School of Nursing and Midwifery Scholarly Impact Report 2021

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CATHERINE MCAULEY SCHOOL OF NURSING AND MIDWIFERY, UCC

PART A: TEACHING, CONTRIBUTION TO COMMUNITY AND PRACTICE, AWARDS

The 12th World Hearing Voices Congress, Cork, Ireland, 1 – 3 September 2021.

Drawing on two ancient Irish traditions, the Congress organisers aim to provide a platform (ardán*) to focus on the ways in which many voices can work together, supporting each other in difficult times (meitheal**).

The experience of the Covid-19 pandemic is relevant to this year’s conference theme with issues of safety featuring in all our lives in different ways. Within this context, it is important to remain critical and not to lose sight of concerns that continue to be expressed about mental health systems not providing safe spaces for people in intense distress. Indeed, it is often the opposite, with people referring to experiences of de- humanisation, coercion and re-traumatisation. Acknowledging such concerns, this conference, now in its 13th year, focuses on the importance of developing and providing safe spaces for people experiencing distress. • what we understand by safe spaces in mental health systems • what makes it so difficult to offer safe spaces • the increasing use of coercion and forced treatment to try to maintain people’s ‘safety’ • what safe spaces may look like and how these may be experienced by people in distress • ways to support people in intense distress in spaces where they feel safe and respected The conference offers opportunities to examine:

*Ardán (pronouncedar-dawn) is an Irishwordmeaningplatform, stage, but it is also used in the context of ‘raising one’s spirits’!

**Meitheal (pronounced meh-hill) is the Irish expression of the ancient and universal appliance of cooperation to social need, referring to the co-operative labour system in Ireland where neighbours help each other in turn with farming work, such as harvesting crops. It establishes community unity through cooperative work and mutually reciprocal support. The 13th Annual Critical Voices Conference, Cork, Ireland, 10th November 2021 (ONLINE) Creating safe spaces in mental health systems: critical perspectives. School of Applied Social Studies and School of Nursing and Midwifery University College Cork, Ireland.

“Solidarity in Times of Adversity: The Global Voice Hearing Community Reconnecting” - 1 – 3 September 2021.

Brookfield Health Sciences Complex, University College Cork, Ireland.

Over the past 18 months, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused an unprecedented challenge across the globe, which many of us will have experienced as disconnecting, isolating, frightening, chaotic, overwhelming, and, at times, unbearable. However, the pandemic has also shown the power of solidarity when communities come together to offer each other support in times of adversity. This year’s Congress will create spaces for voice hearers, family members, carers, practitioners, academics, and all those interested in the principles and values of the International Hearing Voices Movement, to connect and/or reconnect with one another in a post-pandemic world, either in person in Brookfield, UCC, Cork, Ireland or online across the globe.

In association with the critical voices network Ireland and in partnership with online events

Conference FORMAT & KEYNOTE SPEAKERS ON THE NEXT PAGE

Conference theme: