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Communities from all over Ireland came forward this summer to submit expressions of interest to Headstrong, the National Centre Youth Mental Health, to be considered as one of five new Jigsaw projects. Jigsaw services work through dedicated hubs offering young people support in an accessible youth friendly setting, across the whole spectrum of mental health and well-being issues.

Early in 2011, Headstrong received endorsement from government to expand the Jigsaw programme nationally to a further five communities in Ireland. The recent announcement of Government support to establish a further five Jigsaw projects has come at a time when greater clarity has been reached on the importance of developing Jigsaw hubs. And the objective is to ensure that young people all over Ireland get the support they need when and where they need it.

Headstrong advertised an open application process, and was highly impressed with the level and standard of the applications submitted and each was carefully and fairly considered in detail.

The process has culminated in a shortlist of eight communities. The second phase of the site selection process is underway. This involves visits by Headstrong staff, and a number of members from Headstrong’s Youth Advisory Panel (YAP), to each of the shortlisted communities. The purpose of the visits is to meet with all of the stakeholders and organisations who have been involved to date with improving local supports for young people’s mental health and well-being in their areas.

The planning phase for the five additional sites begins in September 2011.