Since March 12, Jigsaw has temporarily ceased operation of all face-to-face operations and has begun to roll out an altered set of services, to ensure continued support for young people, parents and educators across the country.

“The demand for what we’re offering is huge,” says Mike Mansfield, Director of Communications and Fundraising for Jigsaw. “Traffic to our site has increased by 440 per cent.”

There’s been plenty of support from the charity’s partners at Lidl Ireland, too. “Lidl is really helping us to get the message about these new services out there,” says Mansfield. They’ve been incredible, as always.”

Jigsaw’s new and altered roster of services includes:

• One-on-one phone support for young people aged 12-25 who are already engaged in Jigsaw’s one-to-one service
• The launch of a free phone service on 1800 544 729 for young people, parents and educators
• Twice daily group chats for 15-20 young people at a time, with a new theme for each chat
• Inbound email support through help@jigsaw.ie for young people and those around them
• Live webinars for parents and teachers via JigsawOnline.ie, hosted by a Jigsaw clinician
• Regular supportive content on social media and on the website
• Regular email updates for all subscribers

Lidl Ireland has been a partner of Jigsaw since 2018, with over €500,000 raised to date. Together with its sponsorship partner, the Ladies Gaelic Football Association (LGFA), Lidl Ireland is encouraging young people, parents and educators to be mindful of their mental health and to access the services at JigsawOnline.ie as needed.