Students of Mercy Community College Rathkeale treated to special Keywest performance as part of HeadsUp mental health promotion tour
- Ireland’s latest music sensation joins forces with HeadsUp in support of young people’s mental health -
Keywest, Ireland’s newest up-and-coming group, has teamed up with HeadsUp, Rehab’s mental health promotion project for young people, to support its nationwide tour of secondary schools.
The tour arrived at Mercy Community College Rathkeale today where students enjoyed the sounds of the chart-topping band who have taken time out of their busy recording schedule in L.A. specially to be part of this valuable initiative. The afternoon also had a serious note as Collette Ryan, Project Manager of HeadsUp, reminded the young people that in times of difficulty help is always available.
Commenting HeadsUp Project Manager, Collette Ryan, says: “We are delighted to have a home-grown talent like Keywest on board to spread the HeadsUp message to students throughout Ireland. School can be a tough time, especially during stressful exams. We want to remind young people who feel isolated that HeadsUp can help. “
“Our mental health is vitally important. It impacts on how we feel about ourselves, how we feel about others and how we form and maintain relationships. We need our mental health in order to function everyday, yet a lot of people ignore it. The HeadsUp project encourages young people to look after their mental health and look out for others. Keywest are a great bunch of lads and their songs are a real hit with the students, so we were delighted when they volunteered to support us in getting the HeadsUp message out.”
Rehab’s mental health promotion project, HeadsUp, specifically targets young people between 15 and 24 years of age and was developed to promote mental health and well-being amongst young people, to provide information and support to raise awareness of the mental health struggles many young people experience at certain times in their lives.
HeadsUp comprises many elements and part of the initiative is HeadsUp Text, a free and confidential 24-hour text support service supported by Meteor. Launched in August 2007, HeadsUp has to date received text messages from more than 10,200 young people. By simply texting the word HEADSUP to 50424, young people can receive details of various helplines and support services on a range of topics, including teen issues, alcohol, suicide, drugs and mental health.
Also part of the HeadsUp project is HeadsUp.ie, an interactive website boasting a host of cutting-edge features including an online Cognitive Behavioural Therapy-based course, articles, reviews, information on support services, fact sheets and competitions. Through such initiatives, HeadsUp is urging young people to look after their mental health and if they experience any difficulty not to suffer in silence, but to seek the help that is available to them.
Keywest is a five-person band based in Dublin comprising Andrew Kavanagh, Andrew Glover, Gary Grant, Carlos Checa and Neil Partridge. The band has been receiving attention for all the right reasons of late and has recently worked with seven times Grammy-nominated producer and mixer, Mark Needham, who previously collaborated with music sensations such as The Killers, My Chemical Romance and Fleetwood Mac. “Its great to come home to Ireland and be part of the heads up tour, it’s such a positive and worthwhile initiative,” said Andrew Kavanagh, lead singer of Keywest.
ENDS
For more information, images, or to arrange an interview contact:
Dara Duffy, Rehab, 01 205 7268 / 087 799 5194 Note to Editors Other HeadsUp initiatives include ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training), which equips people with the knowledge and the ability to recognise the warning signs of suicidal behaviour; “HeadsUp Lifeskills”, a course aimed at enhancing young people’s skills and abilities in dealing with life’s ups and downs; and “Raising Boys for Fathers”, a parenting programme which helps fathers to improve their communication skills with their sons in dealing with life’s problems
