About Mind EveryBody
Mind EveryBody is an advocacy group that was founded by Amy Hanley in November, 2023.
It initially started as a single protest seeking reform in eating disorder services across Ireland, and has since evolved into an advocacy group consisting of professionals, carers, and individuals with lived experiences of eating disorders.
The goal of working collaboratively with individuals with different knowledge of eating disorders is to gain a broad perspective of views to better understand where service gaps lie, and to gain more knowledge from each other so we can strategically work to ask for what is needed.
Mission, Vision, and Goals
Together, we work to encourage awareness of what eating disorders are, and what carers and those with eating disorders go through when seeking help. We try to break stigmas through openness, and we promote compassion and understanding of the disorder.
We tirelessly advocate for improvements in eating disorder services by raising public awareness through protests, radio shows, newspaper articles, tv appearances, and social media. We work with politicians to ask for additional services such as funding, beds, better supports, and connections in mental health services and acute hospitals.
We acknowledge that changes will not happen quickly; it will be a step by step process that may take years. We work to understand the politics behind the lack of services in order to gain insight into the best strategic methods to ask for the changes in eating disorder services that are needed.
We aim to be politically neutral. We do not support any particular political party, but rather ask that all parties work together to support improvements in eating disorder services. We see the core problem as a human rights issue, not a political one.
Process for Joining
If you are interested in advocating for improvements in eating disorder services, please join our WhatsApp community by emailing us at mindeverybody@gmail.com.
How We Work as a Group
Teamwork
We work positivity, openly, honestly, cooperatively, constructively, and with an open mind.
If problems or triggers arise, we solve them in a diplomatic and productive manner.
We value the opinions and ideas of others, while acknowledging that implementing all ideas may not be practical.
Differences of opinion are natural and useful.
We don’t tolerate insults, put downs, belittling, or abuse of any kind.
While we are an advocacy group and not a support group, we still show support and respect for one another.
The goal is to learn from each other, not to judge each other.
If members of the group attend an event as part of Mind EveryBody, we would ask that any information learned or a summary of the event be shared with the larger group so everyone is on the same page.
Everyone is encouraged to participate.
We strive to be a positive and peaceful group, and people may be removed if the guidelines aren’t respected.
Productivity
The work we create or discuss in our group stays in our group unless expressly agreed otherwise.
Ideas are collaboratively shared within the main group.
We strive to stay focused and on task.
We are inclusive and work with individuals from all different aspects of eating disorders, whether it’s professionals, carers, or individuals with lived experience.
People can be as active or not active in the group as they choose, and nobody will ever be expected to do anything they are uncomfortable with.
Personal welfare always comes before the needs of the group.
We use our complaints about the system to work positively and productively together to find solutions to peacefully advocate for better services.
Activities
Activities we may ask people to participate in are:
-
protest preparations and participation
-
public awareness activities, including newspaper articles, TV or radio appearances
-
submitting emails to politicians
-
attending political meetings or briefings
-
attending conferences or networking events
-
promoting information and activities on social media
-
planning and participating in awareness events
-
and working with other groups when opportunities arise
How We Work With Others
There may be times where we collaborate with other groups.
We expect collaboration to include open and honest communication from all groups and participants involved.
If we are invited to meetings by other groups, we expect to have knowledge of our part, to be included in all pre-planning meetings, and to be aware of what is included in the agenda.
We will do the same when we invite external groups to collaborate with Mind EveryBody.
We will make all parties aware of the content and structure of meetings, and participants will be invited to all pre-planning meetings.
We work in an open, helpful, constructive, and collaborative environments only.
We respect the opinions of others and expect the same.
We strive to stay focused.
We prefer a minimum of two of our group members to be involved in other groups’ activities where possible.
We don’t tolerate insults, put downs, belittling, or abuse of any kind.
When collaborating with other groups, the work we discuss or create in Mind EveryBody stays within our own group unless expressly agreed otherwise.