Welcome to Headstrong
Our vision is that young people in Ireland are heard, respected and supported as they journey into adulthood
Headstrong - The National Centre for Youth Mental Health was set up in 2006 by Dr. Tony Bates, to change the way Ireland thinks about youth mental health. We work with communities in Ireland to ensure that young people aged twelve to twenty five are better supported to achieve mental health and wellbeing as they journey into adulthood.
At Headstrong, we see young people as an invaluable resource, and involve them every step of the way. The organisation is managed by a dynamic staff team of mental health experts and professionals, but is guided and driven by our Youth Advisory Panel, a representative group of young advocates.
- Supporting and empowering communities to take charge of their own mental health challenges.
- Empowering young people and involving them directly.
- Giving support to those who come into regular contact with young people e.g. health professionals, teachers, youth workers, gardai etc.
- Gaining a better understanding of young people and their issues.
- Challenging negative stigma around ‘mental ill-health’ in society.
We have three main programmes of activity:
Jigsaw
We are developing and implementing an innovative new model of youth mental health and wellbeing in Ireland: Jigsaw brings community supports together around young people, in order to better meet their mental health needs. We have established two pilot centres (in Galway and Kerry), and have three more currently in development. If the model proves successful, we hope that one day every community in Ireland will have a Jigsaw programme, and that all young people will have somewhere to turn to and someone to talk to in times of difficulty.
Advocacy
We advocate at national and local level for the right of young people to better mental health supports, and a change in the way Ireland thinks about their mental health. Our youth advocacy movement are working with us throughout Ireland to find creative ways to inspire this change.
Research
In order to deepen our understanding of the experience of young people living in Ireland today, we are conducting a major nationwide survey of young people, ‘My World’. This will provide us with the key insights into factors affecting the mental health and wellbeing of young people, that we need to initiate change.