What’s really going on with young people’s mental health in Northern Ireland? We asked, and you answered. Over 200 children and young people across Northern Ireland have shared their experiences through our Good Health and Well-being surveys. Here’s what we’ve learned about how you’re feeling – and what needs to change.
How are young people feeling?
The good news is that most young people report feeling positive about their emotional well-being:
- Nearly 60% of under-14s told us they had “more happy days than sad days” in the week before completing our survey
- Among over-14s, 56% rated their mental health as either “Happy” or “Very Happy”
But these numbers also reveal that a significant number of young people are struggling:
- 7% of under-14s reported having “more sad days” in the previous week
- 11% of over-14s rated their mental health as “Unhappy” or “Very Unhappy”
Where are young people finding support?
Schools and Communities
There’s a striking difference between how younger and older children view mental health support in their schools and communities:
- Under-14s: 69% believe their school/community gives enough help for mental health
- Over-14s: Only 28% feel there’s enough mental health support in schools/communities, while 44% say there isn’t
This suggests that as young people get older, they may need more intensive or different types of support that aren’t currently available.
Youth Projects and Clubs
Youth clubs and projects are clearly making a positive impact:
- An impressive 92% of under-14s feel youth clubs provide enough mental health support
- 73% of over-14s believe youth projects, centres, and uniformed organisations offer enough support
This highlights how important youth work settings are for supporting young people’s mental well-being across Northern Ireland.
Challenges and Concerns
The Mental Health vs Physical Health Divide
Young people clearly recognise that mental health isn’t always treated with the same importance as physical health:
- Only 43% of under-14s think people take mental health as seriously as physical health
- This drops to 37% among over-14s
Accessing Support
While 82% of under-14s know where to get help if they or someone else is feeling unhappy, the accessibility of services remains a concern for older youth:
- Only 52% of over-14s find mental health services in their community “Accessible” or “Very Accessible”
- Nearly 26% report that services are “Inaccessible” or “Very Inaccessible”
Social Media’s Complex Role
Social media has a mixed impact on young people’s mental health:
- 50% of over-14s say social media has a “Neutral” impact
- Equal numbers (about 25% each) report either a positive or negative impact
What Helps Young People Feel Better?
When asked what helps them maintain good mental health, young people mentioned a variety of activities:
Regional Variations
Our data shows some interesting patterns across different council areas:
- Belfast and Mid & East Antrim had the highest number of responses from under-14s
- Belfast and Derry & Strabane had the largest representation among over-14s
This geographical spread helps us understand how experiences might differ across Northern Ireland.
Recommendations From Our Findings
Based on what young people have told us, here are four key recommendations:
- Bridge the support gap for teenagers: The drop in satisfaction with mental health support between under-14s and over-14s indicates a need for age-appropriate services that evolve as young people grow. We think that if schools can pair up more effectively with youth work organisation this could support this need.
- Strengthen the role of youth work: Given the high satisfaction rates with youth clubs and projects, increased funding and support for these services could significantly benefit young people’s mental health.
- Improve accessibility of services: With nearly one-quarter of over-14s reporting difficulty accessing mental health services, we need to remove barriers to support.
- Promote physical activity and social connection: Young people consistently identify exercise and spending time with friends as positive for their mental health. More accessible recreational spaces and opportunities would support this.
How Can You Get Involved?
Your voice matters! The data in this article comes directly from young people across Northern Ireland who shared their experiences through the Voices for Impact site.
Want to add your voice? Visit the Voices for Impact website and complete our surveys on mental health and well-being or other themes. It only takes a few minutes, and your input helps shape services and support for young people across Northern Ireland.
Working with young people? Use our findings to inform your work and encourage the young people you support to complete our surveys. The more voices we hear, the stronger our evidence base for advocating for better mental health support will become. Or why don’t you think about asking Bytes how you can support us. Visit bytes.org to find out more.
Together, we can ensure that young people’s mental health gets the attention and resources it deserves.
This article is based on data from 112 under-14s and 97 over-14s who completed the Good Health and Well-being surveys through the Voices for Impact platform. All quotes are anonymised and representative of themes in the data.
Read more of our blogs at voicesforimpact.ai or bytes.org.