Young people from Dublin and across the country attended a Think Big workshop at O2 headquarters in the capital recently, where they presented their ideas for projects to promote positive mental health in their local communities.
Among those taking part were Julie Collins and Ellen Kelly from Firhouse in south Dublin, who worked on developing mental health awareness in their area with the painting of a tunnel wall, to show that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Each participant was awarded a place on the national Think Big programme after successfully submitting an idea for a community project.
The Think Big programme, designed by O2 and Headstrong, the National Centre for Youth Mental Health, has granted initial funding of €300 to help get each project off the ground, along with a mobile phone (with €50 top-up) and a Think Big start-up pack.
“The young people taking part in Think Big are leading the way in changing how we think about mental health in Ireland, ” said Ashling Flynn, Think Big co-ordinator with Headstrong. “Young people intuitively understand the importance of mental health and are ideally placed to promote positive mental health among their peers.
“Each project attending the training today has great potential to make a positive difference in their community and in joining over 250 other Think Big projects they are helping to transform our understanding of mental health. ”
In addition to funding, each Think Big project group gets support from O2 and Headstrong in the form of mentoring and training, and every project is also encouraged to incorporate digital and social media elements, said O2 corporate responsibility manager Jill Johnston.
The Think Big programme is open to any young person in the Republic of Ireland aged between 14 and 25 with an idea for a project that will make a difference to young people’s mental health.
Project ideas can be submitted online at O2ThinkBig.ie where young people can also join the Think Big Community to discuss and share ideas about how to promote mental health.
