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Why Wellbeing Matters

Evaluation of Rethink Ireland Education & Youth Mental Health Funds 2017-2022

We're thrilled to share a new report by the University of Galway, in partnership with Rethink Ireland, which calls for a fundamental rethinking of how young people’s wellbeing can be understood and supported through education and youth mental health projects across Ireland.

At Rethink Ireland, we work towards a more just, equal and sustainable Ireland. We want to make sure all children and young people in Ireland can reach their full potential. Despite targeted government policies, education and mental health outcomes can differ significantly for young people in Ireland. For example, one in twelve young people who start secondary school never complete their Leaving Certificate.

To address these needs, Rethink Ireland introduced three new Funds that ran between 2017-2022: The Education Fund, the Youth Funds and the Children and Youth Funds.

An academic evaluation of these funds was conducted by the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre at the University of Galway. This evaluation resulted in a Composite Report of the evaluation, highlighting key learnings and outcomes. There is also a short Youth Report which is a summary of the Composite Report written for young people who are the driving force behind these Funds and this research!

Download the reports below to learn more about our findings and how we can continue to support young people in Ireland.

Happy group photos of representatives from Rethink Ireland and Narrative 4, along with secondary school students — Narrative 4, awardee of the Youth Funds 2018-2021

Lead researcher Dr Cormac Forkan:
Our research is the largest study ever conducted on alternative education in Ireland. The central thread running through the work of the awardees we evaluated was promoting the holistic wellbeing of the participants. The findings have allowed us to develop a new model for Embedding Sustainable Wellbeing Considerations into the Policy and Practice of Education, Alternative Education and Youth Mental Health Provision.