By Andrea Chambers

Family, Resilience and Mental Wellbeing on Our Island

Let’s take action—to change the landscape for the next generation.

As Isle Listen launches two weeks of raising awareness about the crucial importance of caring for our mental wellbeing—one of the greatest challenges we face throughout our lives—I’ve been reflecting on the journey of the Isle Listen service since its inception eight years ago, and on the reasons behind the work we do.

Quite simply, it is grounded in love: for our families, our friends, our colleagues, the community we live in and for all the people who make our lives worthwhile.

I count my blessings every day when I look at the incredible team of people standing shoulder to shoulder with me, working to ensure that wellbeing and resilience are not “nice to haves”, but key priorities as we shape the world for the next generation—our future employees, employers, carers and parents: our children.

What more important mission is there?

Because awareness matters—but action is what changes outcomes. Taking action can be as simple as starting a conversation, checking in on someone, asking for help early, or making space in our schools, workplaces and services for support that is timely, evidence-based and kind.

Mental health touches every government department, every strategy, and every part of our plan for the future of our island.

When I think about changing the landscape, I always come back to what makes this feel urgent—and what makes it feel possible. On an island, our lives overlap: families are interwoven, generations live side by side, and small actions ripple out quickly. For me, the call to take action starts at home.

My eight reasons

Four children. Four grandchildren. Eight reasons to take action.

My eight reasons—the eight faces that sit at the heart of everything I do: my four children and my four grandchildren. They are my family reasons for wanting to change the way we deal with mental health and wellbeing, and for believing our island can lead the way. They are personal, but they echo what so many families live with: love, responsibility, pressure, hope—and the need to take action early.

Four of my reasons are my children. They have shaped everything I do—striving to make their world a better place, so they can have peace of mind and a sense of fulfilment that I have, at times, struggled to achieve. Life is never short of challenges, and changes in family dynamics can have a lasting impact, often affecting each person in different ways.

The other four are my grandchildren—four to date. They bring untold joy into our lives every day, but the world has changed, and the challenges they face are different even from those faced by their parents. That is why building resilience early—and taking action early—matters so much.

We all have our drivers for what we are trying to achieve at Isle Listen. The Isle Listen family bring passion, expertise and devotion to the cause—and it makes me proud, every day, to work alongside them.

I am one of six children. Like nearly every family, ours has been touched by the sadness that mental ill health and bereavement can bring—and by the quiet strength it takes to keep going.

It has given me a passion and an understanding of the need for the right support at the right time—and of the harm that can be caused by the wrong support, however well-meaning. I believe deeply in evidence-based care at every level of need, balanced by compassion and genuine human care.

Mental health across generations

Mental health can be one of the most difficult subjects to explain or understand—especially as the demands and expectations placed on each generation continue to change. It has never been more important to talk about it openly, to learn what helps, and to make support easier to reach—so families can take action before worry becomes crisis.

I see this in my own family as I watch my mum work hard to maintain her independence and her place in the world as she grows older—still wanting her voice to be relevant, valued and heard. Dignity matters. Connection matters. And when we keep those values at the centre of our families and our community, we strengthen mental wellbeing for everyone.

These are some of my reasons. They won’t be the same as yours—but the call is shared: to protect our people, strengthen our families, and take action together.

Families, in every form

Strength in families—whatever that family looks like—should be at the heart of what we do. Our families can be traditional, blended, fostered, adopted, led by grandparents, formed through friendship, or rebuilt after loss. Each one is unique, and each one deserves to be celebrated and protected—through the everyday actions that help people feel safe, loved and understood.

Part of that protection is helping our young people to build self-worth: to know they matter, to feel they belong, and to develop the confidence and skills to take their place in the world. When we take action to invest in resilience early—at home, in schools, in clubs, and in workplaces—we give the next generation the best chance not just to cope, but to thrive and contribute to the community we hold so dear.

A community responsibility

We are proud to work alongside DESC, Manx Care, the Police and many Third Sector organisations, all working tirelessly to strengthen the support available across Island. But the responsibility doesn’t sit with services alone—it sits with all of us. Community pulling together is not a slogan; it is how change happens on an island, one decision and one act of care at a time.

I never need to question why we do the work we do at Isle Listen and Minds Matter. I only have to look at the faces and stories that sit behind the statistics—the reasons for everything.

Too many families have known the heartbreak of losing a child or a parent to mental ill health. And for every person at the centre of that loss, there are many more who feel it too: a child, niece or nephew; a grandchild; a neighbour; a step-child; a friend. Relationships are crucial—and what every child deserves is to be seen, heard, valued and supported.

Support that matches the need

If we want to change the landscape, we start by supporting this vital work—consistently, practically, and for the long term. We have plans to widen support so that more people can access help earlier, in ways that fit their lives and their level of need.

Funding is crucial to allow this work not only to continue, but to expand. And just as important is how support is delivered: evidence-based care, at every level of need, balanced by genuine compassion. Expertise and compassion together are a powerful combination.

I often talk about my “eight reasons” for everything I do—eight faces that remind me what matters most: my four children and my four grandchildren. But the truth is, we all have our reasons. What are yours?

Let’s show our commitment to family, to life on our precious island, and to the protection that strong communities can bring. Let’s strive together for a better, brighter future—built on mutual respect, early support, and the belief that everyone deserves the chance to be well.

This is a challenge to business leaders, politicians, schools, families, and every part of our community: please get behind this appeal, champion mental wellbeing, and help us build a system that supports people before they reach crisis.

Eight reasons—and counting.

Now is the moment to act. Check in on someone you love. Start the conversation you’ve been putting off. If you can, support the services that are holding people up—through time, funding, skills, advocacy, or simply by showing up. And if you are struggling yourself, please reach out early; you do not have to carry it alone. On our island, change happens when ordinary people take action—together.