Gateway 10 year Booklet

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND THANKS

Thank you to all those involved in establishing the project in the early days including
staff from RPCP, the HSE, Dublin City Council, the City of Dublin Education and
Training Board and to the Advisory Committee members.
Thanks to the CDETB for supporting the Creative Writing and Arts & Crafts programme
since 2004 and to all the Adult Education Co-ordinators. Thanks also to all of our
wonderful tutors. Thanks to Dublin City Council for their support through community
workers Tom Scott, Ronan ODonnell and Kathleen Farrell. Thanks to the Informal Adult
Education Co-ordinators in DCC.
Thanks to supporting organisations and staff over the years including MABS, Rathmines
Citizens Information Centre, Local Employment Service, Labour Market Support
Workers, NALA, SHINE, Amnesty International, Mental Health Reform, Mental Health
Ireland, Threshold Training Network, Disability Federation Ireland, Irish Advocacy
Network, My Mind and The Copeland Centre. Thank you to the Community Garda
Gerry Hogarty and Brendan Byrne for supporting our members over the years.
Thanks to all of our funders over the years. Particular thanks to our core funders RPCP
and the HSE. Brian Miller has shown his commitment and support for Gateway since
2004. Tara Smith, Manager and the Board of RPCP have been Gateways staunchest
supporters. To other grant and resource providers including Dublin City Council,
CDETB, ESB Electric Aid, Dublin Bus Community Spirit Awards, Iarnrod Eireann,
Tesco Community Fund we thank you.
A special thanks to my fellow Development Workers since 2004 Edel Reilly, Sandra
Byrne and Martha Griffin. And to the dedicated Project Workers, currently Ali, Helen,
Mary and Tom. Also we have numerous volunteers and students who have given their
invaluable support. My colleagues in RPCP have also supported and lent a hand to
Gateway in various ways over the years. Thank you to all of you.
Finally to all the Gateway members, thank you for actively supporting and shaping your
project and for all your hard work in making Gateway the wonderful community peer-led
mental health resource it has become. Thanks in particular to all the Gateway researchers
and volunteers over the years and the recent birthday planners, organisers and gatherers.
Extra special thanks to the newsletter editorial group for their ongoing achievements and
group work every month and in particular for creating a beautiful
commemorative issue to remind us of what we do and why.
In solidarity,
Fionn Fitzpatrick - Acting Gateway Development Worker
11 Wynnefield Road, Dublin 6. Ph. 01-4965558
www.projectgateway.blogspot.com

Gateway Mental
Health Project
20042014

Gateway 10 year Booklet

WELCOME!
Hi, Fionn here, I am currently the acting
Development Worker for Gateway and
follow in the footsteps of some rather
inspired predecessors committed to
creating a space where people with mental
health issues are heard and can be included
on an equal basis with others.
Welcome to this very special booklet
celebrating ten years of Gateways work for positive mental health,
recovery and social inclusion in the community.
Gateway is a member-led community mental health project. We take a
community development approach to empower people with selfexperience of mental ill-health to participate in life on equal terms. We
work alongside our members to build confidence, skills and peer support
locally to achieve this.
Gateway has come far since its foundation in 2004 and since I first joined
as a member through the Self Advocacy Programme several years ago.
These past ten years have seen the project and its members achieve
tremendous success and growth which the editorial team have tried their
best to reflect for readers in this beautiful booklet. Thanks to everyone
involved in and supporting the creation of this special gift for us to enjoy. I
look forward to seeing the project and its people continue to grow from
strength to strength over the coming years.
Enjoy and treasure our gift to you.

Fionn Fitzpatrick, Acting Gateway Development Worker

Gateway 10 year Booklet

THE FUTURE OF GATEWAY

What does the future hold for Gateway? We hope that Gateway continues
to be a place where people can come and meet friends who are accepting
of them as they are. The fact that Gateway is member-led is hugely
important because it gives people control over what happens, as well as a
sense of belonging and meaning in their lives.
The hope for the future is that Gateway can become an independent entity
run by members, for members, with paid positions for a core staff team to
make the project as effective and sustainable as possible long term. Wed
love to see Gateway build on its mental health and recovery training which
supports people to build their confidence and self-esteem. Most of all we
want Gateway to be thriving for another 10 years, offering an open door
and support in community.

AND THE REST

There is so much more that happens in Gateway - relaxation and
meditation, Indian Head massage, pool competitions, training programmes
like Mindfulness, Personal Development, Wellbeing. Members have
monthly meetings to decide what happens in Gateway, as well as attending
cultural and political events. Members attend the Mental Health Reform
Grassroots Forum, and several members participated in Amnestys
Citizens jury on capacity. There have been public speaking events
through See Change, Experts by Experience and a visit from Minister
Kathleen Lynch. Gateway has raised the profile of mental health and the
need for community based recovery services. We are still doing our best to
support and progress reform nationally.

