Galway City Comhairle na nÓg is a youth council for young people aged 12 to 17 years in education in or living in Galway city. In 2020 the committee worked on the topic of mental health, as voted on at the AGM in 2019.
This year has been an especially difficult year for everyone, and in particular for young people, managing the interactions between online schoolwork, friendships, and family were a struggle that many young people found difficult to deal with. These difficulties were magnified by the isolation and disruption caused by Covid-19.
This year, Galway City Comhairle na nÓg committee carried out a survey on the impact of online learning on students' wellbeing and the supports being provided for them. The aim of the survey was to collect data so that, if the students were put in the position of online learning again, certain aspects of the process could be improved. The results, published in May, showed an overall negative impact on students’ mental health and wellbeing, although where students received support from their schools and parents a positive impact was seen.
Galway City Comhairle na nÓg is coordinated by Youth Work Ireland Galway and supported by Galway City Council. Among the many youth services provided by Youth Work Ireland Galway, it provides a free youth counselling service for young people aged 12 to 21 years in Galway city and county. The counselling service is delivered by qualified and accredited youth counsellors. This year Youth Work Ireland Galway has been unable to organise fundraising events to support the youth counselling service, and that is why this holiday season we ask the people of Galway to donate to a great cause by going to www.youthworkgalway.ie Your donation would mean the world to a young person in need of support. The fundraising appeal for the youth counselling service this year will support the mental health of young people in Galway.
Lastly, we would like to thank all who have already donated and to those who continue to support the youth counselling service.
Ar scáth a chéile a mhaireann na daoine!
Alanna Ní Thuairisg Blian 2 Coláiste na Coiribe.
