A Craigavon-based charity that engages with secondary school children to improve their awareness and understanding of mental health has received £1,000 through Power NI’s ‘Brighter Communities’.
The donation from Northern Ireland’s leading electricity provider to Just A Chat will help support the creation of a group that is dedicated to enhancing mental health and resilience amongst young men.
Just A Chat was established to combat the stigma surrounding mental health and raise awareness of the issue with young people between the ages of 11 and 18. They achieve this in various ways, with regular football matches used to foster communication. However, the charity is now looking to expand its services further by rolling out football training sessions and workshops.
Thanks to the Brighter Communities support, the £1,000 will help facilitate a new 6-month programme of workshops, allowing Just A Chat to engage local young men in meaningful discussions about mental health. These transformative sessions will not only provide essential tools for building resilience but will also serve as a vital resource for parents seeking to improve communication with their children.
Just A Chat founder Conor Hegarty expressed his gratitude for the funding and explained the difference it is going to make to people’s lives. “We are thrilled to secure this crucial funding that will enable the expansive launch of the charity’s Mental Health and Resilience Workshop in our community,” he said.
“These transformative workshops, which are accessible to all, empower individuals with invaluable tools to create strong mental resilience and essential techniques for self-care, fostering not only personal well-being but also the capacity to support others effectively.”
Power NI created the Brighter Communities programme in 2018, and it has now donated over £50,000 to groups and projects operating across Northern Ireland. The scheme was created to assist innovative and emerging community groups, charities, teams, and projects that strive to serve their communities.
Commenting on the donation to Just A Chat, Power NI’s Ashleigh O’Neill said: “We are delighted to be able to provide a donation to such a worthwhile cause. Mental Health is so important and not something that is widely spoken about amongst young people, so it is great to be able to help Conor and his team provide much-needed and valued support to these young men.”
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