Gateway 10 year Booklet

CREATIVE WRITING
AT GATEWAY
Creative Writing classes have been
run in Gateway (with support from
CDETB) for several years. The late
George Ferguson was a well-loved
teacher, and Maria Jones is no less
popular. She describes writing as a
conversation with yourself, with
your future reader, with books that
have inspired you. You learn how to
express yourself. You never have to
feel lonely as long as you can
write. Opposite is just one example
of the beautiful work produced in
the class.
Creative Writing Class meets every
Friday in Parker Hill.

Cry for Peace

War is a place,
Where men die.
Women scream,
And children cry.
Big guns and bombs,
Set off the spark,
The only lights
Are flames in the dark.
As good and bad,
Fight over power.
For the soldier could meet,
His last hour.
As pain and poverty descend,
We pray to God,
That war will end.

Patrick Clifford

Project Workers & Support

Staff: Gisela Oates, Janet
Doyle, Richard Moloney,
Samo Hadad, Fionn Fitzpatrick,
Gateway Advisory Committee: Enda Mulcahy, Sinead Kelly,
Brian Miller, Dermot Burke,
Mary Barnes, Helen McSherry,
Gerry Pierce, Louise McCann, Ali Rochford, Tom Manning.
John Kelly, Kathleen Farrell,
Volunteers and Students: Oana
Mairead McCann, Mary Quinn, Rotarescu, Tola Majelcodunmi,
Orla Barry, Oliver Duffy, Pat
Larissa McGlone, John Kelly,
McCormack, Paul Jenkinson,
Maria Swan, Katie O'Mahony,
Ronan ODonnell, Susan
Patrick Clifford, Michael
McFeely Gateway
Dooley, Mary Quinn, Mary
Development Workers:Edel
Masala, Oliver Duffy, John
Reilly, Sandra Byrne, Martha
Laverty.
Griffin, Fionn Fitzpatrick
Tutors:

GATEWAY PEOPLE
PAST AND PRESENT

Alex Kreis, Neill Drew, Hilary,

Caroline Downey, Carol
McInerney, Elaine Broderick,
Marion Bienert, Jennifer, Helen
McGoldrick, Tim Lloyd,
George Ferguson, Maria Jones,
Geraldine Semple, Siobhan
Larkin, Emille Boland, Jean
McElvaney, Amy Redmond,
Angela Keegan, Mia Gallagher,
Advocacy Team from Irish
Advocacy Network.
300+ Gateway members
changing the world.

Gateway 10 year Booklet

HISTORY OF GATEWAY
2004-2014
The Gateway Project
opened in January 2004 as
a pilot initiative between the
Rathmines Community Partnership
and Vergemount Mental Health
Services. It is now an established
Community resource and was
highlighted as an example of good
practice in the National Economic
Social Forum report on Mental
health and Social Inclusion in 2007.

Hadad and Richard

Moloney.

The Swan Centre was a happy home

for Gateway for three years until
2009, which saw the big move to
Mount Drummond in Harolds
Cross. Martha Griffin had taken
over in 2008, and along with Project
Workers Enda Mulcahy, Fionn
Fitzpatrick, Mary Barnes, Helen
McSherry, Sinead Kelly, Ali
The project beginnings were in a
Rochford and Tom Manning she
small room in Grosvenor Road with continued the valuable work.
a view to specifically targeting
Gateway found its present home in
people with enduring mental health Parker Hill in Rathmines in 2012.
difficulties living in the community. Gateway continues to grow, with
Edel Reilly coordinated the Project
over 300 members, many of whom
back then, passing the torch to
participate in the planning,
Sandra Byrne who saw Gateway
development and management of
through much growth and
this unique and wonderful Project.
development. Of course they
Gateway has always depended on its
couldnt have done it without the
members, and the fact that a former
Rathmines Pembroke Community
member - Fionn Fitzpatrick - is now
Partnership, numerous other
the acting development worker, is
supporters and Project Workers like just one of the testaments to our
Gisela Oates, Janet Doyle, Samo
member-led ethos. Tom and Ali

Gateway 10 year Booklet

Gateway 10 year Booklet

WHAT DO WE DO?

ARTS & CRAFTS

ateway provides an essential mental health resource where

people can make friends, get support and be informed. This
happens in our drop-in (Mondays and Thursdays 1-5pm) as well
as outside it.

Access to stress reduction as well as recreational, social and cultural

activities support members wellbeing and integration locally. Annual
training and education is planned by and with Gateway members so that
people can
progress their
health and
educational
goals on their
own terms and
as they choose.
Active
membership, leadership and participation have emerged as strong features
of the Gateway Project during this time, as has a collective commitment to
progress recovery approaches to mental ill-health.
The various groups active through Gateway such as the Newsletter Team,
WRAP support groups, Gateway Representatives and Advisory Members,
meet up groups and more, that self-organise within and outside of the
project is testament to the remarkable work of our members, development
workers and project workers over the years to support opportunities for
integration in a truly empowering and member led way. Gateway Project
has become a respected and invaluable community mental health resource.
It is a place where people can and do recover. It is a place of hope,
support, respect and inclusion.

The Arts and Crafts

group have been
meeting every
Thursday in Gateway
since nearly the very
first day, and for
most of that time the
brilliant Tim Lloyd
has been steering the
group.

great creative
expression. I enjoy the

Supported by CDETB

it and you can put

everything out of your
head.
-Yvonne
Its very fulfilling,
and has great
therapeutic benefits.
Tim is so helpful and

variety of different
projects we do, I also
enjoy that things are
very easy-going and
relaxed. -Richard

kind and very

One of the first big
I find it very relaxing. encouraging. You dont
moments for Gateway When I joined Gateway feel under pressure at
was an art exhibition in I started
all. You can choose
the very first
doing the
year, and
art, about
there was
five
another in
years ago
2008.
now. I love mixing your
my colours, you
own medium. -Linda
Ive been
mix a couple of colours Arts & Crafts takes place
involved with the art
group for close to seven together and you create every Thursday during drop
in 2.30-4.30pm new artists
your own colour. You
years and I find art a
get relaxed and get into welcome

Gateway 10 year Booklet

Gateway 10 year Booklet

THE NEWSLETTER

Meet your Project Workers

The Gateway Newsletter started out in 2007 as a two page black and white
publication. It always had member submissions, but back then it was put
together by Richard Moloney single-handedly. In 2011 there was
Publisher training for members, and in 2012 we had our first Newsletter
team under Helens guidance. The following year the Newsletter became
the full colour 4-page spread we have today when members decided they
could do with nothing less!
The team meets weekly now, and we have a great sense of achievement at
the end of every
month when we have
a new issue ready
for members. We get
great satisfaction
from sharing our
skills and
supporting each other.
Most of us have
never done anything
like this before, but it doesnt matter because we learn as we go, with great
support from Ali and Ciarn, our publishing gurus.
The ethos of the team is that we can be ourselves and we dont need to be
in good form to participate. This is also the cornerstone of Gateway. In a
different situation, some of us might not feel so free to learn. We give each
other genuine support, because we understand each other. Even as a new
person in the group, your contribution is valued.
You want to come to Gateway. You want to be a
part of this. The newsletter is just one part of
Gateway, but its so important and it links all the
other activities.
-The Newsletter Team

Hi! We are the lovely people who ensure that

the drop-in opens twice a week and support
members in their journeys.
Mary (top-left) came to Gateway in 2011 and
loves the drop-in and all the members. Helen (top-right), Ali (bottom-left)
and Tom (bottom-right) are all former members, and Gateway has done as
much for them as they have for Gateway. In
Toms words The big thing with Gateway for
me is giving me something to do that makes
me feel like I belong.

hen I first came to

Gateway in 2008 the
drop-in was upstairs in
the Swan Centre. I was nervous
walking in the door but after my
first drop-in session I thought oh
wow I wish Id known about
Gateway the year before as I would
have joined as a Member.

think the essence of Gateway is the

culture of respect, hope, support and
camaraderie.

As Margaret Mead said never

believe that a few caring people
can't change the world. For, indeed,
that's all who ever have. I believe
that Gateway has had some amazing
successes and come through some
There have been so many highlights challenging times but I believe the
working with the best is yet to come.
project, but for
Happy 10th Birthday Gateway! My
me Gateway was best to everyone.
only ever as
Martha Griffin, Gateway
good as the
Development Worker
people there. I

Gateway 10 year Booklet

Gateway 10 year Booklet

In 2012 members came together to agree on rights and

responsibilities for all Gateway members. Here is the
inspired list they created...

MEMBERS STORIES

In Gateway I have the

right...
To express myself
e.g. how I am
feeling.
To be heard
to have a voice

To feel
safe.

To receive
generously.
To safe space and
personal space.

To selfdetermination
and
independence.

To be treated with
dignity and
respect.

To flourishing speech within reason

To be
treated as
an adult.

In Gateway I have the

responsibility...
To listen to other members
and be respectful.

To
participate
as much as
I can.

To be aware of
the needs of
others.

To tolerate
difference.

To add to this list.

To support
other
members to
participate.

To clean up after myself and

respect our drop-in centre.

To free choice whether

people agree or disagree.
To give generously.

Not to cause any

member to feel upset
or unsafe.

To be aware of how my
actions and speech
affect other members.

ateway gave me a way to

meet people and make new
friends and exchange
information and ideas.

