News & Events

News & Events

Hearing Voices Network Facilitator Support Options

During our recent work on mapping Hearing Voices Peer Support Groups, we heard that many group facilitators would like us to help them find ways of connecting with other people who are also facilitating groups. To meet this need we are offering two new Hearing Voices Group Facilitator support options.

Note: To access these options we ask that you, or your group, are a member of HVN. You can find out more about membership here: Join Us – Become a Member

Buddy System

Would you like to connect with another Group Facilitator? We are launching a buddying scheme. 

  1. Just email us to let us know you’d like to take part in the scheme. Remember to tell us the contact details you’d like us to pass on and the group you facilitate.
  2. We introduce you to someone else (via email) who facilitates a group and has also opted-in.
  3. You and your ‘buddy’ take things from there – with the idea that they create a supportive place to share and consider the successes and challenges of facilitating a group.

It’s important to be clear that we cannot take responsibility for what happens between buddies. Only share contact details that you feel comfortable with someone else having, and be sure to speak about your mutual expectations around how much contact you would like.

If you’re a faciltiator and would like to find out more about this scheme, email: info@hearing-voices.org.

Facilitator Support Network

First meeting 14 sept, 7-9pm (online)

Hi, I’m Vikki and I’m the co-founder of Peer Hub CIC, a little user-led organisation in County Durham. I’m delighted to have the chance to facilitate some online networking meetings for Hearing Voices group facilitators.

At Peer Hub, we’re really keen on bringing together communities that support each other and share good work, and also can help collaborate or talk about the harder or more complicated parts of trying to do good stuff and think differently around the things that get called ‘mental health’. So, when I got the opportunity to support HVN in creating a space to come together to do that very thing, I was a little bit chuffed about it! You can find out more about Peer Hub on our website www.peerhub.co.uk. 

Our first network meeting for facilitators will be on the evening of Tuesday 14thSeptember 2021 from 7pm-9pm. We’ll start with a speaker and then have an hour to chat about how we’ll use these meetings going forward, what kind of things we might want to talk about and which speakers or subjects would be good to have for future events.

You can book onto the first networking meeting through this private link on Eventbrite, and we’ll send access information to get onto the Zoom 24 hours before the event starts.

Book here: https://b.link/hvn-facsupport

About Me:

I’m a peer supporter, trainer and strategist, supporter of the hearing voices movement and still trying to figure out what the world is about and what I’m supposed to do in it (my official bio is on the Eventbrite link).

World Hearing Voices Congress – Registration and Call for Papers

“Solidarity in Times of Adversity: The Global Voice Hearing Community Reconnecting”

The 12th World Hearing Voices Congress, Cork, Ireland, 1 – 3 September 2021.

Would you like to present at the conference? Hearing Voices Network Ireland, the hosts, have issued a call for papers here: https://hearingvoicesnetworkireland.ie/call-for-papers/.

Over the past 18 months, the Covid-19 pandemic has caused an unprecedented challenge across the globe, which many of us will have experienced as disconnecting, isolating, frightening, chaotic, overwhelming, and, at times, unbearable. However, the pandemic has also shown the power of solidarity when communities come together to offer each other support in times of adversity.

This year’s Congress will create spaces for voice hearers, family members, carers, practitioners, academics, and all those interested in the principles and values of the International Hearing Voices Movement, to connect and/or reconnect with one another in a post-pandemic world, either in person in Cork, Ireland or online across the globe. Drawing on two ancient Irish traditions, the Congress organisers aim to provide a platform (ardán*) to focus on the ways in which many voices can work together, supporting each other in difficult times (meitheal*). 

*Ardán (pronounced ar-dawn) is an Irish word meaning platform, stage, but it is also used in the context of ‘raising one spirits’!

*Meitheal (pronounced meh-hill) is the Irish expression of the ancient and universal appliance of cooperation to social need, referring to the co-operative labour system in Ireland where neighbours help each other in turn with farming work, such as harvesting crops. It establishes community unity through cooperative work and mutually reciprocal support.  

Confirmed Keynote Speakers To Date:

  • Ray Waddingham (UK)
  • Cindy Marty Hadge (USA)
  • Peter Bullimore (UK)
  • Lykourgos Karatzaferis (Greece)
  • Adi Hasanbasic (Czech Republic)
  • Kate Fiske (Australia)

Congress Format

Congress will have a hybrid format (if restrictions allow), with in-person events in Cork and online events for those not able to attend in person. In-person delegates will be able to access all the in-person events in Cork as well as the online events. Online delegates will be able to access all the keynote presentations, all the online concurrent sessions, and all the networking sessions, but they will not be able to access the in-person concurrent sessions in Cork. If restrictions do not allow to have a hybrid Congress in Cork, then Congress will move fully online! See Registration details below.

Congress Venues

The Online Venue (Irish Standard Timezone): Zoom platform, managed and facilitated by Onlinevents

The In-person Venue: University College Cork, Brookfield Health Sciences Complex, College Road, Cork, Ireland.

Congress Programme

1 September: Intervoice Day

2 and 3 September: World Hearing Voices Congress

Intervoice Day (1st September)

A day for people involved in the Hearing Voices Movement to come together, share experiences, and hear about new initiatives around the world. The day will consist of speakers, open space discussions about topics decided by attendees and the chance to share what is happening in Hearing Voices Networks across the globe. The Intervoice Day is organised by members of the Intervoice Board. Details to follow.

World Hearing Voices Congress (2nd and 3rd September)

Each day will consist of keynote presentations and concurrent workshops/presentations. We hope to provide opportunities for all time zones to have the opportunity to engage with the Congress. Details to follow.

Registration Details

Although we plan for a hybrid Congress format, with the ongoing uncertainty about international travel, we invite you to register online in the first instance. If a hybrid Congress becomes possible, we will open registration for the in-person Congress. Those who wish to register for the in-person Congress will be fully refunded for their online registration. Those who wish to keep their online registrations do not need to do anything!

Online Registration:

Click Here to Register. 

Online registrants will be able to attend all keynote presentations, online concurrent sessions, all networking sessions, and all online events offered during breaks. Online registrants will not be able to attend the in-person concurrent sessions taking place in Cork.

In-person Registration (Not Yet Available):

In-person registrants will be able to attend all keynote presentations, all concurrent sessions (online and in-person), and all networking sessions. In-person registration also includes morning and afternoon tea and coffee and lunch each day of the conference.

Fees

Online Fees:

  • Intervoice Day (1 day) and Congress Days (2 Days)
  • Voice Hearers/Students: £45.00
  • Professionals: £65.00

In-person Fees:

  • Intervoice Day (1 day) and Congress Days (2 Days)
  • Voice Hearers/Students: €80.00
  • Professionals: €180.00

We hope you can join us, either in person or online. For any more information, please email us on info@hearingvoicesnetworkireland.ie

Information on Call for Papers can be found here.

We would also like to introduce and welcome you to Cork via this short video (for those who don’t know Cork!). If this does not entice you to come to Cork, we don’t know what will!

Thanks

Hearing Voices Network Ireland