Walk in My Shoes has celebrated the 10th anniversary of its unique Transition Year Programme with the release of a special video to celebrate and commend the 93 students who took part, and now graduate as mental health ambassadors for their schools and communities.

Each year, Walk in My Shoes, the flaghship education and awareness-raising campaign of St Patrick’s Mental Health Services, runs a Transition Year (TY) programme that invites over 100 students from across the country to take part in over 25 mental health awareness sessions over the course of one week each. The 2019/2020 programme took place over five weeks from November to early March, with some 20 students on each programme.

Hosted by the adolescent mental health team and staff at St Patrick’s University Hospital and open to all fourth-year post-primary students, participants undertake a range of classroom-based activities, including mock multidisciplinary team meetings with psychiatrists, psychologists, occupational therapists, nurses and social workers, cardiac first response training, and talks on topics including social media and mental health, pharmacology, advocacy, career pathways in mental health and many more. The 2019/2020 programme also introduced a presentation from a former service user who described her journey to recovery in SPMHS.

The programme usually culminates in a graduation ceremony held on-site in St Patrick’s University Hospital in early May, but this year, as the Covid-19 pandemic continues to affect us all, students were congratulated on their achievement of becoming mental health ambassadors via a video link featuring well wishes from RTE’s Bláthnaid Treacy and St Patrick’s Mental Health Services CEO, Paul Gilligan. The video can be viewed HERE.

Addressing the students about their excellent achievement, Bláthnaid Treacy said:

“I want to say a massive congratulations to all the young people who completed the Walk in My Shoes TY programme. A huge amount of hard work was put in by all the students and it’s encouraging and affirming to see a new group of young people that can act as advocates for mental health.”

Speaking about the programme and the importance of mental health, particularly in these uncertain times, St Patrick’s Mental Health Services CEO, Paul Gilligan said:

“Social isolation, not being able to see friends and family and anxiety about the pandemic have presented us all with great challenges and maintaining positive mental health is now more important than ever.”

“Each and every student who took part in the TY programme is now equipped to act as an ambassador of good mental health for themselves, their friends and families and their communities and I know that what the students have learned will stand to them in doing all they can in looking after their own wellbeing and supporting their friends and families now and into the future.”

To date, over 900 students have completed the programme, which is now in its tenth year.

For more information on the Transition Year Programme please visit www.walkinmyshoes.ie