A ‘notable increase’ in rural youths needing mental health supports

Isolation, academic pressure, family issues, or emotional stress – these are all issues that young people in rural Ireland can struggle with.

In the last year, Jigsaw has seen the number of young people seeking services across Ireland increase by 7% and in the last five years, referrals have increased by 18%.

“Right now, we are seeing thousands of children and young adults turning to Jigsaw seeking help. This number is increasing and that is happening across our services that serve rural communities, as well as ones based in urban areas,” says Mike Mansfield, director of communications and fundraising at Jigsaw.

Jigsaw provides counselling and mental health support to young people across the country and a number of its locations serve a wide rural area. The charity has 14 locations including Thurles, Tullamore, Roscommon Town, Navan, Letterkenny, Tralee and Bray, as well as services in Dublin, Cork, Galway and Limerick.

“The reasons that young people are coming to us are personal and increasingly complex – low self-esteem, lack of connection, isolation and often crippling anxiety. But our response remains the same – we listen, we share the pain and try to help them navigate this difficult time,” says Mike.

If you are between 12 and 25 years old and you need help, or you know someone who may need Jigsaw’s support, Mike says to visit jigsaw.ie and reach out.

Make the Moove

Another mental health support service for those living in rural Ireland and among the farming community is Macra’s ‘Make the Moove’.

In November 2023, with the support of FBD, Make the Moove relaunched its awareness campaigns and training in partnership with UCD Agri Mental Health Group. The campaign and training provides people with the skills to listen and helps them understand what to do with what they hear.

Since taking over as president of Macra, one of Elaine Houlihan’s main priorities was to try to develop the Make the Moove project.

“Over the past couple of months, it has really grown. We brought out the crisis response team that can cater for tragic incidents that’s in a rural town or village. We also have our counselling services, awareness talks and initiatives, while also developing training,” says Elaine.

The helpline over the last few months has never been so busy.

“It is constantly ringing with people looking for help or advice. They might also be ringing on behalf of somebody. That service is vital – being in a farming organisation, we understand the unique challenges and struggles, so people feel they can relate to us more when they ring us,” says Elaine.

Some of the main issues facing young farmers are around isolation and succession along with the uncertainties across the sector.

“The biggest thing here is just the ever-changing policy in agriculture, it’s the uncertainty, people don’t know what’s going to happen next. That’s the worry currently been put onto the farming community. But we’re here to help. That’s the main thing, that people know that we are here and they matter,” says Elaine.

Isolation isn’t just experienced by older people, according to Elaine it’s affecting people as young as 17.

“If there’s anybody out there that is in a situation where they feel isolated, reach out for help. It may be the hardest thing you’ll ever do, but it’s the best thing you will do for yourself,” she says.

Mindspace Mayo

The Mindspace Mayo Youth Mental Health Service is an initiative in Co Mayo focused on providing mental health support to young people. It was established in 2015, in response to growing concerns about the mental health of young people in the county.

The idea behind it, according to Peadar Gardiner, project manager was to create ‘a youth-friendly, non-stigmatising service’ to support young people facing mental health challenges, ensuring that they receive help before their issues become more severe.

Located in Castlebar, the service is aimed at individuals aged 12-25 and provides a free, accessible, and confidential space where they can talk about their mental health concerns.

“Young people in rural Ireland face a range of challenges that affect their mental health, wellbeing, and future opportunities. The ongoing cost of living crisis has particularly affected rural areas in Ireland, impacting young people,” says Peadar.

Along with these rural areas suffer from a lack of social infrastructure, meaning fewer recreational and cultural activities.

“This can lead to feelings of loneliness and social isolation, particularly for young people, which contributes to poor mental health.

“Despite improvements in broadband access, some rural areas still struggle with reliable internet connectivity, which can hinder educational opportunities,” he says.

The lack of social infrastructure in rural areas often contributes to boredom and isolation, factors that can lead to increased rates of drug and alcohol abuse among young people.

Recently they have seen ‘a noticeable increase’ in the number of young people seeking mental health and support services.

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