Lidl Ireland brings the Ladies Gaelic Football Association and Jigsaw together to help spearhead youth mental health services amid coronavirus pandemic.
Lidl Ireland has brought together its partners the Ladies Gaelic Football Association (LGFA) and Jigsaw, the National Centre for Youth Mental Health, to encourage youths, parents/guardians, and those who work with young people to utilize Jigsaw’s new online mental health services, which have been revised based on the current COVID-19 global crisis.
Lidl Ireland has facilitated the further collaboration of both partners to help to promote positive mental health in a time of widespread concern and uncertainty, using brand ambassadors Carla Rowe, Emer Gallagher and Nicola Ward who have all pledged support for the initiative.
Having received a 400% increase in demand for its online services, Jigsaw have adapted their current roster of services in response to the COVID-19 crisis to include:
- Continued support for young people (aged 12-25) already engaged in Jigsaw’s one-to-one service via a telephone service with Jigsaw clinicians
- The launch of a free 1800 phone service where young people across the country can speak to a Jigsaw clinician
- Twice daily group chats for young people focused on diverse emerging themes accesses through www.jigsawonline.ie
- Inbound email support through [email protected] for young people and those around them
- Live webinars for parents and teachers via www.jigsawonline.ie hosted by a Jigsaw clinician
- Regular supportive content on a range of COVID-19 related topics from managing anxiety and uncertainty to conflict resolution and self-care strategies via www.jigsawonline.ie
- Regular email updates for all subscribers via www.jigsaw.ie/updates
The initiative comes as Lidl has introduced a number of additional measures to help support local communities through the coronavirus pandemic including dedicated shopping hours for older and more vulnerable customers, priority measures for frontline healthcare workers, dedicated coronavirus food donation appeals and in-store protective measures for customers and employees.
Speaking about the initiative, Donegal LGFA player Emer Gallagher said, "As a teacher, I can see first-hand the pressure that my colleagues, parents and young people are under during this challenging time. It’s been hard for everyone to get used to the new normal, but now more than ever it’s important that we all look after our mental health. It’s been fantastic to see more than 500 teachers across the country sign up to Jigsaw’s Mental Health eLearning Programme, aimed at building mental health skills and literacy of secondary school teachers. As a Lidl Ireland ambassador, it makes me really proud to support Lidl Ireland in uniting the LGFA and Jigsaw to bring mental health supports to young people, parents and teachers in these uncertain times."
In 2018, Lidl Ireland partnered with Jigsaw, the national centre for youth mental health pledging to raise €1million and grow national awareness of youth mental health. Through this partnership, Lidl Ireland has empowered communities throughout Ireland with initiatives including ‘One Good School’ and ‘One Good Club’, by advancing the mental health of young people and developing supportive communities nationwide.
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