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These six teenagers want to change the way we see mental health

Their website aims to point young people in the direction of valuable resources.

TheTurnoverProject / YouTube

IT’S A COMMON dilemma faced by young people in Irish schools: What should we do for our Mini Company project?

Six Transition Year (TY) students in the Royal and Prior Comprehensive School in Raphoe in Donegal decided to create an online mental health resource for teenagers.

The Turnover Project got it’s name because the group wants the site to help “turn over” how young people see mental health.

The website went live on 3 November and Mitchell Goudie, one of its founders, said the group have received “a really, really good reaction”.

Goudie said he and his classmates decided to work in this area as some of them have had their own issues with mental health.

It has been a huge, huge issue in Ireland in the past couple of years. Ireland has the resources to deal with it but we need to get the word out there. Most people deal with mental health issues, we’re promoting that it’s important to stay positive.

The Turnover Project aims to destigmatise mental health and point young people in the direction of valuable resources. Jigsaw helped the group to compile information for the site.

Goudie said the group’s members felt there weren’t enough easily-accessible resources out there for young people so they decided to set up their own.

He said it’s important that young people run the site as “teenagers have a better idea of what teenagers need”.

turnover

The website is run by the following students:

  • Mitchell Goudie (16) (General Manager)
  • Odhran Shiels (16) (Assistant Manager and Production Manager)
  • Charlene Rodriguez (15) (Financial Manager)
  • Louise Laird (15) (Secretary)
  • Natalie Bardini (16) (Stand Manager)
  • Caoilte Hines (15) (Marketing Manager)

Goudie said the group hopes to keep the project going once they complete TY.

The Turnover Project is currently looking for people to appear in a video promoting positive mental health. More information on this is available here.

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11 Comments
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    Mute Brigid Popps
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    Jan 11th 2015, 10:59 AM

    Well done to these inspirational young people! They will help so many with their website. Isolation is the enemy of those suffering with mental health issues, what a positive creation made by the young for the young, THE BEST OF LUCK

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    Mute danielplainview
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    Jan 11th 2015, 11:06 AM

    That doesn’t sound patronising at all.

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    Mute Scarlett Van Tassel
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    Jan 11th 2015, 3:39 PM

    You’re right, it doesn’t.

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    Mute Charles Williams
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    Jan 11th 2015, 11:16 AM

    Well done to these young people. I hope their project makes a difference in the lives of other young people.

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    Mute Gary Gary
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    Jan 11th 2015, 10:55 AM

    I think social media is going to cause havoc with mental health over the next few years.
    It create narcissistic or super sensitive Young people neither a good choice.

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    Mute Joe Simpson
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    Jan 11th 2015, 11:51 AM

    Envy won’t help either

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    Mute Mitchell Goudie
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    Jan 11th 2015, 2:26 PM

    That is true, social media has a tendency to create ‘extremes’, and in this case, either super sensitive Young people or narcissistic ones. We’ll be taking steps along the way during the project to ensure that this doesn’t happen.

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    Mute Ollie
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    Jan 11th 2015, 3:49 PM

    Well done !

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    Mute Stephaine Love
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    Jan 11th 2015, 5:46 PM

    Well done for trying something positive!

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    Mute Sarah Jane Colhoun
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    Jan 11th 2015, 7:21 PM

    Great to see something like this being taken on by a TY group. Best of luck.

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    Mute Margaret Duffy
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    Jan 11th 2015, 11:28 PM

    Inspirational young people!

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