Youth Mental Health Signposting Tool
What is it?
The youth mental health signposting tool aims to provide young people, parents, caregivers, and those working with young people, with reliable up to date information on where to access supports and services at both a local and national level for a variety of mental health issues.
To use it, simply select the issue affecting your mental health or the mental health of the young person you are supporting and the area in which you live.
Services
You can narrow your search by choosing a region, a service offered, or both.
Youth Advocate Programme Ireland- Dublin (YAP)
The Youth Advocate Programme (YAP) provide intensive, needs-led, wraparound, focused support to children, young people and families who are struggling with a range of issues in their lives. YAP Ireland matches community-based advocates with those referred, leading to more positive engagement and outcomes. The organisation has a disability and mental health intensive support service that provides a 12-month programme to young people aged 8 – 18 years and their families who require support in achieving their goals. The Independent Advocacy Service is provided to Child and Adolescent Mental Health services and adolescent in-patient units. A Crisis Intervention service is also available for young people at particular risk. YAP is a nationwide service and has a regional office in Dublin City.
Youth and Education Service (YES) for Refugees and Migrants
YES is a service of the City of Dublin ETB that works with young people from refugee and migrant backgrounds – in particular with unaccompanied minors. They offer a range of education and youth work activities that complement formal education provision and nonformal youth work practice. The Service’s programmes and interventions aim to support young people to realise their full potential, to negotiate and navigate their environment and life in Ireland and to live independent and healthy lives. The programmes include: Lifeskills sessions as part of the Migrant Access Programme, Study Buddy Programme, Evening groups, Individual outreach work, Cultural and recreation activities and residential trips.
Youth Health Service Cork
The Youth Health Service is a free HSE sexual health service for young people aged 23 years and under (First year in Secondary School-entry Point).
Established in 2004, the YHS provides health information, support and services for young people based on their needs and using referral pathways to other services where required. Parental consent is required for those under 17 years; staff will support the young person in getting parental consent if needed.
The YHS provides a broad range of services, including:
General advice & support in relation to Sexual Health
STI screening/clinic
Contraceptive clinic
Unplanned pregnancy support and counselling
Post-abortion medical checks & counselling
One-to-one youth work support
Drug and alcohol support & counselling
Counselling for sexual health issues, sexuality, relationships, and other related concerns to support young people’s mental health and well-being.
Youth New Ross
Youth New Ross (YNR) was founded for the benefit
of young people, and their families in New Ross
and the surrounding area. YNR has
grown and continues to be led by local people
working for the community, providing a range
of youth and family services in partnership with
other services and with the support of volunteers.
Their youth project offers a range of activities and
supports including mental health programmes and
one-to-one support.
Youth Work Ireland
General counselling and pyschotherapy for young people between the ages of 12 to 25. It is free and confidential.
Youth Work Ireland
General counselling and pyschotherapy for young people between the ages of 12 to 25. It is free and confidential.
Youth Work Ireland Cavan/Monaghan
The purpose of Youth Work Ireland Cavan Monaghan is to support youth development through an informal education process enabling young people to build better local communities. This is done by providing a community-based response to young people’s needs by offering them the opportunity to contribute to and participate in social education, artistic and recreational activities. Young people between the ages of 10-24years can participate in the services.
Youth Work Ireland Cork
Youthwork Ireland (YWI) Cork is a youth service based in the Gurranabraher/Churchfield area of Cork City. YWI Cork aims to provide a community-based response to young people’s needs by offering them the opportunity to contribute to and participate in social education, artistic and recreational activities. Since 2021 YWI Cork has been under the management of Cloyne Diocesan Youth service and offers a range of personal and social development programmes for young people in the area.
Youth Work Ireland Galway
Youth Work Ireland Galway Youth Counselling Service.
