Pure Mental NI was founded in August 2019 by Jay Buntin and Matthew Taylor, both 17 at the time, with the aim of improving mental health awareness and education in Northern Ireland’s schools.

Youth mental health rates in Northern Ireland dwarf those of anywhere else in the British Isles, and half of all mental health problems arise by age 14 – so addressing youth mental health in NI is key – and we saw no better way of doing this than by focusing on the place young people spend over 30 hours a week – schools.

We firmly believe that young people need to have a say when it comes to their own mental health, and that their feedback and suggestions for how things can be improved are key for any future budgets and legislation, which is why we’re proud to have set up committees within schools and carried out research through surveys at secondary schools. We feel that we are helping to bridge the gap between schools, young people and those who can bring about change – the politicians and Executive Departments.