Taking ACTION!
Innovating for Mental Health
Mental health continues to be highlighted as a recurring issue of concern among Irish teenagers. Here are just some examples of young people taking ACTION on this issue through Young Social Innovators' programmes.
How do these stories inspire you?
The Three Ds
Boomerang, Youth Café Our Lady’s College, Greenhills, Drogheda, Co. Louth (2006)
The Idea
To combat depression through the creation of a safe alcohol and drug free space for young people.
The Action
This team identified that the three biggest problems facing young people in their town were alcohol, drugs and depression and they recognised that these were interlinked. Their proposed solution was to create a safe, drug and alcohol-free, social space for the young people of Drogheda, where they could access support or just hang out. As well as creating an information leaflet for young people as part of a peer education project, they successfully campaigned for the provision of a youth café which was eventually brought to reality by Drogheda Youth Development.
The Impact
In 2013 Boomerang Youth Café opened in Drogheda with the help of the local authority. It is now a space that encourages healthy interaction between young people and is also a centre for specialist support across a wide range of personal issues that young people may face.
Boomerang is open seven days a week including late at night and has a busy calendar of events and activities all year round.