TWO
groups of young people from Dublin were among those from around the country
that attended a series of Think Big workshops in the capital in recent weeks.
Think
Big was designed by O2 and Headstrong, the National Centre for Youth Mental
Health, to enable young people to do projects in their community that will make
a difference to theirs and to other’s mental health.
The
young people attending the workshops each submitted a project through the Think
Big website that was later accepted and approved for funding.
The
training workshops are designed to help them get their projects up and running
in their communities and cover a range of modules including: Introduction to
Mental Health, Project Planning, Media Comm- unications Skills and Marketing
and Social Networking Skills.
O2
granted initial funding of
?¬300 to help get each project off the ground, along
with a mobile phone and a Think Big start-up pack. In addition, every young
person received support from O2 and Headstrong in the form of mentoring and
ongoing training to help bring their proposal to life.
The
Think Big Programme is open to any young person, aged between 14 and 25, in
Ireland with an idea for a project that promotes positive mental health.
Young
people can also join the Think Big Community on the website where they can
discuss and share ideas about how to promote mental health among young people.
One
group, David Forrester, Jens Bittman, Angelique Griffith and Michael Lambe,
have organised a photography exhibition in various locations around Dublin
based on mental health and positive ways of dealing with mental health issues.
They
are taking photographs and then hosting a launch night for the exhibition where
they will talk about the meaning behind the exhibition.
Sinead
Smith, Corporate Responsibility Manager at O2 said:
“We are delighted that so
many young people from around the country are becoming involved with Think Big.
At the workshop, we provided young people with the skills and knowledge to
bring these projects to life in their communities in order to make a difference
to young people’s mental health.
? Nuala Smith, Youth Participation Officer with
Headstrong said:
“We were established to change how Ireland thinks about and
responds to the mental health of young people. Through our partnership with O2
and the Think Big campaign, we are encouraging young people to promote positive
mental health for themselves and their peers. We can reduce the stigma that has
existed in Ireland for years, and make it acceptable to experience emotional
distress and to seek help when we need it
?.