“There is life after the State exams” - HeadsUp
HeadsUp, Rehab’s mental health promotion project, is advising young people that there is life after the State exams and to realise that the exams represent just one avenue to reaching a career. HeadsUp recognises that some young people may be anxious at the moment as they await their Leaving Certificate results on Wednesday (17 August), however, it is important to remember that there is a range of options available to everyone after they receive their results.
Collette Ryan, Rehab Project Manager for HeadsUp, acknowledges that this can be a very difficult time for exam students. “Results time can be very stressful for young people as it is a day of mixed emotions. Many feel powerless as there is nothing that they can do now to change their results. We want students to know that help is out there if things are getting on top of them. Results day itself can be highly emotional, with happiness for some and disappointment for others. Many students put a lot of pressure on themselves to achieve certain grades, but if students don’t get the points for their first choice, there are other ways to get into their chosen career.”
A range of tips and coping mechanisms are available on the Exams Corner section of HeadsUp.ie such as practical advice on how to manage anxiety before and after receiving results as well as a list of helpline contact numbers. With third level offers arriving next week, HeadsUp is also encouraging students to reach out to those around them for support if they are feeling burdened by the choices that they face.
In addition to the online supports available, the HeadsUp Text service provides details on a range of support services available nationwide. By texting the word HEADSUP to 50424, the texter gets a text reply with a list of different categories including student services, mental health, and crisis. The texter then replies with the category that they require information on, and a list of available helpline numbers and the opening hours is sent back. Since its launch in 2007, the text service has received 63,147 messages with 18,329 people using the service. Last year the number of people using the service doubled at exam results time. HeadsUp’s ‘Mates Mood’ Facebook application can also be useful for students who are anxious about results and college offers. Once the application is downloaded and shared amongst friends, ‘Mates Moods’ allows students to give a visual status update on their moods using icons that depict moods from “miserable” to “awesome”. The application allows students to see the mood status of their friends who are also using the application. In this way friends can check in with each other and give support during difficult days.
HeadsUp.ie has been developed with the direction of a panel of youth advisors who steer the direction and content of the project and ensure it meets the needs of its target group of 15 to 24-years-olds.