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SpunOut.ie Blog

February, 2009

SpunOut.ie victorious at Digital Media Awards

Blog: Winner of Best Use of Social Media category.

Article by : SpunOut.ie

SpunOut.ie has burst onto the national stage early in 2009.

On Friday night, just days after receiving a Global Interactive Media Award, SpunOut.ie beat off stiff opposition from Meteor, 3 mobile, Tayto and Powerade to win the Best Use of Social Media Category at the prestigious Digital Media Awards.

 

SpunOut Ian (AKA Ian Howley) was honoured to represent the team and pick up the award in Dublin on Friday night.


The award, presented by broadcaster Dave Fanning, is further evidence of the hard work, dedication and innovation that we bring to their work. We are hopeful that the award will help SpunOut.ie gain support and funding so as to continue reaching the youth of the nation during these challenging times.

It's onwards and upwards and here's to all involved in making SpunOut.ie as great as it can be!

Find out more about the Digital Media Awards by clicking here.

We've won an award!

Blog: SpunOut.ie wins at the Interactive Media Awards.

Article by : SpunOut.ie

We've just heard the good news that SpunOut.ie is the winner of an Outstanding Achievement Interactive Media Award in the Youth Category. 

These awards recognise the highest standards of excellence in website design and development and honour individuals and organizations for their outstanding achievement. Yay for us!

Created by the Interactive Media Council, Inc. (IMC), a non-profit organisation of leading web designers, developers, programmers, advertisers and other web-related professionals, the competition is designed to elevate the standards of excellence on the Internet and offer winners a boost in marketing and exposure.

For more information log on to: www.interactivemediaawards.com/

On top of winning this award, in the last few weeks alone SpunOut.ie has been short listed for a Celtic Media Award, a Digital Media Award and an Ulster Bank Business Achievers - Social Enterprise Award. We have been working so hard, done so much and it's only February! 

Watch this space . . .

The SpunOut.ie crew

We're up against the BBC!

Blog: Shortlisted for a Celtic Media Festival Award

Article by : SpunOut.ie

Yeeehaaaw or perhaps make that a Celtic WooooOOop or AaaAArrgh!

We've just been notified that SpunOut.ie has been shortlisted for the Kieran Hegarty Award for Interactivity at the Celtic Media Festival 2009.  The Festival is an annual three-day celebration of broadcasting, film talent and excellence from Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Cornwall and Brittany.

The Festival's aim is to promote the languages and cultures of the Celtic countries on screen and in broadcasting. Did we mention we are up against the BBC?

The Celtic Media Festival is supported by broadcast, film, cultural and economic development organisations throughout the Celtic countries and in a position to offer a distinctive view of the media industry to government consultations etc, which may otherwise be underrepresented.

For more information log on to www.celticmediafestival.co.uk

The final winner will be announced in Caernarfon, Wales in March.

We'll keep you updated.

Over and out,

The SpunOut.ie crew

A bittersweet gift

Blog: Ernst and Young's recent fundraiser for SpunOut.ie and Aware was a powerful and emotional event.

Article by : SpunOut.ie

Ernst & Young held a fundraising event for SpunOut.ie and Aware in December. They raised €3790 thanks to the huge efforts of all their staff. In this blog, Ernst and Young employee, Gormla Hughes talks about the event.

Thursday 18 December 2008. I was privileged to be a part of that day. When I left the Ernst & Young building, tears fell down my face, from a sense of being totally overwhelmed and of extreme sadness.

Overwhelmed because of the extraordinariness of the human spirit and sadness because of why it had all come about. A member of our team took their own life in November 2008. We were shocked, numbed and filled with questions: “Why? Why didn’t she say something? Why didn’t we notice something? Did we say something? Why didn’t she ask for help? Didn’t she know that...?”

The Ernst & Young partners created strength and a space for us to mourn, to talk, to help, to be useful in some way, just to be. Counselling, a book of condolences, and a room for prayer and silence was made available. That space allowed us to absorb what had happened, to think about her, to think about ourselves. To face the empty space of her absence. But the gift she left us is beyond measure.

As the weeks went by, there was a feeling of not wanting to forget, not wanting to let go. Collectively, we wanted to do something to make a difference, for her and for someone else. We decided to fundraise for Aware and SpunOut.ie with a cake sale.

We also wanted to remember our team member and to say goodbye, so we decided to have a balloon ceremony.  We would release 200 white helium balloons in her memory. It was organised with military precision, but what was to happen on the day could not have been planned.

Almost everyone baked (or bought!) their own cake for the event. We kicked into action: selling raffle tickets and balloons, talking. Talking about death, talking about suicide, talking about change, talking about making a difference. 

The entire Ernst & Young team were building the most magnificent bridge of openness between colleagues. People milled around, buying cakes, laughing and remembering.  Some members of her family were present. Money was given by all, with nearly €4,000 raised to be shared between Aware and SpunOut.ie.

Everyone came outside for the balloon ceremony. The gentleness, reverence and kindness of those gathered was incredibly special. Paul Smith, our Managing Partner, read a beautiful poem in memory of someone we hoped was looking down and smiling.  As we released the balloons, the power of the human spirit was indescribable.


Questions remain: “Why? Why didn’t she ask for help?” Perhaps asking that question is like asking: “Why not jump across the Grand Canyon?” Each thought becomes a piranha that multiplies and eats into your very soul.  Each simple task becomes a mental marathon. The exhaustion becomes another tormentor. You view it as a weakness.  You view yourself as not ‘normal’. So, you begin to hide it. Hiding it adds to the exhaustion, hiding it becomes your belonging. The piranhas’ become your companion.

So, how do you jump across the Grand Canyon? You build a bridge. People around you will help build that bridge. When you begin to talk, the piranhas disintegrate and slowly, very slowly, life’s possibilities emerge like a blanket of beautiful roses. Yes, the thorns will hurt, but they are just a reminder that you are very much alive and of how strong you are.  

Everyone has a talent, everyone has a belonging, and everyone has a light to shine.  Virginia Woolf, Sting, Beethoven, Abraham Lincoln, Jim Carrey, Elton John, Harrison Ford, Leo Tolstoy, Hemingway, Goethe – they have all known the abyss – and the world is a richer and better place because of their light... and you wouldn’t call any of them weak. Would you?

I was overwhelmed on Thursday 18 December, because I knew that there was at least one other person in the crowd who thought that maybe they didn’t want to continue – and I feel sure that the bridge built from everyone’s spirit and strength that day carried them towards thinking about giving it another chance. A bridge that is indestructible. A bridge of integrity and kindness. The gift is bitter-sweet, but we have embraced it.

“Rows and floes of angel hair
And ice cream castles in the air
And feathered canyons everywhere
I’ve looked at clouds that way
But now they only block the sun
So many things I would have done
But clouds got in my way”
Joni Mitchell

By: Gormla Hughes

With thanks from SpunOut.ie and Aware to the entire team of Ernst & Young, Dublin.

If you or someone you know is at risk of suicide or self harm, you should immediately contact your local doctor or go to the A&E department of the nearest hospital. The doctors and hospitals in your area will be listed in the Golden Pages: www.goldenpages.ie.

Find supportive information and contact details of support organisations: www.spunout.ie/help

January 2009: Shining on through the darkness

Blog: Our monthly newsletter: The heart of SpunOut.ie.

Article by : SpunOut.ie

MONTHLY NEWSLETTER: ‘The heart of SpunOut.ie’

SpunOut.ie National Youth Organisation working to empower young people
by providing them with information, resources and opportunities to affect positive personal and social change.


2008 was an absolutely huge year for SpunOut.ie. After spending the previous few years in development mode, we well and truly made our mark on the national stage. Enter 2009! The SpunOut.ie crew arrived back to work this January with a big bang after the holidays, excited and buzzed up about what the year is going to hold. 2009 will see us maintain this pace, improve upon what we do and blaze a trail to ensure young people get the information, support and opportunities they need and deserve. 

Busy bees – What we got up to this month . . .

Doom and gloom won’t hold us back
As many politicians, companies and state agencies struggle with the current mix of social and economic pressures, SpunOut.ie sent out a strong message that we are up for the challenge of these changing times. Click here to read more.


Nominated for an Ulster Bank Business Achievers Award
As mentioned in The Irish Independent, ‘SpunOut.ie soared to dizzying new heights’ with our nomination for this award. The Ulster Bank film crew joined and filmed the team at work this month as part of the judging process. It’s remarkable to realise we have been shortlisted from nearly 400 entries nationally down to 28. Fingers crossed on March 12th for us!

‘Beat Blue Monday’ campaign makes a huge impact!  
SpunOut.ie received huge widespread national, regional and local coverage reaching millions across Ireland during our 'Beat Blue Monday' campaign calling for people to take control of their mental health.  More info here.



Supporting 2fm: The development of a new youth health show
This month saw the beginning of our collaborations with 2FM's 'The Fix' a pilot health and lifestyle show aimed at young people. Both teams met in RTE this month to discuss how we can work together in reaching, engaging  and helping the youth of Ireland. Four SpunOutters were involved in an initial pilot launch on the topic of 'Growing up on the internet'. More information to come later!
 
Recruiting now! Advocacy Internship with NUIG and SpunOut.ie
SpunOut.ie has agreed a new Advocacy Internship with NUIG - CKI initiative  For more info on this internship click here.

Nominated for a Digital Media Award
Although we all know awards are not the be all and end all, it is still fantastic that SpunOut.ie is being acknowledged on a national level in this way. Launched in 2003, The Digital Media Awards were engineered to raise awareness of the emerging digital media sector in Ireland. Awards taking place on February 13th in Dublin.  

Gaining widespread media coverage reaching over half a million people in January

To name a few:

Credits roll up on the SpunOut.ie - Credit Union video clip competition: A whopping €10,000 dished out to winners!

This jointly run competition was a super success truly rousing the creative juices of young people across the nation. SpunOut.ie showcased the winning videos this month.  To see the 60 second video clips, click on this link. A huge congratulations to the winners from the SpunOut.ie team!


Five wonderful SpunOut.ie Frontpage Campaigns

Each campaign highlighted an issue of importance to young people. This month featured:

  • New year NO new you: Lets all stop being so hard on ourselves!
  • Blast off the blues: Don't let the January blues get you down
  • Blue Monday: Beat the saddest day of the year, and take care of yourself in tough times
  • Yes YOU can: Believe in the difference you can make in your own life and the lives of others
  • Good Karma party: Celebrate doing good and help inspire others!


SpunOut.ie a positive force! Feedback from SpunOutters this month

"Thanks so much for the venting it really is making a big difference" Joe

"I just want to say thank you so much, my mother passed away after losing a battle with cancer two months ago and the one thing she always encouraged me to do was write. I know I have neglected writing over the past few months and it wasn't until I visited SpunOut today that I remembered just how much I love it and how good it makes me feel" Maire
"Thanks for taking a look at my stuff :) I wrote some of the stuff during the exams to destress myself... it helps! :D" Jonny

"I'd like to thank you all for your kind words. I hope to someday be able to share my advice back!"

"Thanks for all the advice man!! I'll try and apply it to my situation!!"

"I thank and applaud you foe your help.., and I hope this website can continue to give people the answers that they need!!!!!!"

"Thank you all once again for the positive comments and for putting a more positive and upbeat spin on things!!"

Looking for a good read? This is the place!

Powerful true life stories published this month:


Some interesting forum threads:


Looking forward to seeing what February holds for SpunOut.ie.  We’ll be back next month with an update!

We hope the new light of spring holds fresh energy, light and new beginnings for all of you.

The SpunOut.ie team: Anna, Eoghan, Emily, Susie, Ruairí, Ian and Willie.