A new report has uncovered several barriers faced by young people in Donegal seeking mental health services.
Stigma, fear, awareness and lack of transport emerged as the main complexities for accessing support services in Donegal.
The report by Jigsaw Youth Advocates outlines the “forgotten county” theme resonated through the rural reality for young people of Donegal.
A survey of 89 teenagers aged 12-18 revealed a stigma area in the lack of discussion surrounding the need for mental health support for males.
“Men’s mental health is never really spoken about,” a respondent said.
Young people also reported facing stigma specifically from family members, including negative attitudes that parents may have towards mental health.
In all, 89% of young people surveyed stated that stigma associated with helpseeking or accessing services for mental health was still either sometimes a barrier/a major barrier for young people from rural settings in Donegal.
The second theme surrounded a fear of discrimination, including a fear of being “outed” if a young person’s mental health was impacted by identifying as lgbtq+ and closeted.
The report noted that young people living in rural settings who are from new communities may have past experiences of racism which can lead to distrust of services. Respondents also identified language barriers for young people where English is not their first language.
The lack of public transport from rural areas identified in the survey has prompted Jigsaw to call on key decision-makers to increase routes and more reliable public transport in Donegal.
“Now is the time for Ireland to have a free transport scheme in place for young people to avail of,” they said, seeking a scheme similar to other EU countries.
Off the back of the report, Jigsaw has set out its own commitments to make mental health services more accessible for young people by encouraging young men and diverse groups to seek help, promoting online resources like chat and support groups and building an online map of local mental health services.
The full report is available at jigsaw.ie/amplify-report-2024
