Shine’s Green Ribbon Campaign launched today

STEP UP TO STAMP OUT STIGMA – EVERYONE NEEDS TO PLAY THEIR PART IN REDUCING STIGMA AROUND MENTAL HEALTH

Shine’s Green Ribbon Campaign launched today

26th August, 2025. Dublin.

A fundamental and substantial shift in thinking is needed for mental health to be considered, and treated, in the same way as physical health in Ireland.

That’s according to mental health charity Shine CEO Nicola Byrne. Speaking at today’s online launch of Shine’s Green Ribbon Campaign 2025 she said that as long as stigma persists around mental health, people will continue to feel isolated, be reluctant to seek the help and support they need, and be unjustly discriminated against.

“So much of our thinking as a society has progressed in the past decade but when it comes to mental illness, we are stuck in a past era with its negative connotations and stereotypes, misinformation, outdated language and discriminatory practices. We know better now, we should be doing better.

We need united, collective engagement and action, to create a powerful movement that mobilises communities, influences policies, and results in systemic change. With one in four people known to suffer a mental health challenge in their lifetime, this is no longer merely a desirable outcome, it is imperative.”

Shine is an Irish mental health charity that supports people with lived experience of mental illnesses, their families and supporters through recovery services, education and advocacy.

Shine manages the national mental health stigma-reduction programme and the Green Ribbon Campaign is a key part of that work. The campaign runs for the month of September, with dozens of events and activities planned across the country and with landmark buildings and large businesses lighting up their premises green as a show of solidarity and support.

The slogan for this year’s campaign is ‘Step Up to Stamp Out Stigma’. “We chose it as a clear call to action because, for change to come about, everyone needs to play their part,” the CEO said.

“Wearing the Green Ribbon symbolises willingness to have open conversations about mental health and mental illness and how it affects us all.”

Shine’s ultimate goal with the campaign is to make a real, measurable difference in recovery rates for people experiencing mental illness. By reducing stigma, improving access to services, and fostering supportive environments, we can enhance recovery and improve quality of life. We want to see more people reaching out for help, more people receiving the care they need, and more people thriving in their recovery.

Minister of State for Mental Health and Older People, Mary Butler said: “We have made great progress in recent years to change attitudes and improve mental health literacy. More and more people are talking openly about their mental health needs and receiving support and acceptance from family, friends, and mental health services. The Green Ribbon acts as a powerful symbol of solidarity, encouraging us all to engage in open conversations about how we, and those around us, are feeling.

Throughout September, I would ask everyone to wear a green ribbon to show loved ones, colleagues, and the people in your community that you care about their mental health. Together, we can continue to break down stigma and ensure everyone feels comfortable reaching out for support.”

Central to the campaign is the voice of those with lived experience, who share their personal stories of their illness and recovery. During the campaign those voices will be heard in workplaces and at events across Ireland.

Shine Ambassador Anthony O’Reardon, who now works as a facilitator on Shine’s Workplace Programme, says his own first hand experience of stigma around mental health was the reason he began working with Shine. “Being unwell is hard enough but the stigma that goes with mental health makes it really hard to come forward and admit “I need help”. It was a big factor and there were two parts to it, I was conscious of societal stigma and I in turn self-stigmatised. I would like to see stigma replaced by understanding and compassion so that people get the help they need.”

‍Free green ribbons will be available at many retail points across the country or to order online here.

To find out more about the Green Ribbon Campaign, click here.

Check out the supporters pack here.