MAKING a difference to young people’s mental health is what the latest strand of workshops associated with the ‘Think Big’ initiative is all about. Agata Domanska from Castleroy in Limerick was among a group of young people who attended a recent Think Big workshop in O2’s headquarters in Dublin where she explained how her project could help people learn new skills and improve their outlook in a simple and enjoyable way.
‘Think Big’ is a programme designed by O2 and Headstrong, the National Centre for Youth Mental Health, which enables young people undertake projects in their community that will help make a difference.
With a training workshop designed to nurture ideas created by local youths, the young people attending the workshop were each awarded a place on the national Think Big programme, after successfully submitting an idea for a project in their community.
Agata’s project on “Positivity Workshops” involves the organisation of craft workshops with activities such as painting, drawing, bracelet making and crochet in the community.
Nuala Smith, Think Big Co-ordinator, Headstrong said: “The young people taking part in Think Big are changing how we think about mental health. They intuitively understand the importance of mental health and are ideally placed to promote positive mental health among their peers.”
The Think Big Programme is open to any young person, aged between 14 and 25 and project ideas can be submitted through www.o2ThinkBig.ie
