Team Inspire was privileged to attend the Mental Health Champion’s ‘Building Wellbeing in Young People’ conference this week.
The aim of the event was to examine the pressures facing young people and review existing support systems. It offered a valuable opportunity to identify what works, explore areas for improvement and understand the settings best suited to helping young people thrive.
The insights shared by the Mental Health Champion, Professor Siobhán O’Neill, were as stark as they were concerning. The Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey figures that she cited during her presentation highlighted the myriad challenges facing young people in Northern Ireland:
– 15% of 11‑year‑olds report fair or poor mental health
– 39% of 16‑year‑olds report fair or poor mental health
– 45.4% of 16-year-olds meet the diagnostic threshold for a mental health condition
– 17.6% of young people have experienced four or more adverse childhood experiences, a number strongly linked to an increased lifetime risk of poor mental health
These statistics illustrate the importance of investing in early intervention, trauma‑informed practice and supportive environments across schools, families and communities.
Inspire’s PEACE of Mind Programme is an interactive, fully funded personal development initiative designed to enhance emotional resilience, coping skills and overall mental wellbeing in young people. The programme is tailored for individuals aged 11 to 25 years who are considered marginalised or at risk.
Young people can engage with PEACE of Mind through self-referral and existing community settings. They can also access the project via CAMHS, MHAC, CMHT and/or GP federations.
If you would like to find out more, please contact peaceofmind@inspirewellbeing.org. You can also visit https://www.inspirewellbeing.org/peace-of-mind/.
PEACE of Mind is supported by PEACEPLUS, a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB).