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Category: Information and resources

Supporting your young person to live in Ireland

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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.

My Pride story

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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.

Coping with summertime challenges

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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.

Supporting migrants from war-torn areas

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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.

How to stop stressing about exams

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It’s not unusual to feel a bit stressed as it comes up to exam time. This can be a good thing sometimes as it motivates us to study. 

For some of us though, exam stress can really interfere with our day-to-day lives and hinder work and concentration levels.

Covid-19 brought about many changes for everyone. Students, in particular, were heavily impacted by the closure of schools and colleges, and this hasn’t helped the last few years.

A parent’s guide to Leaving Cert stress

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It’s a nail-biting time watching your young person prepare for the Leaving Cert. In 2021, students were given the choice between sitting the exam, receiving an accredited grade, or both. Approximately 58% of students chose to sit the exam in some capacity.

2022 sees the Leaving Cert return to a more traditional format, while incorporating more choice for students. This document has the adjusted assessment arrangements for taking state exams in the 2021/22 school year. These adjustments are designed to take account of the disrupted learning experienced by students during the pandemic.

We asked Jigsaw clinicians how they support and advise parents and young people finding it hard to cope with Leaving Cert stress. They suggested the following strategies and tips to support your young person and cheer them up. They also advised how to keep yourself and your home calm during these challenging times.

My trans story

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This is a personal story written for us by one of our young volunteers. 

One of the earliest memories I have is of an Irish dancing class in Junior Infants. I remember being bundled into the hall with all the girls and looking back at the boys left behind.

Leaving Cert exam stress

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If you’re feeling anxious about the Leaving Cert, you’re not alone.

In 2021, students were given the choice between sitting the exam, receiving an accredited grade, or both. Approximately 58% chose to sit the exam in some capacity.

2022 sees the Leaving Cert return to a more traditional format while incorporating more choice for students. This document has the adjusted assessment arrangements for taking state exams this June. The adjustments are designed to take account of the disrupted learning experienced by students during the pandemic.

The updated system might cause extra stress for some, in an already stressful year. Find tips for managing anxiety here. We also have more advice below.

In this article, you will find: