New non-profit well-being company receives approval for first of its kind research study in Ireland
Gerri’s Place, a new non-profit, wellbeing company, has received ethical approval for its first research and evaluation project, which aims to examine the impact their well-being services will have on an individuals’ mental health and well-being.
With charity status pending, Gerri’s Place is a first of its kind in Ireland and will bridge an existing gap in the mental health services, by providing early-intervention, holistic, preventative support to people who are struggling with their emotional or mental wellbeing.
The research team is headed by one of its board members, Michael Norton, who sought to carry out a formal evaluation of the service and highlight the benefits it brings to those who participate. Michael talks about the objectives of the study and what they aim to achieve.
“We will begin by examining current, peer-reviewed literature into complimentary, early-intervention and prevention initiatives within mental health and wellbeing. We will also run 6 wellbeing breaks where we will measure the impact that Gerri’s Place services has on the participants and assess their perspectives across of all aspects of the service., This will allow us to ascertain the impact, if any, these services have on a person’s mental wellbeing”. Mr. Norton goes on to say that “The outcome of this research will help us assess our services further and make recommendations for the future development of Gerri’s Place. The research team is made up of voluntary members of the public who have varying degrees of experience in research.
Gerri’s Place was founded by Rebecca Sheridan and was borne out of the untimely loss of Rebecca’s mother, Gerri. Gerri struggled with anxiety and depression for much of her adult life and during this time she experienced first-hand the difficulty in accessing person-centred supports. Rebecca has over a decade of experience supporting her mother through her journey and believes that Gerri’s Place will provide support at the crucial early stages, before people reach a crisis point and need to access more formal mental health supports.
“The mission of Gerri’s Place is to empower, guide and support people in their emotional and mental wellbeing, through the provision of affordable, holistic, person-centred wellbeing breaks as well as creating a supportive and connected online community.
“The approval we received for our research project from The Social Research Ethics Committee U.C.C. is a very important part our strategy as we move forward and roll out more of our wellbeing breaks. With the successful piloting of our wellbeing weekend breaks and the introduction of our online community in 2022, we believe we are well on our way to achieving that mission. We are excited to continue that growth in 2023 and to see how many more people we can support.”
Rebecca Sheridan emphasises how Gerri’s Place is different to what is currently being provided:
“We want to offer an affordable service, that will empower individuals to self-support and take control of their own mental wellbeing”.
Gerri’s Place launched its first wellbeing break in the stunning natural environs of Sheep Walk House, Wicklow and aims to run several more in other locations around the country in the future.
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About Gerri’s Place
Gerri’s Place is a non-profit, social enterprise that provides wellbeing breaks for people who need time and space to focus on their emotional and mental wellbeing. The aim of Gerri’s Place is to provide inclusive support to those with mild depression, anxiety, stress or burnout, and provide access to a range of affordable and holistic therapies.
Contact Details:
Rebecca Sheridan,
Founder
Mobile: 087 – 645 7315
rebecca@gerrisplace.ie
