54,600 Young People Turn to spunout’s Navigator for Mental Health Support in First Year

spunout, Ireland’s youth information and support platform, has today marked the 1 year anniversary of its Navigator tool, which has connected 54,600 young people with reliable, relevant mental health and wellbeing resources based on specific and individual needs since its launch. The Navigator tool is free, anonymous, quick, and easy to use. Users answer three questions and are presented with personalised results, including factual articles, real-life stories, calming activities, and signposts to appropriate support services in Ireland. The tool was funded and launched last year by Minister of State for Mental Health, Mary Butler and is supported by the HSE and the Department of Health.

Since its launch, Navigator has connected young people to mental health supports across a range of mental health topic areas. Difficulties with friends or family emerged as the most frequently explored topic, accounting for 23% of searches. This was closely followed by specific mental health difficulties (22%) and feeling stressed or low (19%).

Insights from Navigator’s first year highlight the wide range of support needs among young people. While many users accessed wellbeing resources such as mindfulness exercises and coping skills content, supports relating to self-harm and suicide prevention were also among the most frequently viewed. This underscores the importance of providing a broad spectrum of trusted mental health information and support options.

Navigator has also played an important role in helping young people move from online help-seeking to professional support. Counselling and psychotherapy services were among the most accessed supports on the platform, while the article “How to access counselling or psychotherapy in Ireland” was one of the most viewed resources.

Sinead Keane, spunout’s CEO commented: “Navigator was created to make it easier for young people to find the right mental health support in a time of need. After one year, we have supported 54,600 young people, proving the Navigator tool is a game changer for young people who need support. Young people were pivotal in shaping all elements of the tool, always ensuring that it met their needs and reflected their lived experiences.”

“While some of those who access Navigator are seeking support with stress, wellbeing and relationships, others are seeking information on more complex topics such as suicide and self harm. This reinforces the importance of being able to provide a wide range of trustworthy supports that meet a young person wherever they may be on their mental health journey. Navigator is helping young people move from searching for information online to accessing meaningful support. Whether that is counselling, connecting to support from specialist organisations, or seeking more supports from spunout. We are seeing how trusted digital tools can act as an important first towards improving the mental health outcomes of young people”, Keane added.

Minister for Mental Health, Mary Butler TD said: “I am proud to have funded and supported the Navigator tool, and in doing so, delivered on a Programme for Government commitment to launch a mental health app to help young people find support.”

“Over the past year, this innovative digital tool has helped make mental health support more accessible for young people, connecting them with trusted information and services when they need them most.”

“Having supported 54,600 young people in its first year, the demand for reliable and timely mental health support is clear. Developed by young people, for young people, Navigator is meeting young people where they are and providing a simple pathway to the right help, at the right time.”
spunout’s Navigator is free and available 24/7 at: www.spunout.ie/navigator