Community Engagement

Reaching out to individuals and groups through our Community Engagement Programme is integral to the ethos of Teac Tom. The team at Teac Tom has worked with businesses, schools, and sports clubs throughout the country. Based on our experience, we have identified that reaching out to young people in the community to provide early intervention and education on mental health, is an effective approach.

Our goal is to have a positive impact on the mental health of our community now and into the future through talking, listening and breaking down the barriers that so many people experience.

Teac Tom’s Founder and CEO Angela Hayes has a very personal and tragic story of dealing with suicide.

Every community engagement talk we do is rooted in Angela sharing this story.
Whether addressing young people or adults, in a school, club or workplace, Angela’s story has an impact on everyone who hears it. We strive to de-stigmatize mental health issues and facilitate discussions with a positive outcome. To date we have had extensive and very positive feedback from those who have participated in these talks.

Teac Tom’s Worry Box Project.

Through our Community Engagement process we have developed a simple, but effective tool to facilitate conversations around mental health, in particular the importance of talking and sharing a problem.

‘The Worry Box’ allows people to express their thoughts and to write down their questions or concerns anonymously. The act of writing down a ‘worry(problem?)’ on paper, is the first step for many people towards accepting they have an issue.

To ensure the safety and wellbeing of the young people attending the talk, a trained counsellor is part of the team to answer any questions that may arise.

S.A.F.E Support Programmes

Everyone responds differently to loss because of the special relationship they had with that person – how you grieve may be different to a parent or a friend. This kind of loss is life changing and can alter your perception on life and the decisions you make.

Our Sibling, After-care and Family Engagement (SAFE) Programme is unique to Teac Tom and offers a holistic approach to mental health services.

Sibling Group (13-17 years old).

The loss of a member of your family unit can change the family dynamic. Roles and responsibilities change as the loss has an impact on everyone. You may feel overprotective of your remaining siblings and/or parents and they may become overprotective of you.

Our mission is to offer understanding, support, information and hope to siblings who have lost a family member to suicide. Peer led support focuses on lived experience to support others. A qualified therapist and a volunteer will facilitate this group for 13-17 year old’s who have lost a sibling or parent to suicide.

Family Group.

Teac Tom provides a safe space for adults that have lost a family member to suicide. Anyone in the family can experience negative health issues as a result, including depression and anxiety. For parents, there is an increased risk of their relationship breaking down. For older siblings there can be feelings of guilt and regret.

Our peer led group focuses on understanding, support, information and connections and offers hope to parents and other adults bereaved by suicide in the family.