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.
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
Vita House Family Centre
Centre founded on a commitment to social inclusion, innovation and regard for the diverse expressions of family life. Provides a welcoming, safe, compassionate environment for thousands of families in the county. Offers a variety of services such as individual, group and family therapy at an affordable price as well as cancer support, suicide bereavement supports, rainbows, community outreach, counselling and psychotherapy.
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.
WASP- Whitechurch/Rathfarnam
WASP (Whitechurch/Rathfarnham Addiction Support Programme) is located in Loreto Community Facilities Project. They offer one to one counselling (provided by an independent counsellor) for people touched by drug and alcohol dependency, Relationship problems, Loss and bereavement. They also offer Life Skills workshop, Family Support, Family Mediation, Men’s Support Group, Arts & Crafts, Personal development and Adult education groups all of which are dealt with in strict confidentiality. There is a sliding scale charge for the services.
Waterford Autism Social and Sports Action (WASSA)
Supporting children with ASD through a range of social and sporting actvities and help them to navigate various life changes like starting secondary school through various workshops
Waterford Counselling and Psychotherapy
One-to-one, confidential counselling available for all ages (parental consent is required for minors). Each one hour session is approx. Counselling style: person centred therapy and CBT.
Waterford Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre
One-to-one counselling for victims of sexual violence/sexual abuse. Available to people aged 14 upwards. No fee – donation based, Support for family members and friends, Accompaniment to gardaí, SATU, court etc. Information, advocacy, education, training and raising awareness
West Clare Family Resource Centre
one to one support for individuals, Offer low cost counselling and therapy for people over 12 years old. Access to social and education opportunities.
Nationwide Services
ISPCC- Childline
Childline is Ireland’s 24-hour national listening service for all children and young people (up to and including the age of 18) in Ireland. It is private, confidential and non-judgemental and can be contacted for free from anywhere in Ireland.
Childline can be contacted by any child or young person by calling 1800 66 66 66 or chatting online at Childline.ie 24 hours a day, every day.
Children contact Childline to talk about any issue on their mind. Some children who contact Childline may feel upset, or isolated, while others simply contact Childline to chat about their day or share their hopes and dreams.
Jigsaw
Jigsaw is a national organisation that aims to promote the mental health of young people. Jigsaw provides a free and confidential service for young people in several locations nationwide, between 12 and 25 years old. Jigsaw aims to ensure that young people’s voices are heard and that they get the proper support where and when needed. Jigsaw is not a crisis service. It is an early intervention, primary care service for young people’s mental health. Jigsaw has 14 local services offering face-to-face support and sessions by video link and phone. There is also family and peer support available. Details of the different services and opening times can be accessed here- https://jigsaw.ie/services-in-your-area/
LGBT Ireland
LGBT Ireland listens in confidence and without judgement, seven days a week. Young people can talk to them by phone or online through their instant messaging service (check their website for hours of service) or by going to one of their peer support groups (check their website for a group near you) https://lgbt.ie/our-services/peersupport/
Macra na Feirme
Macra are a youth organsisation for young people from the farming community, aged 17-35 years. Macra na Feirmes mission is to empower their members by offering new opportunities and experiences for development, connection and adventure to encourage them to be the person they want to be so they can learn, grow and flourish. They promote positive mental health through their activities and programmes. They also signpost people to relevant services as the need arises. Details of Macra clubs can be found here https://macra.ie/pages/clubs
Mental Health First Aid Ireland
The Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) course from Mental Health First Aid Ireland is designed for adults who live with, work with or support young people aged between 12 and 18. This course teaches participants how to assist a young person who may be experiencing a mental health problem or mental health crisis until appropriate professional help is received or the crisis resolves, using a practical, evidence-based action plan.
This evidence-based training programme is particularly suited to parents/guardians, school staff, sports coaches, community group leaders, youth workers etc. The mental health topics covered in this 14-hour YMHFA training include: depression, anxiety, eating disorders, psychosis and substance use problems.
The course curriculum was designed using guidelines developed through the expert consensus of people with lived experience of mental health problems and mental health professionals. Saint John of God Hospital clg is the sole licensee and exclusive provider of the Youth Mental Health First Aid programme in the Republic of Ireland.
Mental Health Ireland
Mental Health Ireland (MHI) provides a range of services, supports and information to individuals and communities around the country to promote positive mental health. This is done with the support of their Area Development Officers around the country. Check their website for an A-Z of mental health issues, details about their Mind Your Mental Health training (18+ years) and their Mental Health in the Community certificate course and more.
Mindfulness and Relaxation Centre- Beaumount Hospital
An online resource to learn about how and why to practice relaxation and mindfulness exercises and use the many recordings provided in your everyday life.
MyMind
MyMind is the first and largest blended model of mental health care in Ireland and is putting Ireland at the forefront of mental health innovation. MyMind has created a unique movement for community-based mental health services that work towards giving every person in Ireland equal access to mental health support early, affordably, directly, and without stigma or delay. MyMind is bridging the gap between public and private Mental Health Services.
MyMind provides counselling, psychotherapy and creative art therapy services for children and adolescents. In partnership with the Irish Youth Foundation, free services are available to particularly vulnerable young people.
MyMind works with Children and adolescents of all ages right into adulthood. There is a standard fee of €60 per session for each face-to-face counselling session.
They have operate in Dublin, Cork and Limerick, details can be found on their website.
National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI)
The National Youth Council of Ireland is the representative body for around 50 national voluntary youth work organisations in Ireland. It represents and supports their interests and uses its collective experience to act on issues that impact on young people.
NYCI offers a wide variety of training and education programmes for professionals and volunteers who work directly with young people details of which can be found here https://www.youth.ie/training/
There is also a range of e-learning courses designed to inform and upskill those working directly with young people, details can be found here https://www.youth.ie/training/?tag=e-learning-courses
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.