Mindspace Mayo takes center stage at Strasbourg European Youth Event
North West Midlands MEP Maria Walsh was proud to host a group of 12 young people from Mindspace Mayo to represent youth mental health issues from across the country at the European Youth Event in Strasbourg at the beginning of the month.
The group joined 4,500 young Europeans participating in events and activities to inspire each other and exchange views with experts, activists, influencers and decision-makers as part of the Parliament’s youth consultation process European.
Speaking after the event, MEP Walsh said: “I was honored to welcome 12 amazing young people from Mindspace Mayo to Strasbourg for the 2021 European Youth Event. Mindspace Mayo and their group leader Lianne of Mayo Mental Health Association, are working incredibly hard across the county to help young people with their struggling mental health.
She added: “An essential part of the European Youth Event 2021 program that I organized with Euro Youth Mental Health was ‘Mental health in our eyes: a conversation across the country’. We brought together young people from the 27 EU states to discuss the most important issues facing their mental health and well-being, and to identify possible actions to take at EU level.
“I invited Mindspace Mayo to ensure that the views of young people in rural Ireland are taken into account. Their expertise and ideas will certainly play an important role in shaping future mental health policies and measures both in Ireland and in the EU.
“All across Ireland and Europe, citizens deserve a preventive and holistic approach to mental health. I am actively advocating for 2023 to be designated the European Year of Mental Health. Together, we must raise awareness of citizens’ mental health needs and advocate for action, both to shape mental health policies and to ensure that finance ministers prioritize funding for mental health.
“Mental health problems are now the fastest growing health burden today, with one in six people in the EU affected each year. Our citizens must not wait any longer, we must act now. “