Minister meets with mental health campaign group

Date published: 2 September 2020

‘Elephant in the Room’ is a youth-led mental health campaign which aims to improve educational resources and get funding for more local support services.

Speaking after the meeting Minister Ní Chuilín said:

“I welcome this opportunity to meet with these young people and hear about the issues they face. I am committed through the work of my Department to provide support to all young people with mental health and well-being issues, particularly at this time as we enter into the Covid-19 recovery phase. Mental health has no limits regardless of social age or economic background. Young people need our help now more than ever.

“My department has and will continue to work in partnership with other government departments and key stakeholders in order to address the difficulties and inequalities that young people are attempting to overcome.”

Chris Quinn Director of the Northern Ireland Youth Forum said:

“Full credit must go to the Minister and the young people for setting this really important meeting up. Young people have told us that they feel that their voices have not been listened to during the COVID-19 pandemic and Minister Ní Chuliín has been proactive in seeking to engage directly with young people on the issue of mental health. It’s important now that the Minister works with her colleagues on the Executive to implement the Elephant in the Room recommendations.”