Investment in local activities for young people 'an investment in their mental health', advocate says

Dan Kelly: 'If politicians are investing in our communities, they’re indirectly investing in young people’s mental health as well.'

Young people need investment in local activities to help tackle isolation and prevent a mental health crisis, a 21-year old advocate from Tipperary has urged.

This follows reports of more than 5,000 children and young people waiting for primary psychology help as well as waiting lists of up to 18 months for specialist services for this age group.

Dan Kelly, from Cahir, said mental health could not be separated from other issues.

“If you’re living in a rural area, you’re out in the country and you have very little access to social groups. So then investing in communities as well is important,” he said.

“If politicians are investing in our communities, they’re indirectly investing in young people’s mental health as well.” 

After-school clubs, sports teams or cultural activities give people somewhere to focus their energy, he suggested.

Many people now just have their phones as a social outlet, he said.

“I suppose after covid as well, you were pulled out of your social circles for such a long time. People are still struggling with that, with trying to break back out into the ‘big bad world’,” he said.

He pointed out anyone struggling with anxiety before the lockdowns would find it harder to re-connect with friends if there is nowhere to go.

Politicians can also directly influence mental health with funding, Dan said.  

The youth mental health charity Jigsaw has a centre in Thurles for Tipperary.

“If I was to get to Thurles from Cahir it could take me two hours on public transport,” he said, adding not everyone can borrow their parents’ car.

In 2019 he was in need of help for intense anxiety.

While his GP referred him to the HSE’s specialist service — Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (Camhs) — he ultimately went private with support from his family.

“They [the public staff] are just so under pressure,” he said. “When I went to Camhs, I felt quite unseen as an individual, I was just another number in the system.” 

He emphasised how many “good people” he met working in public services, saying they are being let down as much as the patients.

In 2021, he moved to study at TU Dublin, describing the pandemic years as “turbulent” for students.

“I didn’t know anyone,” he said, recalling the extra challenges caused by mask-wearing and social distancing which faced all young people re-locating then to study.

Now attending public adult services, he continues to see gaps, especially for younger patients.

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He described travelling to an appointment in June only to be told on arrival there was no psychiatrist on duty as just one example of how overwhelmed services are.

At other times, sessions on Zoom have been disrupted by weak internet reception, again an issue politicians could address.

“I’ve had issues at home in Tipp when the broadband isn’t there and you miss the session,” he said, saying online support could be “a gamechanger” for people unable to travel.

He volunteers now as an advocate with Jigsaw. He was among a group of young people who shared their frustrations recently with TDs in the Dáil.