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As we mark World Mental Health Day, we are reflecting on our work as a project over the past year, but also on the realities young people continue to face every day.
Our recent scoping reports have shed light on the complex web of challenges shaping youth mental health. Transgenerational trauma from the conflict, combined with socioeconomic deprivation, family breakdown, and discrimination, continues to weigh heavily on young people’s wellbeing.
Across communities, we see rising levels of anxiety, low self-esteem and poor resilience, often linked to school pressures and post-pandemic isolation.
These are just some of the issues our reports highlighted, and against this backdrop, our work has never felt more vital.
Since we began delivery under PEACEPLUS, our programmes have reached 7,790 participants, from schools and youth groups to community hubs across Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland. Our aim has remained the same: to enable peacebuilding through our work with young people and youth workers, helping them build resilience and grow in confidence, empathy and wellbeing.
At the heart of our work are children and young people, and in the past this year, an incredible 7,050 of them have taken part in our programmes. Through Joint Training Schemes, young people have had the chance to explore who they are, connect with others, and strengthen the tools they need for emotional wellbeing.
We know that mental health support for young people is only as strong as the networks behind them. Over the past year, 740 Key Youth Workers (including educators, coaches and childcare practitioners) have taken part in our programmes, building capacity, confidence and community in their own practice.
We’ve seen many training courses run through Co-operation Ireland’s Learning Labs, with residentials for Key Youth Workers and some really impactful shared learning events. Not to mention the Circle Exchanges and Scoping Reports that will shape how we deliver our programmes until December 2027.
4,292 participants completed our Joint Training Schemes. This number is made up of 4,248 children and young people who completed Joint Training Schemes covering intrapersonal, interpersonal and intergroup skills, which are the building blocks to increased mental health literacy, enhanced emotional resilience and youth leadership, and 48 Key Youth Workers who have completed capacity-building Joint Training Schemes.
We’re especially proud of our Youth Leadership programmes, where 252 young people have stepped forward to develop their potential, including the successful completion of 96 accredited training awards (ACEs Level 1 and OCN Levels 1 & 2) – formal recognition of the skills and commitment they’ve demonstrated. This year also saw the Action Mental Health Regional Youth Panel established and become part of the OUR Generation Project, these young leaders are not only growing in confidence themselves, but are inspiring others around them to do the same, shaping a future where youth voices lead the way in building healthier, kinder communities.
Our reach this year spanned approximately 285 different locations from primary and post-primary schools to youth groups and community organisations. Every setting brings new stories, new collaborations and new opportunities to make mental wellbeing a shared priority.
To highlight the work of our lead partner Action Mental Health, we have produced a video for World Mental Health Day; a brand new episode of our TV.OG series. It features pupils from St. Mary’s Primary School, Portaferry, and Dromore High School who are currently completing OUR Generation programmes.
Rachel Hook, is a year 12 student at Dromore High School taking part in the Peer Mentoring programme with Action Mental Health. When asked what she was enjoying about the programme, she said:
“I really liked the colour wheel personality tests for communication, as you get to get an insight about what you’re really like as well, and you can learn how to help others.”
She added:
“I thought it was really good for future careers if we want to go and do something and help others with mental health, as it is such a big issue in the world that we are living in at the minute.”
L-R: Sophie Smith, Emily Higginson, Rachel Hook and Daisy King, Year 12 pupils at Dromore High School
To watch Episode #3 of TV.OG → click here
More info about World Mental Health day here.
