The Other Island is a project which gives people living on the margins the opportunity to tell their stories – stories which usually go unheard. We're working with a group of people who have experience of being homeless or in insecure accommodation, living on very low incomes, managing health challenges including addiction, or dealing with difficulties that others aren’t aware of.

They're working with our team of facilitators in regular creative workshops, over around 3 months, learning the skills to share their experiences in a range of ways. These include storytelling, poetry, reportage, photography and video.

Their work will be shared via our website and social media, and shows what life in the Island looks like from a different perspective - and how sometimes, just a few twists and turns can result in drastically altered circumstances.

We've called the project The Other Island because it reflects a very different one from what the 'mainstream' shows. We're building awareness of aspects of Manx culture that are largely invisible, so as to foster compassion and understanding. We’re sure the stories will give real, deeply felt insights into living with extreme challenges - and will reflect the resilience, humanity and humour of our participants. We know that creative expression can have a big impact on a person’s sense of agency and overall wellbeing, and the new skills the participants learn should serve them well in the future.’

The team of creative leads includes Veronique Mistiaen, an award-winning journalist with extensive experience of similar projects; Janet Lees, a poet and writing for wellbeing facilitator; Jack Bridson, a young videographer and proponent of mental health awareness; and Marianne McCourt, a highly experienced photographer and life coach.

Michael Manning, Co-Ordinator of Graih, which helps people who are homeless or in insecure accommodation, said:

Thea Ozenturk, of addictions charity Motiv8, added: