Lidl Ireland Brings the Ladies Gaelic Football Association and Jigsaw Together to Help Spearhead Youth Mental Services Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

Lidl Ireland has brought together its partners, the Ladies Gaelic Football Association (LGFA) and Jigsaw, the National Centre for Youth Mental Health, to encourage youths, parents/guardians and those who work with young people to utilise Jigsaw’s new online mental health services (JigsawOnline.ie), which have been revised based on the current COVID-19 global crisis.

Lidl Ireland has facilitated the further collaboration of both partners to help to promote positive mental health in a time of widespread concern and uncertainty, using brand ambassadors Carla Rowe, Emer Gallagher, Nicola Ward and Caoimhe McGrath, who have all pledged support for the initiative.

Having received a 400% increase in demand for its online services, Jigsaw have adapted their current roster of services in response to the COVID-19 crisis to include:

• Continued support for young people (aged 12-25) already engaged in Jigsaw’s one-to-one service via a telephone service with Jigsaw clinicians
• The launch of a free 1800 phone service where young people across the country can speak to a Jigsaw clinician
• Twice daily group chats for young people focused on diverse emerging themes accesses through jigsawonline.ie
• Inbound email support through help@jigsaw.ie for young people and those around them
• Live webinars for parents and teachers via jigsawonline.ie hosted by a Jigsaw clinician
• Regular supportive content on a range of COVID-19 related topics from managing anxiety and uncertainty to conflict resolution and self-care strategies via jigsawonline.ie
• Regular email updates for all subscribers via jigsaw.ie/updates

The initiative comes as Lidl has introduced a number of additional measures to help support local communities through the coronavirus pandemic including dedicated shopping hours for older and more vulnerable customers, priority measures for frontline healthcare workers, dedicated coronavirus food donation appeals and in-store protective measures for customers and employees.

Speaking about the initiative, Donegal LGFA player, Emer Gallagher said, ‘As a teacher, I can see first-hand the pressure that my colleagues, parents and young people are under during this challenging time. It’s been hard for everyone to get used to the new normal, but now more than ever it’s important that we all look after our mental health. It’s been fantastic to see more than 500 teachers across the country sign up to Jigsaw’s Mental Health eLearning Programme, aimed at building mental health skills and literacy of secondary school teachers. As a Lidl Ireland ambassador it makes me really proud to support Lidl Ireland in uniting the LGFA and Jigsaw to bring mental health supports to young people, parents and teachers in these uncertain times.’ 

In 2018, Lidl Ireland partnered with Jigsaw, the national centre for youth mental health pledging to raise €1million and grow national awareness of youth mental health. Through this partnership, Lidl Ireland have empowered communities throughout Ireland with initiatives including ‘One Good School’ and ‘One Good Club’, by advancing the mental health of young people and developing supportive communities nationwide.

Notes to the Editors:

• One Good School is a comprehensive initiative which supports the mental health and wellbeing of young people by developing a shared responsibility for mental health across the whole school community.
• One Good Club is an initiative that aims to raise awareness and improve understanding of mental health while empowering clubs to positively affect their members and communities.