An Taoiseach Micheál Martin met with Mental Health Reform and Jigsaw in Cork on Saturday, 9th July.
As part of the visit, An Taoiseach heard about the work of Mental Health Reform and Jigsaw’s plans for improved youth mental health services in Cork.
Author: eve
Mind your mental health as you adjust to Irish life
People leave their home countries for multiple reasons to live somewhere else. They may be forced to leave family members, homes, pets, jobs, careers, and their communities.
For some people, this is to seek a better life for themselves and their families. For others, the decision is forced due to war, civil unrest or poverty. The decision to move can be a very difficult one to make and sometimes has to be made very quickly.
As a parent or guardian, this can lead to carrying a lot of worry for your young person.
Your own mental health can be affected by moving somewhere else. While the reasons for moving differ, most people take time to settle into their new country.
Ten minutes with Mary Clare Douglas
Mary Clare Douglas is our Clinical Online Services Manager and we recently caught up with her to talk about Jigsaw’s online services and the difference they are making for young people.
Supporting your young person to live in Ireland
Arriving in Ireland as a migrant is stressful and at times can be a painful experience.
The decision to move may have been difficult and sometimes has to be made very quickly.
As a parent, you want to be able to look after your young person’s physical and mental health to the best of your ability. You also need to be able to look after your own mental health to be able to provide support to others.
In this article, we will touch on the different issues that might come up for your young person and how can you support them.
Some of the areas that will likely come up are:
- Leaving family behind
- Education issues
- Social issues
- Physical health issues
- Emotional issues
- Effects of war and conflict on young people’s mental health.
Jigsaw has been awarded the European Citizen’s Prize 2022
The award specifically recognises the Jigsaw team’s agile response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a short space of time, we were able to continue to offer direct support to young people through a range of online services.
This prize is a reflection of the genuine commitment of all our staff. Their tireless work during the pandemic and beyond continues to support Ireland’s young people, and the communities where they live, work, learn and play. We want to thank each and every one of you.
Dr. Joseph Duffy, CEO said:
My Pride story
This is a personal story written for us by one of our young volunteers.
My name is Savannah. I am a Youth Advocate with Jigsaw Dublin City North.
Pride means that I am able to live my life with dignity, integrity, courage, joy, love and in community with others without fear of being ridiculed, shamed or discriminated against.
I feel so passionately about the importance of Pride, not only for myself, my fellow LGBTQIA+ community, but people all over Ireland.
Pride should be a celebrated and encouraged event nationwide and this is why I am so excited to be walking in Pride on the 25 June 2022 for the first time ever with Jigsaw.
Take pride in your mental health
This year, in advance of Dublin Pride 2022, Jigsaw Dublin City, together with North Fingal and Dublin South West, organised a creative day for its Youth Advocates to design placards ahead of the Parade on Saturday, 25 June.
The parade itself hasn’t happened since 2019 due to the pandemic so this year’s event will bring so much excitement and pride to the streets of Dublin.
Coping with summertime challenges
Many of us look forward to the long summer break from school or college. But without routine and structure, many of us can struggle with so much free time and feel a bit lost.
Everyone’s situation is different. You may not get to see your friends as much during the summer. Or have the same access to money as your friends.
Depending on your situation you might not be able to get around as much as you’d like. Extra responsibilities such as looking after siblings or working might take up a lot of your time.
Sometimes it can feel like everyone else is having a fantastic time.
The transition from primary to secondary school
Moving from primary school to secondary school is an exciting time for many. But for young people and those around them, it can also be an anxious time.
In this article we will discuss how best to support young people while they are making this transition. As a parent, there is a lot you can do to support their mental health during this process.
Supporting migrants from war-torn areas
Hearing stories about conflict in other countries can bring up a number of feelings.
Rolling news about events such as the war in Ukraine and other conflict areas, can be overwhelming and leave us with a sense of helplessness at not knowing what to do.
Connecting with others
We can also feel empathy and sympathy for what our fellow human beings are going through.
Part of being human means we can connect with people we have never met, worrying about their situation and feeling their distress. It’s not unusual to feel different emotions at one time.
Fleeing a war-torn country is a very challenging thing for someone to do. People are forced to leave family members, homes, pets, jobs, and careers, as well as their social community.
Adjusting to being in a new country you didn’t necessarily choose isn’t easy. There may be many barriers to settling in, such as language and different cultural norms, like foods that are eaten.