b'THEGAELICATHLETICASSOCIATION(GAA) Launched in February of 2012, the programme devised byis Irelands largest sporting organization. Active across Headstrong and funded by The Ireland Funds PromisingIrelandaswellasinternationally,itencompassestheIreland Campaigninvolveseducationaroundlisteningtraditional Irish sports of hurling, football, handball, and skills, how to handle a difficult conversation on mentalroundersaswellasladiesfootballandcamogie.Thehealth and involves the GPA members in public meetingsGAA promotes the best of Irish culture and sports and is and a social media campaign.integraltoIrishsociety.WithintheGAA,theGaelicWe know that mental health is the number onePlayers Association (GPA) is the body which represents issue for young people in Ireland and with youngover 2,200 county players and works to ensure all players male suicide becoming more prevalent we felt inrealize their full potential both on and off the field.HeadstrongthatcountyGAAplayersweretheHEADSTRONG is Irelands National Centre for Youth perfect fit in this awareness campaign, Dr. TonyMentalHealth.Throughoutreach,advocacy,and Bates, Founding Director of Headstrong said. researchtheorganizationworkswithcommunitiesto While we welcome an increasing openness to talk aboutcopewithmentalhealthchallenges.Headstrongwas mental health in Ireland, Headstrong wants to go further,responsible for the recent My World Survey (MWS)the we want to grow a new generation who understand whatmost in-depth study of youth mental health ever done in protectsandwhathinderstheirmentalhealth.The Ireland. The study mapped the mental health experience players will play a vital role in this campaign by helping across adolescence of 14,500 participants and the report tochangehowwetalkaboutmentalhealthandby providesinsightsintothemanyfactorsaffectingthe encouraging young men to reach out and learn healthymental health of young people in Ireland. Self-harm and ways to handle distress.depression are very real issues for young people. Suicide Dessie Farrell, Chief Executive of the Gaelic Playersis the leading cause of death for youth and many families Association said, There is no community, parish ordo not know what resources to turn to for assistance. In club that has not been affected by somebody takingaddition,theperceivedstigmaofaskingforhelpor their own life, we have all heard stories about youngadmitting to having a problem leaves many young people people who are in trouble and we know what liesisolated and at-risk. behindthesestoriesisoftenthingstheycannot The Ireland Funds brought these two organizations talkabout.feelingverydown,worry,drinkingtootogether to create an innovating partnership. Caitriona muchorgambling.WebelievethatworkingwithFottrell, Director Ireland of The Ireland Funds explained Headstrongisoneofthepositivewaysofhelpinghow The Ireland Funds serve the nonprofit community young people find their way. not just through traditional funding, but by introducingbodies like the GPA and Headstrong. The Gaelic Players WhenweputoutthecalltoGPAmemberswewereAssociation approached The Ireland Funds with a desire amazed at the positive response. Every player who wastoincreasetheircommunityinvolvementinaasked to participate immediately agreed to support thistangible way. We introduced them to Headstrong as we initiative. Headstrong and GPA see these players as greatsawthepotentialforagreatpartnership,explained ambassadors for youth mental health. We hope to workCaitriona.GPAplayersarelookeduptobyyouthall with Headstrong to get the message out there that thereacross Ireland and those young people often struggle with are ways to cope with the stresses and worries that youngissues that could benefit from a strong role model letting people are facing and we can change how young peoplethem know its okay to have conversations around mental talk about themselves and learn to support each other.health. Were delighted to see that the partnership has The25Ambassadorsarenowactiveinfacilitatinggrown since the launch in 2012. supportforyoungpeople.Asrolemodelsinour ThroughtheGPA,25countyplayershavecomecommunitiestheycanfurtherassistinremovingtheforward to act as Youth Mental Health advocates in their stigma associated with youth mental health and openingcommunities;theplayersaretakingpartinamental this absolutely critical conversation, says Dessie. Its ahealthliteracyeducationprogrammewithHeadstrong. conversation that can save lives.The programme involves the players being inducted inmental health literacy by Dr Tony Bates and Dr JosephDuffy, Director of Clinical support of Headstrong.connect 2013 | 42'