What’s really going on with young people’s mental health in Northern Ireland? We asked, and you answered. Over 200 children and young people across Northern Ireland have shared their experiences through our Good Health and Well-being surveys. Here’s what we’ve learned about how you’re feeling – and what needs to change.
How are young people feeling?
The good news is that most young people report feeling
positive about their emotional well-being:
- Nearly
60% of under-14s told us they had “more happy days than sad
days” in the week before completing our survey
- Among
over-14s, 56% rated their mental health as either “Happy” or
“Very Happy”
But these numbers also reveal that a significant number of
young people are struggling:
- 7%
of under-14s reported having “more sad days” in the previous
week
- 11%
of over-14s rated their mental health as “Unhappy” or “Very
Unhappy”
Where are young people finding support?
Schools and Communities
There’s a striking difference between how younger and older
children view mental health support in their schools and communities:
- Under-14s:
69% believe their school/community gives enough help for mental health
- Over-14s:
Only 28% feel there’s enough mental health support in schools/communities,
while 44% say there isn’t
This suggests that as young people get older, they may need
more intensive or different types of support that aren’t currently available.
Youth Projects and Clubs
Youth clubs and projects are clearly making a positive
impact:
- An
impressive 92% of under-14s feel youth clubs provide enough mental health
support
- 73%
of over-14s believe youth projects, centres, and uniformed organisations
offer enough support
This highlights how important youth work settings are for
supporting young people’s mental well-being across Northern Ireland.
Challenges and Concerns
The Mental Health vs Physical Health Divide
Young people clearly recognise that mental health isn’t
always treated with the same importance as physical health:
- Only
43% of under-14s think people take mental health as seriously as physical
health
- This
drops to 37% among over-14s
Accessing Support
While 82% of under-14s know where to get help if they or
someone else is feeling unhappy, the accessibility of services remains a
concern for older youth:
- Only
52% of over-14s find mental health services in their community
“Accessible” or “Very Accessible”
- Nearly
26% report that services are “Inaccessible” or “Very
Inaccessible”
Social Media’s Complex Role
Social media has a mixed impact on young people’s mental
health:
- 50%
of over-14s say social media has a “Neutral” impact
- Equal
numbers (about 25% each) report either a positive or negative impact
What Helps Young People Feel Better?
When asked what helps them maintain good mental health,
young people mentioned a variety of activities:
Regional Variations
Our data shows some interesting patterns across different
council areas:
- Belfast
and Mid & East Antrim had the highest number of responses from
under-14s
- Belfast
and Derry & Strabane had the largest representation among over-14s
This geographical spread helps us understand how experiences
might differ across Northern Ireland.
Recommendations From Our Findings
Based on what young people have told us, here are four key
recommendations:
- Bridge
the support gap for teenagers: The drop in satisfaction with mental
health support between under-14s and over-14s indicates a need for
age-appropriate services that evolve as young people grow. We think that if schools can pair up
more effectively with youth work organisation this could support this need.
- Strengthen
the role of youth work: Given the high satisfaction rates with youth
clubs and projects, increased funding and support for these services could
significantly benefit young people’s mental health.
- Improve
accessibility of services: With nearly one-quarter of over-14s
reporting difficulty accessing mental health services, we need to remove
barriers to support.
- Promote
physical activity and social connection: Young people consistently
identify exercise and spending time with friends as positive for their
mental health. More accessible recreational spaces and opportunities would
support this.
How Can You Get Involved?
Your voice matters! The data in this article comes directly
from young people across Northern Ireland who shared their experiences through
the Voices for Impact site.
Want to add your voice? Visit the Voices for Impact website
and complete our surveys on mental health and well-being or other themes. It
only takes a few minutes, and your input helps shape services and support for
young people across Northern Ireland.
Working with young people? Use our findings to inform
your work and encourage the young people you support to complete our surveys.
The more voices we hear, the stronger our evidence base for advocating for
better mental health support will become.
Or why don’t you think about asking Bytes how you can support us. Visit www.bytes.org
to find out more.
Together, we can ensure that young people’s mental health
gets the attention and resources it deserves.
This article is based on data from 112 under-14s and 97
over-14s who completed the Good Health and Well-being surveys through the
Voices for Impact platform. All quotes are anonymised and representative of
themes in the data.
Read more of our blogs at www.voicesforimpact.ai or www.bytes.org.
