Jigsaw at 20
Jigsaw at 20
20 years ago, Jigsaw began with an ambitious idea: that every young person in Ireland should have somewhere to turn to, and someone to talk to, when things got tough.
Our Jigsaw at 20 exhibition affords us the opportunity to reflect on the past and acknowledge those who played, and still play, a key role in the story of Jigsaw over the last two decades.
This is their story; the story of Jigsaw at 20.
Amina
Representing the role of youth voice and engagement in Jigsaw, Amina Abd Allgany flies the flag for the over 500 young people who have volunteered for Jigsaw since 2006. Currently completing a Social Science Degree, Amina served a youth volunteer for service in Meath from 2018 – 2021.
“I think a lot of young people don’t know where to go when they have a problem and Jigsaw provides them with a safe space to be open.“
Ann Marie
Representing the hugely important role our local communities have played within Jigsaw over the last two decades, Ann Marie Fox is Chair of Simonstown Gaels GAA in Co. Meath, a club with close ties to the nearby Jigsaw service in Navan.
“Jigsaw provides young people in Simonstown with the tools and support they need to look after their mental health.”
Anne
Representing the role of the HSE, our key funding and implementation partners, Anne O’Connor has been the CEO of the HSE since March 2026, bringing extensive experience in Ireland’s public health system, including her previous role as National Director for Mental Health Services.
“One of the challenges for young people is knowing where to go when they need mental health support and Jigsaw is there in people’s local communities.“
Barbara
Representing the role academia and research has played over the years in Jigsaw, Professor Barbara Dooley, currently Emeritus Full Professor of Psychology in UCD and President of the International Association for Youth Mental Health, has been actively involved in supporting Jigsaw since day one.
“I’ve been invested in Jigsaw for 20 years and thought I don’t work there day-to-day I feel part of their DNA.“
Brian
Representing the importance of governance within Jigsaw, Brian Geoghegan, the former Chairman of FAS and ex-IBEC Economic Affairs Director, acted as non-executive director on the board of Jigsaw from 2016 – 2025.
“I learnt a lot and I feel that I was privileged to be in a position to help assit young people in need of mental health support.“
Deirdre
Representing the work of our local leadership teams, Deirdre Little has been with Jigsaw since 2022, is the Service Manager for our service in Tullamore, serving counties Offaly and Laois.
“It’s really important to have a service like Jigsaw for young people, their families and their communities.“
Denise
Representing the role of philanthropy in Jigsaw, Denise Charlton is the Chief Executive of Community Foundation Ireland – the nation’s leading philanthropic hub, and an active partner of Jigsaw since 2017.
“I’ve been a long-time admirer of Jigsaw and its wonderful work. Jigsaw allows us to really think about how we can protect young people’s mental health and their well-being.“
Elizabeth
Representing the role of evaluation, monitoring and research, Elizabeth Doyle (Lizzie) is part of our in-house Research and Evaluation team that leads out on optimising our use of data, research and lived experience thereby ensuring our decision-making is informed, our impact is measured and our services and supports are continuously improving.
“There’s lots of extra pressure on young people now and it’s really important that they have a safe, non-judgemental space where they can go to if they need it.“
Joseph
Joseph Duffy is our CEO, and has, since 2016, led the transformation of Jigsaw in both scale and reach, and established himself as a hugely respected and authoritative voice on youth mental health in Ireland and a recognised leader internationally.
“Jigsaw is a special group of people who have really lived by its values, thinking about how to involve young people in decision-making and keep them at the centre of the work.“
Jude
Representing the role of youth voice at board level, Jude Pierse, a previous youth advocate for our service in Tralee, currently sits with our board and has been actively involved with Jigsaw since 2019.
“I can see the need for Jigsaw. It provides a safe space for young people like myself, who are tyring to navigate growing up in this world.“
Karen
Representing the work we undertake across the community, Karen Duggan is a Youth and Community Engagement Worker, supporting community groups, schools, clubs and more across Co. Donegal.
“I feel very lucky to be able to say that when I close my laptop at the end of the week that we are making a difference to someone else’s journey.“
Louise
Presenting the welcome face that greets every young person that reaches out for help, Louise Corry is a Service Administrator for our North Fingal service, supporting young people from hubs in Balbriggan and Swords for over 7 years.
“Jigsaw is so important because it gives young people a safe, confidential space that’s their own, somewhere they can come, have a chat, and feel heard.“
Mark
Representing the often-unseen work of those behind the scenes, Mark O’Riordan is Jigsaw’s IT Manager since 2020, joining from overseas NGO, Goal.
“Jigsaw is important to me because of the sector we work in. We all have family or friends who have been affected by mental health.“
Mary
Representing the role of the State in supporting the growth and development of Jigsaw, Minister Mary Butler TD has, since 2020 (when she took government responsibility for mental health), been a champion for Jigsaw and has supported the delivery of substantial growth in reach and impact.
“Jigsaw is a really important service that intervenes in mental health issues early, helping young people to move forward and get on with their lives, and fulfil their potential.“
Maureen
Representing the role of educators in the evolution of Jigsaw, Maureen Murray is a vastly experienced educator and school principal and has a long association with Jigsaw. She led out on the One Good School™ programme from 2018 – 2023, before joining our Education Sub-Committee in 2025.
“Jigsaw offers young people a way of managing themselves, their feelings, their emotions, their mental health in a really practical way.“
Rachel
Representing the young people who seek support from Jigsaw, Rachel White’s ongoing journey through Jigsaw started as a user of our service in Donegal, then a local volunteer, then a national intern and now acts as Jigsaw’s Campaign Officer.
“Jigsaw means a lot to me personally. I owe a lot of who I am to Jigsaw.“
Sadbh
Representing the thousands of people who, every day, go above and beyond to raise funds to support our work, Sadbh McGrath has undertaken loads of fundraising over the years and remains an active and hugely important advocate for our work.
“Jigsaw helps young people get that spark back when they are going through difficult things.“
Sarah
Representing the parents who connect with Jigsaw, Sarah Scott Minto first reached out to Jigsaw in Balbriggan seeking support for her son, and has since advocated and supported Jigsaw.
“Jigsaw has given my son the tools to manage his anxiety going forward in life, so he knows that there will be ups and downs, but he can deal with it.“
Tony
Representing our founding members, Dr. Tony Bates, a clinical psychologist and highly respected commentator on mental health, was the driving force in establishing Headstrong in 2006.
“I’m very proud of Jigsaw. It’s one of the things in my life that I’m most proud of.”
Vinnie
Representing our clinical staff who day in, day out step up to meet with, and support children and young people in need of our support, Vinnie who works as Clinical Manager, has been with Jigsaw in Roscommon and Galway for over 17 years.
“I’m a big fan of Jigsaw because I’ve seen how it’s helped so many young people over the years.“