The Unwind Your Mind Blog is a project of Marie Duffy, a mental health advocate and freelance journalist from Co Donegal, Ireland.
I have over 20 years experience of advocating for better mental health services in Ireland. I hold a Masters in print and broadcast journalism and believe in the power of words to create change.
In 2004 I became a youth advisor to the new youth website SpunOut.ie. As someone who was passionate about writing, youth activism and mental health the project was an absolute dream to be a part of. It was the first time that I had ever been involved in something that had the power to create change- it was the very first time that I had heard and experienced the word ‘Empowerment’. Following a few years as a youth advisor In 2008, I was asked to represent young people in the organisation by sitting on the Board of Directors of SpunOut.ie where she sat until 2011.
In 2012, I became Editor of SpunOut.ie, and stayed in that role until 2017.
I was asked to be on the original youth- advisory panel of Headstrong (now known as Jigsaw) by its founder Tony Bates in 2006. I was heavily involved in advising the organisation until 2014/15.
I have continued to advocate for improved mental health services, and was a member of a Reference Panel which advised the HSE division of Mental Health Engagement.
As part of this panel, I was involved in making recommendations for promoting widespread and regular engagement and consultation with service users, family members and carers at local and national levels.
These recommendations have since been approved by the National Mental Health Division Management Team for implementation.
I hold a MA in Journalism from the University of Ulster, and have previously had articles published in The Irish Times, The Irish Independent, The Journal.ie, The Donegal Democrat, The Irish News, The Letterkenny Post, The Finn Valley Post, The Tirconaill Tribune, The Creeslough View, and Donegal Daily. I also wrote articles and kept a health column for Faceup Magazine. I was also editor of Ireland’s award-winning National Youth Information website SpunOut.ie from 2012-2017.
I have also been interviewed by many media publications over the years on the topics of mental health and youth participation. You can read more about that on the media section of the website.
Read some of Marie Duffy’s writing and read some of the interviews she has given.
Education
- MA Journalism (NCTJ & BJTC accredited), University of Ulster, Dec 2008.
- BA Hons English and History, University of Ulster, 2007.
- Digital and Online Marketing Certificate, Letterkenny Institute of Technology,
FETAC Level 6, Merit Dec 2010. - Campaigning and Lobbying Certificate, FETAC Level 6, Merit 2012.
- Business Leadership and Management, FETAC Level 6, Institute of Leadership and Management, Merit 2010.
- NALA, Plain English Training 2012
- ASIST, mental health first aid training, 2013.
- HSE Smoking Cessation training 2016
- Mental Health in The Community, University College Cork.
Key Achievements
- Winner of Investing for Health Print Media Award 2008
- Shortlisted as Best Feature Writer in the NCTJ Excellence awards 2008/2009
- Conference speaker alongside the Dalai Lama and Mary Robinson at Possibilities conference 2011.
- Represented Ireland at One Young World international young leaders conference in Pittsburgh, USA, 2012.
- Launched the 2011 International Declaration for Youth Mental Health alongside key international mental health professionals.
- Listed as a contributor to the International Declaration of Youth Mental Health 2011.
- Shortlisted as 02 Young Leader Award 2011 in Business and Finance magazine.
- Represented Ireland at the United Nations/ Education First Summer School 2013 in New York. ( Selected out of over 40,000 worldwide applicants)
- Winner of the Dewey Winburne Award 2014, awarded by SXSW (South By South West) festival, Texas.
- Shortlisted as Irish Charity Hero 2010 and Irish Volunteer of the Year 2010.
- Board of Directors, Spunout.ie 2008-2011.
- Editor of SpunOut.ie, Ireland’s National Youth website 2012-2017.
- Speaker at key national and international conferences on youth participation and mental health.
- Author of The SpunOut.ie Survival Guide to Life published in 2014.
Lists I have been featured in
- Dewey Winburne Award from South By South West festival, Texas- 2014
- 20 Irish women to follow on Twitter
- 53 Irish women to look out for in 2014
- People to watch in 2013
- People to watch 2015
Things I’m really proud of but you may not care about!
- Being a proud Auntie and Godmother to my amazing side-kick Clara.
- Passing my driving test.
- Having a Shorthand speed of 100 words per minute.
- Having spoken at some really cool conferences considering I am absolutely terrified of public speaking.
- Having represented Donegal and Ulster at Soccer U-16 and u18 levels.
- An All-Ireland Ladies soccer medal.
- Having actually completed my Leaving Cert (that year was tough Goddammit)
- Being featured in Damien Mulley’s People to watch in 2013, and 2015.
- Being involved in a very small way in lobbying to get a Jigsaw Youth Mental Health service in Donegal.