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Our Big Idea: Our goal is to promote positive mental health within our school community by creating an environment where students feel happier, more supported, and less stressed. We aim to organize a dedicated wellbeing event or day designed to uplift students and encourage positive interactions. For example, we could host a fun day specifically for exam-year students, who often experience high levels of pressure and stress. The Issue: A recent study found that 29% of adolescents in Ireland describe themselves as having poor mental health. These figures are higher than in previous studies, highlighting the increasing strain on young people. Many students struggle with anxiety and depression due to a toxic school environment, leading to increased absenteeism as they try to avoid stressors. This contributes to a cycle of isolation, lower engagement in school, and declining mental health. Our Goal: We want to foster a school culture where students feel comfortable, accepted, and supported. By addressing stress and promoting wellbeing, we hope to create a more inclusive environment where students feel encouraged rather than judged. Why This Matters: Ireland is facing a growing mental health crisis among young people. The demand for CAMHS (Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services) increased by 33% between 2020 and 2021 due to the impact of COVID-19. Now, more than ever, students need spaces and initiatives that prioritize their wellbeing. Our project seeks to make a tangible difference by promoting awareness, providing a fun and uplifting experience, and encouraging open conversations about mental health.
Our Social Issue
Our YSI project focuses on the growing mental health challenges faced by young people today. With the rise of social media and constant phone usage, more young people are struggling than ever before. Through this project, we aim to deepen our understanding of what our peers may be going through, especially within our own school community. We plan to organize engaging events and activities that give students something to look forward to, while promoting positivity and acceptance. By raising awareness of mental health issues such as toxic beauty standards and cyberbullying, we hope to create a more supportive and inclusive environment for everyone.
Why We Chose It
We chose this topic because mental health challenges affect many people, often leading to difficult emotions such as anger, isolation, and mood swings. Maintaining good mental health is essential for a happy life, and our goal is to encourage kindness, conversation, and support. Simply asking someone how they are can make a big difference, as many people struggle to express their feelings and may try to hide them. By promoting open discussions and small acts of care, we hope to create a more supportive environment where everyone feels valued and heard.
Our Goal
Our goal is to improve young people’s mental health by spreading kindness and promoting happiness. We want to help individuals develop healthy coping strategies for stress while also boosting their mood and managing anxiety. Through our YSI project, we aim to enhance well-being, social interactions, and overall quality of life. Mental health is often overlooked, and we want to encourage more open discussions. By raising awareness, we hope to make it easier to recognise those who may be struggling. This will encourage people to reach out, offer support, and create a more understanding and compassionate community for everyone.
Our Innovative Action
To promote positive mental health, we organised various initiatives to support wellbeing in our school. We hosted a Just Dance event to highlight the link between physical activity and mental health, ran an anti-bullying week to encourage inclusivity, and held kindness competitions to foster a supportive environment. Our healthy eating week promoted good nutrition, while a spinathon raised awareness and funds for mental health charities. We also linked up with local primary schools, created a wellbeing noticeboard, and introduced mindfulness sessions. These initiatives helped reduce stress, boost morale, and create a more positive and inclusive school culture.
Our Impact
Our initiatives have created a more positive and supportive environment within our school, benefiting students, staff, and the wider community. For students and teachers, activities like Just Dance, Spinathon, and kindness competitions helped reduce stress, boost morale, and encourage inclusivity. Anti-bullying week and healthy eating week reinforced respect and wellbeing. Beyond our school, we made an impact by linking with local primary schools and raising awareness through fundraisers for mental health charities. On a personal level, organising these events strengthened our teamwork, leadership, and empathy, allowing us to develop valuable skills while making a meaningful difference.