What does support feel like to you?
Read below a piece based on one of our Leave No One Behind Series 4 workshops.
This wonderful workshop was carried out with a women’s group which is a joint project of the Intercultural and Refugee Programme of the Glencree Centre for Peace and Reconciliation and the Dominican Justice Office Ireland.
Support is a multifaceted concept that resonates deeply within our lives, often manifesting in various forms and experiences. Many participants conveyed support as a vital component for personal and communal growth, emphasising the interconnectedness of self-care, a platform for empowerment and equality. The women in Clondalkin Towers Direct Provision Centre stated support feels like a peace of mind, a reassurance that one is not alone in their struggles. One lady’s collage beautifully articulates this sentiment, emphasising that one can only effectively support others by first nurturing oneself. This idea of self-care is crucial; she highlighted, ‘it is akin to drawing water from a well,’ only when we are filled can we pour into others. She explained that support can take many shapes, from practical assistance, like having someone to care for a child, to emotional backing during challenging times. It was also mentioned that support knows no limits; thus, it can be as expansive as meeting the needs of those around us.
Another participant emphasised the profound impact of support, noting that governmental assistance during her educational pursuits provided opportunities that significantly altered her life trajectory. It was posited that support establishes the foundations and platforms for individuals to present their authentic selves and excel. Confidence and representation were depicted as crucial in enabling individuals to feel acknowledged and valued. Support promotes inclusive environments where individuals can share their stories without shame, like this Women’s Group and the Young Mothers Network. Powerful women, particularly mothers, often manage multiple responsibilities while supporting their children and communities. Therefore, it is imperative to recognise the necessity of supporting caregivers.
One participant explained that her experience following a stroke illustrates the profound impact of support during times of crisis. She mentioned that her assistance from healthcare professionals and loved ones inspired her to dedicate her life to helping others facing similar challenges, particularly women. The importance of equality in support was also highlighted by some participants, who explained that recognising everyone as equal is fundamental to progress and striving for a world where support is accessible, allowing each individual to reach their full potential and freedom.
To me, if you don’t have peace of mind, you can’t support yourself. And this is a well and they are trying to bring water up from the well. One person cannot do it alone, two people cannot do it alone, it’s this third person who can help bring up the water and pour it into the bucket. So support is very important. Support can come in many ways. This morning I came here with my child. If Marie and Louise and Maureen did not support me to mind my child, I wouldn’t have been able to do this artwork. Support can come in many forms: it can be communicating information to someone who needs help, or in the form of a gift, and all the different ways we have to help one another. This here [points to something on artwork] means that support has no limits.
This first picture here is about support. I would personally like to say thank you for the support I have received. I really appreciate the government, those people in charge of supporting asylum seekers. Like here [points to an image] I was being supported when I went to school, all the charges that were incurred by my education were paid for by the government. All of the support I have received has changed my life. Having a shelter over my head, I really appreciate it. Even if we’re not satisfied in this space because it’s so crowded and cramped. But we have shelter, and some people are living on the street, beaten by rain, taking drugs because life is so hard. And this here is about adventure. There was one place we went to in the mountains, called Glencree, and it was so isolated that there was no network and I couldn’t call my friends! It was so beautiful, I wanted to show it to my friends. We were in nature, and it reminded me of nature back home. So this artwork is a simple act of appreciation
This is a work in progress! Support for me feels like being who you are. Alone, we can’t do it. But joining with others, being part of a community, changes things. Support means confidence, representation and building something together.
This is about talking with people, especially people that you wouldn’t normally get the chance to meet. Other than that, the flowers and the colours gave me a sense of calm – I think providing a calm environment is important. And you all are very calming to be around!
This a mother, with her child, and she’s doing many things at once. And it makes me think of all the mothers I know, and all of the mothers I work with through YMN and this woman’s group. You all support your children, but you also support each other in ways that are so beautiful and inspiring. Mothers give so much, I think it’s important that they are offered spaces and opportunities where they can receive support, where their children can be looked after as one mother here has said, so that they can make art, and share their dreams for the future with each other.
