Jigsaw Galway referrals jump by a third

The youth mental charity Jigsaw has had a jump of almost a third in the number of referrals in Galway in the first half of this year compared to last.

Jigsaw recorded 619 inward referrals in the city and county until June, up from 483 in the same period in 2025. The organisation provides free early intervention mental health services to children and young people aged 12–25, helping them navigate challenges including anxiety, depression, loneliness and isolation.

Mike Mansfield, Director of Communications and Fundraising at Jigsaw, said that rise is down to a number of factors.

“All indications are that the stigma of reaching out is reducing, young people feel comfortable seeking help, their literacy, their openness if things get tough, means they have no difficulty reaching out to talk to us, which is a positive,” he explained.

“We are in Galway well over ten years so there's a lot of awareness about Jigsaw, which is also a positive.”

However all the data indicates that things are not great for young people at the moment, he stresses.

“A lot of young people are stuck at home, cost of living issues are having a big impact, they're not able to be financially independent. On a macro level, the chaos in the world is coming in on top of them, they're feeling overwhelmed and they have access to news 24/7 on the screens in their pockets.”

He said it was of concern to staff in Jigsaw that more younger people are struggling – there has been a 50% increase in the number of referrals for 12-15 year-olds.

“Younger people are struggling with teenage stresses and for a mam or dad there are not a lot of options for support. The waiting lists for CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) (CAMHS) are really long, private support through a psychiatrist or psychologist comes at a high cost whereas we're free. Our wait times are in check and it works well for the majority of young people.”

The in-person counselling sessions are held at the Jigsaw offices off Eyre Square and there are online sessions available for people who live outside the city.

“The vast majority of people want to be face to face. Our staff are a mixture of mental health professionals – social workers, mental health nurses, psychiatrists, psychotherapists, occupational therapists – if they tell us their story we can match them with the appropriate staff member.”

Nationally, total inward referrals to Jigsaw’s 15 local services and Jigsaw Online increased by 39%, from 5,241 in the first half of 2025 to 7,270 in the first half of 2026. Jigsaw provided 29,004 direct clinical contacts during the first six months of 2026.

Over 90% of young people who used the service reported being satisfied or very satisfied with the support they received from Jigsaw.

Dr Joseph Duffy, CEO of Jigsaw, said these latest figures paint a clear picture of the increasing pressures facing young people across Ireland.

“With a nearly 39% rise in demand for our services during the first half of this year, it's clear that early intervention is crucial when a young person is struggling with challenges like anxiety, loneliness, or depression.

“Ensuring free, timely support is available in their local communities is more important than ever.” He praised the support of Applegreen through its October Barcode campaign which has directly funded increased services and supports.

“Partnerships like this not only raise vital funds to keep our free services accessible but also bring greater national awareness to youth mental health right into communities across the country.”

The October Barcode campaign, running from October 22 to 26, gives customers an opportunity to contribute to the charity’s services.

The partnership between Applegreen and Jigsaw runs from 2026 to 2028, with a commitment to raise at least €1 million over three years.