Youth Work Ireland Galway provides a youth counselling service to young people in Galway City and County. The free and confidential service offers counselling and support to young people 12-21yrs. Fully qualified and accredited adolescent therapists offer support, guidance and information in 8 locations in a friendly and safe environment and will work with young people to help them through difficulties they are experiencing. For more information please contact Aisling Dermody 0860247763 or email counselling@youthworkgalway.ie
Youth Work Ireland Galway Under18 Drug/Alcohol Addiction Counselling Accredited Addiction Counsellors based in Galway City, Count Galway and Roscommon provide assessment, counselling and support to adolescents and young people under 18 years of age. Youth Work Ireland Galway provides this service in collaboration with the Community Healthcare West Drugs Service. For more information please call 091 561637
Nationwide Services
Teen Line
The ISPCC operates Teenline, a national active listening service for children and young people up to the age of 18 in Ireland.
Teenline can be contacted 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, by calling 1800 833 634.
The service is free to contact and is confidential, non-directive and non-judgmental
The Irish Aftercare Network
The Irish Aftercare Network provides advice and support to people working with care leavers in Ireland. This service is available to people aged 18+ that have left care.
Turn2Me
Turn2Me provides an online 3 tiered approach to supporting mental well-being to people aged 18 years and over. It includes an online Self Help programme, Peer Support through online support groups, and Professional Support in the form of free online counselling. This online counselling is also free to Irish citizens living abroad.
Twxt About It- 50808
Text About It is a free, anonymous, 24/7 messaging service providing everything from a calming chat to immediate support for mental health and wellbeing.
Text About It provides a safe space where you’re listened to by a trained volunteer. You’ll message back and forth, only sharing what you feel comfortable with. By asking questions, listening to you and responding with support, they will help you sort through your feelings until you both feel you are now in a calm, safe place
Walk In My Shoes
Walk in My Shoes (WIMS) is the flagship awareness-raising and education campaign of St Patrick’s Mental Health Services (SPMHS).
They run a number of campaigns and events throughout the year to promote positive mental health, and there are tonnes of ways that teachers and students can get involved, spark conversation, tackle stigma and foster wellbeing.
Key activities include the following-
Working to promote positive mental health, to tackle mental health stigma and to change how people, particularly young people, think about mental health.
They offer free wellbeing resources for:
• young people
• parents and guardians
• primary school and secondary school teachers to use in the classroom.
Youth Advocate Programme (YAP) Ireland
The Youth Advocate Programme (YAP) provide intensive, needs-led, wraparound, focused support to children, young people and families who are struggling with a range of issues in their lives. YAP Ireland matches community-based advocates with those referred, leading to more positive engagement and outcomes. The organisation has a disability and mental health intensive support service that provides a 12-month programme to young people aged 8 – 18 years and their families who require support in achieving their goals. The Independent Advocacy Service is provided to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services and adolescent in-patient units. A Crisis Intervention service is also available for young people at particular risk. YAP is a nationwide service operating in 22 counties from their 5 centres, details of which can be found here https://yapireland.ie/contact-yap-ireland/
The development of the YMHS tool
In 2015, the NYHP recognised the need to capture the voice of the sector in more depth through a rapid mental health needs assessment. One of the key findings from the Mental Health Needs Assessment was the need to support organisations, practitioners, and young people to access appropriate services. The Youth Mental Health Signposting tool was developed in response to this need.
The tool was revamped in 2024 to meet the emerging needs being communicated to the NYHP by Youth Workers and other professionals through consultation and engagement in the programme’s training and workshops.
We endeavour to keep this tool up to date. However, we are aware that new services and initiatives are being developed and launched all the time.
If you have a new service or an existing one not currently on the tool that you believe should be included, please add your information below.
Many thanks
The National Youth Health Programme would like to acknowledge the time, input and resources provided by a range of organsiations which contributed to the development of Youth Mental Health Signposting tool.
Disclaimer
The content of Youth Mental Health Signposting is provided for information purposes only. The National Youth Council of Ireland is not responsible for any interaction or outcomes between a client and a service provider listed. The NYCI does not endorse any professional or programme included in it map.