October 2022: Beyond Stigma

After an intimate experience of self-stigma and an understanding of how powerful The Work is in addressing stigma, Nadine Ferris France co-founded Beyond Stigma, a not-for-profit organisation registered in Ireland.

Beyond Stigma brings The Work to groups that experience high levels of stigma and self-stigma – adults and young people living with HIV, sex workers, people affected by gender-based violence, people living with tuberculosis, people living with overweight and more.

Common self-stigma and shameful beliefs such as ‘I am not good enough’ ‘I am less than human’ ‘I am a bad person’ ‘they think I am dirty’ ‘they think I deserve it’ ‘I am a bad person’ leads to increased depression, reduced quality of life, decreased self-agency and affects access to health services and life-saving medicine. This is often exacerbated in contexts where multiple factors and vulnerabilities such as HIV, gender-based violence, poverty and social stigma and discrimination intersect.

We work with and through community organisations and with partners in Zimbabwe, Vietnam, Ireland and elsewhere. We design and implement programmes, train local Coaches in The Work and conduct research. See a short VIDEO of our recent work HERE.

If you would like to get involved and support in our mentoring programming, our training, our fundraising, programming or research, we are so happy to connect.  Learn more about Beyond Stigma