Webinar on 23rd September, and
link to register on CDHN's website:
https://www.cdhn.org/event/speaking-my-language
Critical Voices Network Conference
- Call for Abstracts
Final
conference announcement and call for abstracts
‘Supporting
people in distress: critical perspectives on safe spaces and places’
14th
and 15th November 2025
School
of Applied Social Studies
Institute
for Social Science in the 21st century
University
College Cork, Ireland
and
Critical
Voices Ireland Network
Over the last 16 years this
conference has covered many concerns around mental health systems, practices
and provisions. One of these concerns centre around the lack of availability of
safe spaces and places for people experiencing intense distress, a theme
specifically addressed at the 2021 (online) conference. We have heard and
learned from different ways/approaches, outside of the traditional hospital and
community-based systems, of supporting people in distress, such as crisis
houses and therapeutic farms. Sadly, locating safe spaces and places for people
experiencing severe distress and crisis remains difficult. Following on
from last year’s conference on iatrogenic harm we are acutely aware that we
need to turn ‘first do good’ into practice. Therefore, this year’s conference
aims to explore and discuss:
·
What constitutes a safe place/space in mental health practices?
·
Why is it so difficult to develop and sustain safe
places/spaces?
·
Are there examples of good practices from various jurisdictions
providing safe places and spaces?
We hope that this
conference will bring together people with experience and interest in
developing safe spaces projects in Ireland.
Keynote Speakers confirmed to date (in alphabetical
order):
Jess Angland, CEO,
Slí Eile Support Services, Community based Care Farm, Bakery and Supported
living in North Cork.
·
Eamonn Flynn, Dad, music mental
health activist. Looking for humane ways to help people in crisis and their
families, London.
·
‘New Script for Mental Health’ campaign
Activists, Belfast.
·
Ciara Glynn, Manager at Solace
Café, former peer support worker, passionate activist, Dublin.
·
Sinead Pierce, Peer
Support Worker, HSE & Lived Experience Informed Educator, University
College Cork, Cork.
·
Speak Out! Theatre for
Transformation, Creativity and Change project, Munster Technological
University, Cork.
CALL FOR ABSTRACTS (oral
presentations/workshops) of 45 minutes’ duration related to the conference
theme and outlining its aims and intentions. Please
email your abstract (in Word- 250 words max) and a brief bio (in Word – 150
words max) to l.sapouna@ucc.ie by 22 September 2025.
Inquiries to h.gijbels@ucc.ie or l.sapouna@ucc.ie.
Registration details will be
circulated in late September 2025.
The Conference organisers
are Lydia Sapouna, School of Applied Social Studies and Harry Gijbels
(retired), School of Nursing and Midwifery, University College Cork, Ireland
and Mad in Ireland.
