Why we do it?

Everyone experiences tough times in their life . It’s a normal process. We all have to deal with bad things happening, and sometimes with terrible things happening. It’s important to recognise that these things can damage our mental health.

Early recognition

Mental health is something we all have, and we believe that anyone can develop a mental health problem. Good mental health depends on dealing with problems early. But many young people do not have the knowledge to recognise these problems early on. In many cases they don’t know where to go to for support.

Early onset

Research* shows that 50% of all mental disorders have their onset by age 14, and 75% by mid 20s. This evidence alone shows the importance of working with young people to offer them the knowledge to help prevent and/or aid the recognition of signs and symptoms of mental health problems.

Third of population

Ireland is currently populated by over 1.5 million people under 24 years of age, one third of our total population, which makes us one of the youngest populations in Europe. Increasing awareness about symptoms and where to go for support can help young people help themselves or help a friend.