A Co Armagh couple have set up a new charity to help young people suffering from mental health issues after coming to the aid of a teenage boy on a bridge and talking him out of suicide.
Conor Hegarty and his wife Amy from Craigavon created ‘Just a Chat’ earlier this year in a bid to help raise awareness of and combat the stigma around mental illness.
Focused on helping young people aged from 11-18, the couple have also been working with local sports groups and schools over recent months.
Read more: Belfast suicide prevention charity providing a safe space for young people
They were prompted to act after stopping a 14-year-old boy from taking his own life on a bridge in Craigavon in May.
Amy said they were left feeling helpless after they came across the teenager and Conor, a qualified life coach, spent three hours talking to the boy before eventually bringing him home.
Conor, 36, and Amy, 28 have a 13-week-old baby girl Mollie while Conor also has a nine-year-old son, Leo.
"I was pregnant at the time and came home in tears as all I could think about was imagine if that was Leo or Mollie and someone was knocking on our door to tell us that our child wanted to commit suicide," Amy told Belfast Live.
"That made us realise that kids don't know where to go and or what to do when faced with a crisis. This young fella wanted help but he just didn't know where to get it and felt that there was no other choice.
The couple, who have also had experiences with friends and family suffering mental health issues, say the distressing incident inspired them to set up the charity in the hope they would be able to help other young people in the area.
Despite his work as the youth coach with Craigavon FC, Conor admits he felt completely out of his depth when trying to talk to the teenager.
"The boy was very distraught and crying and I just knew I had to get him down. I work with kids and can talk to them, but that night I was really scared of saying the wrong thing," he said.
"I just kept reassuring him he wasn’t on his own and that we all struggle with some sort of mental health issues. I wanted him to know that there was help out there.
"Thankfully, he has since got support he needed and is making good progress."
After this, Conor and Amy, who both work in sales, were concerned at the lack of groups able to help young people with mental health issues in the area.
"We set up Just a Chat about two weeks later. It aims to signpost people to the right organisations to both assist them and offer the skills to deal with mental health issues," Amy added.
The charity operates by running workshops and sports clubs for 11 to 18-year-olds in schools.
"There are lots of GPs and charities doing a fantastic job, but we felt that the message was not getting out," Connor said.
"We wanted to bridge that gap by connecting all the mental health services and charities together so everyone knows what is going on and how to get the help they need.
"Our aim Is to ensure that every young person is aware of what to do when either themselves or family or friends are faced with mental health issues.
"It's common that people only try to look for answers and solutions when they are experiencing mental health issues, and in some cases this may be too late.
"If a young person faces issues, they have the adequate tools when it comes to what to do and information on where to go for help. If we can save one life, then it will all be worth it."
To raise funds towards the workshops, Conor and Amy have created a Just a Chat mental health calendar, which they hope will find a place in every household in Northern Ireland.
The calendar is supported by 12 of the largest local mental health and suicide prevention charities and contains information on support available.
"We hope to have one in every house in Northern Ireland. Unlike a leaflet that can easily be forgotten, the calendar will stay in homes for 12 months with a different charity featured each month," Amy said.
"If parents are concerned about their child or young person and don’t know how to talk to them or help them, they can just go to the calendar and find the right type of support."
For further information or to buy your calendar for only £10, visit www.justachat.co.uk or search for Just A Chat on Facebook and Instagram.
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