Social Innovation Growth Fund Ireland Limited trading as Rethink Ireland.

Lobbying Organisation Social Innovation Growth Fund Ireland Limited trading as Rethink Ireland.

Date published 21 Sep, 2020

Relevant Matter Public policy or programme

Public Policy Area Social Protection

Period 1 May, 2020 to 31 Aug, 2020

Specific Details A number of organisations that work in the youth mental health sector had particular concerns about the impact of COVID 19 on the mental health of children and young people in Ireland. Together we came up with recommendations to address the issue. Our endgame is for those recommendations to be considered and/or to inform the steps the government takes to support young people’s mental health at this time. Rethink Jessica Curtis is co-chair with Dr Shari McDaid.

Intended results To put in place a new, national youth jobs and training guarantee programme.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Jessica Curtis- Senior Fund Manager Rethink Ireland on behalf of The Children and Young People’s Mental Health COVID-19 Coalition

Did any Designated Public Official(DPO) or former Designated Public Official(DPO) carry out lobbying activities on your behalf in relation to this return? You must include yourself, and answer Yes, if you are a current DPO or a DPO at any time in the past. (What is a Designated Public Official?) No

Did you manage or direct a grassroots campaign? No

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Letter (1)

Letter sent 22nd July to Minister Damien English To put in place a new, national youth job and training guarantee programme. According to recently published data by the Economic and Social Research Institute, Ireland’s youth have been disproportionately affected by layoffs surrounding the COVID-19 crisis as internships are withdrawn and the retail sector faces mass layoffs (Pollak, 2020). These layoffs lead to an increase in youth who are a part of the NEET (Not in Employment, Education, or Training) population, where already 1 in every 8 young people are a part of this cohort (CSO, 2018).

Designated public officials lobbied

The following DPOs were lobbied during this return period on this specific Subject Matter Area. These DPOs were involved in at least one of the Lobbying Activities listed above, but not necessarily all of them. As returns are specific to a Subject Matter Area the above Lobbying Activities may be associated with multiple returns.

Damien English Minister of State (Department of Social Protection)