Mid West Advancing Recovery in Ireland Education Service (ARIES)

Mid West ARIES (Advancing Recovery in Ireland Education Service) offers a range of courses, information and educational materials on Recovery and Well-Being in Mental Health in Limerick, Clare and North Tipperary.

 

Vision

To provide the Mid West Region with an inspirational and inclusive educational programme on recovery and well-being.

Mission

• To provide education and resources created and delivered by service users, family members, carers and mental health professionals.
• To inspire hope, create opportunities and foster the belief that recovery and well-being are possible.
• To promote education as a tool in mental health recovery.
• To make this programme available in Limerick, Clare and North Tipperary.
• To promote a culture of inclusivity, mutual respect and learning among all: service providers, service users, family members, friends, carers and anyone with an interest in mental health and well-being.

Background
Mid West ARIES is a recovery education service developed initially by the Mid West ARI group. In 2014 the Mid West ARI group did research to look at offering courses on recovery in mental health in the region. This research found that people in the Mid West region wanted to see courses available to people who have experienced mental health difficulties, family members, staff and the general public.

Based on the research, Genio a not-for-profit organisation, agreed to fund a Recovery Education Project for one year in the Mid West. Following on from the successful 12 month pilot in 2016 and 2017, funding was acquired through the Service Reform Fund to further develop and facilitate the activities of Mid West ARIES (Advancing Recovery in Ireland Education Service).

From February 2018, two people have been employed to continue with the expansion, development and roll out of ARIES in the Mid West. Eileen Cunningham is working as Education, Training and Development Officer alongside Mike O’Neill as Peer Education, Training and Development Officer. The delivery of the existing modules and the production of new educational material is a priority in their role. All of these courses will be free of charge and open to everyone.

What does Mid West ARIES offer?
Mid West ARIES has a range of courses, information and educational materials on Recovery and Well-being in Mental Health.

What makes Mid West ARIES different and how does it work?

The topics of the courses are created by people with lived experience, family members and staff working within the services. This is called co-production. This means that everyone has a say in what goes in to the courses.

The courses are then co-delivered by people with lived experience, family members and staff working within the services. This is a different way to how other courses are usually created and delivered.

Aries Workshops

How can you sign up for a course?
Contact us on the numbers or email address detailed below. 

How else can you get involved?

Mid West ARIES regularly organises co-production sessions to create new courses. From time to time we call upon volunteers who have lived experience of mental health difficulties and recovery, or family members and carers, and also those working in mental health services.

If you are interested in sharing your experience to help create new courses (co-production) we’d love to hear from you.

You can sign up to take part in creating a course please free to contact us on the numbers or by email below.

This means that: 

• There’s a place for everyone in Mid West ARIES
• You can enjoy Mid West ARIES as a Student (attending courses), Co-Producer (creating material), or Co-Facilitator (delivering courses)

The Mid West ARIES Team will assist you in whichever role you choose. 

Please contact Mid West ARIES:

• Mike O’Neill, Peer Education, Training and Development Officer by telephone: 085 8768517 or 061 461275 or email: michael.oneill8@hse.ie
• Eileen Cunningham, Education, Training and Development Officer by telephone: 085 8589546 or 061 461276 or email: eileen.cunningham4@hse.ie
• Niamh Wallace, Service Improvement Manager by mobile 087 6618981 or email: niamhp.wallace@hse.ie

For up to date information visit Mid West ARIES Twitter