Elephant in the Room

IMSA has decided to partner up with the Elephant in the Room movement in recognition of the fact that both organisations share the key priority of encouraging and supporting more people to have conversations about their Mental Health – especially those ‘Elephant’s’ we all have stored away in our heads and hearts.

With the partnership Sheds are being invited to make plinths upon which ‘Ellies’ (fibre glass elephants) sit when they go into schools and organisations. The elephants start out blank but people discuss their ‘elephants’ which an artist interprets then draws onto the elephants and the finished piece goes on permanent display.

We know from experience that inside Sheds, Men can talk about things they might not otherwise talk about ‘shoulder to shoulder’ and that the Shed is a unique setting to share thoughts and worries on some of the great ‘Unmentionable’ topics like loss, anxiety, depression or shame. Not only are you likely to come across someone who supports you with empathy and kindness, but you may well come across someone who has walked a similar path and has shared experience or understanding.

A large majority of our Shedders report barriers and challenges to opening up about emotions or feelings (sometimes even the word ‘mental’ can have hugely negative connotations because of the social, cultural conditions and circumstances they grew up in). That’s part of why Sheds are so magic – because Men who felt they had to be ‘silent’ for fear of judgement or punishment can be open, honest and feel like they can be their true selves in the ‘company of Men’.

‘It should be as normal to discuss our mental health as it is to discuss our physical health’. Thus says ex Rugby player Brent Pope who established the Elephant in the Room movement as a symbol of recovery and hope following his own mental health challenges.

As we know, asking someone how they are doing is never ever a wasted conversation.

Getting Involved

If your Shed is interested in taking part in this partnership, you will receive everything from IMSA you need to create plinths which the ‘Ellies’ will sit on (the ones you are working on will be distributed to schools/organisations to encourage people to start talking about their mental health). Elephant in the Room will collect the plinths when you have them complete.

Being part of the project as a Shed is a great way to contribute while also taking the opportunity to think about your own ‘Elephants’. There might be someone beside you in the Shed who would welcome the chance to open up or have a conversation.

Contact geraldine@menssheds.ie for more information.