Good practices: TENI

Thank you to TENI (Ireland) for sharing your good practices with us as part of the Come Out for Mental Health campaign!

“Our work on mental health has lots of different elements. When I think about TENI’s work with policymakers, it reminds me of the scaffolding you see when a house is being built. It’s not the finished product, but it is work that will provide a structure for future activities, work that is designed to have long-lasting positive effects.

All the ongoing training and conversations happening between TENI and policymakers, healthcare professionals or teachers might not be the most visible element of our work – but it does result in guidelines and increased understanding. It is positive that TENI have a good working relationship with the Health Service Executive (HSE – Ireland’s health service), School Managerial Boards, researchers and other key people and organisations that can facilitate the needs of the trans community. Tools like guidelines for general practitioners (GP’s) are what will make a huge difference to trans people, considering that trans people often experience anxiety when presenting at these services.

TENI are also very excited to be partnering with HSE to deliver Gender Identity Skills Training (GIST) which is due to begin soon. GIST will be evaluated, with the aim of offering this training to all healthcare providers in all regions of the Republic of Ireland.

TENI also provided training for staff in 47 post-primary schools and 17 primary schools in the the Republic of Ireland in 2016/2017 school year. In many ways, we are living in a different Ireland now… and that can only be a good thing for the mental health of trans people.”

– Vanessa Lacey, TENI Health & Education Manager, in conversation with Come Out for Mental Health