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
Exchange House Ireland- National Travellers Service
Exchange House Ireland National Travellers service is a leading provider of front-line support services to Travellers, many of whom are marginalised. Exchange House is a large provider of youth services to the Traveller Community in the greater Dublin area.
Among the supports and services on offer are onsite activities and programmes including Arts, leadership, anti-bullying, and educational opportunities. The organisation also provides detached youth work. Family support programmes are available.
In addition, Exchange House provides the National Traveller Mental Health Service, which provides a counselling service for travellers to help them deal with the issues affecting them. This service provides counselling to those 18 years and older.
FirstLight
FirstLight offers free professional support and provides information to families in Ireland that have experienced the sudden, unexpected death of their child if aged from 0 to 18 years. They provide support to all family members who have lost a child (up to 12 years of age) in a number of ways including
(1) Crisis Intervention- by providing support around the time of death (call their crisis line – 087 2423777)
(2) Free Counselling through their list of counsellors around the country
(3) Family weekends
(4) Phone support
(5)Children’s groups and more.
Fóroige
Fóroige is a national Youth Organisation that has Youth Projects and Youth Clubs all over Ireland. Fóroige aims to enable young people to involve themselves consciously and actively in their development and in the development of society. Fóroige offers a wide range of development programmes for young people, details of which can be found on their website. Foróige groups and clubs operate Nationwide, to view a map of services in your area, go to: https://www.foroige.ie/foroige-map
GROW Mental Health Ireland
Find out about the many GROW meetings across the country on their INFOLINE @ 0818 474 474 and website @ https://grow.ie/join-a-support-group/. The purpose of the meetings is to support people who have or had a mental health illness. Some youth-specific groups take place for people aged 18-30 years. There is also the option to join online support meetings. Check the website for more information.
HSE – Mental Health
This website aims to improve awareness and understanding of mental health and well-being in Ireland. You will find tips for minding your mental health and supporting others. The website is also useful to help you search for supports in your local area. It also gives you information about what to do when someone tells you they are suicidal or self-harming.
I Fight Depression
The iFightDepression tool is a multilingual internet-based guided self-management tool for individuals with mild to moderate depression. The iFightDepression website promotes greater knowledge of and awareness of depression with the aim of increasing recognition of depression and decreasing the associated stigma.
Inclusion Ireland
Inclusion Ireland is the National is the National Association for People with an Intellectual Disability.
They work towards the full inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities by supporting people to have their voices heard and advocating for rights under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities. They also run a number of programme and have a variety of resources available on their website.
Involve
Involve delivers a wide range of programmes for young Travellers through their six centres across Ireland; details of the centres can be found on the Youth Services section of their website. Mental health promotion work is woven through these programmes; one example is the No Shame Mental Health Project
Irish Wheelchair Association
The Irish Wheelchair Association provides a wide range of services for people with physical disabilities. They have a young adult sevice designed to support young adults with physical disabilities to pursue their goals and build confidence. They offer life skills training to young adults in Clontarf, Kilkenny and Wexford.
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.