As a member of Gateway I was

invited to do short courses in
recovery with The Wheel. Getting
the certs for those helped me get my
place on a recent DCU course Cooperative Learning Service
Improvement Leadership. We
worked on a project for the mental
health services in St James
Hospital. We wrote a 2000 word

proposal for the

lecturers in DCU.
There was a
really nice
graduation day
with the minister
for mental health Kathleen Lynch.
In terms of my recovery journey getting to a place of good mental
health - the fact that I could go to
Gateway has been a great benefit.
The socialisation aspect has been
very important for me.
Oliver Duffy

again. Gradually I
settled in but it took a
few years. I kind of got
used to talking to
people, having a laugh.

Moving to Parker Hill,

it has really taken off. I
feel like I have come
out of myself a bit, and
the different courses
I feel its helped me in Ive tried have helped
started coming to my home life as well. I me. My confidence has
Gateway when we have somewhere to go. improved through the
were in the Swan It has helped me to be courses.
Centre, there was
able to talk to my
If I stopped coming
something about it that neighbours. I feel I
here Id go downhill
kept bringing me back have a better social life, instead of going to
every week, again and its stimulating.
Parker Hill! -Jim Irwin

Gateway 10 year Booklet

WRAP AT
GATEWAY
Group recovery and
peer support work has
become an important
feature in Gateway, and
so in 2010, the
Wellness Recovery
Action Plan (WRAP )
was introduced.
WRAP is a selfmanagement
tool and group
recovery
programme for
people with
experience of
mental ill health.
It is an evidence
based recovery
programme to build
hope, positive personal
power, peer support,
self-advocacy,
wellbeing and recovery.
The principles of
WRAP work well in
community

development settings
and their values are
strongly aligned.
WRAP outcomes to
date:
38 Gateway members
have participated in
WRAP programmes
through Gateway since
2010 and many have
achieved significant

certified as WRAP
facilitators enabling inhouse delivery.
WRAP at Gateway is
fully peer led,
facilitated by former
members working on
the Project Team.
WRAP Caf established in 2014,
resulting in highest
numbers of members
participating in
recovery work to
date, with over
30 members
accessing and
benefiting from
regular monthly
WRAP sessions.

Members have
been recorded for
individual and
collective achievements WRAP for Radio, an
initiative by VE
such as:
Productions and
Several WRAP
Newstalk to publicise
community groups set and celebrate the
up by members and
successes of people
meeting regularly since using WRAP for
2010.
recovery around the
country.
3 people trained and

Gateway 10 year Booklet

WHAT IS A GATEWAY PROJECT WORKER?

Who are friendly but not
friends*

Who believe in
recovery

We are
people and
peers...

Not counsellors,
therapists, medical
staff or cleaners

Challenge members
to try new things and
take on
responsibilities

Inform and educate about

community events and mental
health developments

We do our
best to...
Support members to
help themselves and
one another

With our own experience

of mental health issues

Develop active
membership, leadership,
volunteering and much
more

Mind our own

mental health

*Project Workers are asked not to develop new friendships

while working in Gateway to keep things fair and equal for all.

Gateway - in members words

Gateway - in members words

Respect and recognition that

life is difficult Sense of
common purpose Healing
and fulfilment.

It is a place for me
to go when I am not
myself. Gateway is
very important to
me and hopefully I
can help other
people as I have been
helped a lot.

It means an oasis a place to get rid of my

burdens, have drinks and biscuits. Talk to
other members, and come heavy and leave
lighter.

I find it a place to
go to clear my
head and meet
other Gateway
members and help
them if I can.

Gateway is a place where I go every week, I meet

friends, I look forward to going to Gateway every
week and really enjoy it. I get a lot from Gateway
and I hope they get a lot from me.

Chat and cuppa Discussion

groups Plans and ideas for
events.

It is where I meet people.

It is a positive place. You
get to know about courses
and various events.

Gateway is a great place to meet up with people, great classes and

courses, its a great place where you can get company with people,
talk about issues we would like to talk about, support with each
other, make friends! Great organisation, I would be lost without it!

Social
gathering A
place to go to be
myself without
me worrying how
Im feeling that
day Time-out
for myself
structure and
routine

It is a place where I can be

myself and get real
support. Working on the
newsletter has been
Its good for my
brilliant for me. I love
mental health
using computers. I have
and to meet new
learned new skills. Ali and
friends.
Ciarn are great teachers,
they are so patient. The
newsletter team is also
brilliant because we all work
together as a team A sanctuary. A safe
encouraging, supporting
place to share concerns
and feel supported.
It provides me with a place to go that
is non-judgemental in relation to my
mental health difficulties. It is so nice
to meet people in the same place.

A place where I meet new and interesting people, all different backgrounds and
life experiences, and theres great company, a chat and a laugh and theres a
feeling of warmth and gentleness, all mindful of each others vulnerabilities