE), officially launched the Mental Health Engagement Structure for Migrant & Ethnic Minority Communities - a meaningful step toward more inclusive, equitable mental health engagement in Ireland.

We also shared our new report: Improving Mental Health Engagement for Migrant & Ethnic Minority Women (supported by Roinn Sláinte, Department of Health e, Department of Health and developed with the DCU Cultural Humility in Mental Health Study Group.

In the report, women described engagement as a journey, from building awareness and confidence, to navigating services, to having real influence on decisions. The research highlights overlapping barriers, including language and communication gaps, practical constraints (time, childcare, transport), racism and discrimination, and experiences of mistrust or tokenism.

The report also highlights what helps: trust-building, community partnerships, flexible ways to participate, clear pathways into engagement, and appropriate recognition/resourcing of lived experience, so involvement is safe, valued, and meaningful.

Above all, heartfelt thanks to everyone who shared their lived experience. Your voices help shape a mental health system that listens and responds better.

Read the full report and learn about the initiative: https://cairde.ie/our-work/be-aware-be-well/