A new foundation has been set up by those behind Dublin’s The Ink Factory that is committed to improving the mental health of the young people in Ireland.
The JC Foundation was set up by Rob Connolly, who lost his brother John Connolly to suicide. John was 33 years old at the time.
Rob is one of the men behind the €50 tattoo drive at The Ink Factory, which raised money for mental health organisations.
Rob, who is owner of The Ink Factory and PIERCED.ie, has now launched the JC Foundation in honour of his late brother.A recent study by Opinions.ie found 71% of Irish respondents agreed that mental health supports in Ireland are inadequate.
A recent study of 1,009 people by Opinions.ie found 71% of Irish respondents agreed that mental health supports in Ireland are inadequate.
The foundation will offer 365 free therapy sessions each year to 18 to 25 years old who can’t afford to access these services themselves.
Speaking to Extra.ie, the tattoo shop owner told of the impact the pandemic has had on mental health, particularly the younger generations.
With his business partners, they felt they had a moral obligation to create some sort of ‘social utility’ that can be used for those struggling with their mental health.
‘We thought, “What good can we do in this space while our businesses are flourishing?”‘ Rob said, explaining the reason behind the creation.
‘Thank God they are ’cause John was part of that; he was a part of the original concept, the original theme of The Ink Factory.
‘So we said we would set up the foundation in his name and make sure the remit is 365 free therapy sessions every year of the foundations existence.
‘And we’ll go forward from year one, which was founded on funds from The Ink Factory and Pierced.ie. The money is coming directly from us.’
Often through 2020 we hear how much the pandemic has affected young people — social lives have been put on pause and even more stress was added to those studying for the Leaving Cert.
It’s been tough, and Rob mentions this when talking about why they chose to help 18 to 25 year olds: ‘There’s just so much inherent stress and inherent demands on these kids.
‘I’m 36, so I grew up in the age of playing out on the streets without the internet.’
Thinking about how society is now, Rob spoke of the pressures young people face — both men and women.
‘Women have been forced for a very long time to adhere to certain body types and certain images, but that pressure is now seen in young men,’ Rob continued.
‘When we were younger, men didn’t have that. Men could be a builder or a footballer and never show your emotions.
‘Now things are different, with the rise of social media there’s just constant consumption of curated lives online where you have these young kids looking at people posting photos outside the perfect home, the perfect car, the perfect holiday, the perfect set of abs, the perfect life on show.
‘You then do a stock check of your own life and you might feel a little low, thinking, “Why is my life like this and their’s is like that?”
‘I think there’s a lot of pressure on these kids, then throw into the mix they have to deal with the pandemic.
‘I wanted a charity or foundation like this when I was 18. I was a little wayward in to myself as well. That’s why I picked that demographic.
‘They’re under a lot of stress, a lot of pressure. It’s stresses and pressures that no previous generation can really talk to them about properly.
‘It’s very much a real thing. Going online and consuming all this toxic stuff about people living these perfect lives, I couldn’t imagine what it’s like having to consume that and content with that.’
The JC Foundation will provide 365 free therapy sessions to those in need, each year starting in 2021.
They will also provide mental-health tips and advice for young people and their families through their online platforms including their website www.jcfoundation.ie and on the JC Foundation Instagram.
The provision of these services is made possible by JC Foundation community partners, The Ink Factory & PIERCED.ie.
