Teen Talks Initiative reaches 12,000 transition year students over 6 years

Promoting resilience, compassion & strength. This year’s award-winning teen talk initiative continues to deliver positive messages of health & wellbeing, having reached 12,000 transition year students over its 6 years of delivery.

Teen Talk, a yearly initiative by Cork County Council will be held in the Radisson Hotel Little Island on Tuesday 28^th November and streamed live to Schools throughout Cork City & County. County Mayor, Frank O’Flynn launches this year’s event at St Colman’s College Fermoy.

Developing resilience, growing awareness and the importance of positive mental health will be theme of this year’s Teen Talk event organised and coordinated by Cork County Council. This hugely successful event, now in its 6^th year, created specifically for transition year students, is scheduled for the Radisson Hotel in Little Island, Cork with an audience of 450 students in person with live streaming available to all schools in Cork City & County.

The Teen Talk events will discuss resilience, creating a positive mindset and other mental health topics. Last year. Teen Talk won a national award for “Best Mental Health Initiative” in the Local Authority Management Agency awards.

Cork County Mayor Frank O’Flynn said, “Along with all of our youth, our Transition Year students are our future, it is vital for us to support them as they develop. We in Cork County Council are proud to once again launch this event which supports our teenagers to deal with the challenges of today promoting positive mental health, creating resilience and strength in a positive and compassionate manner. It’s great to see such interest in this event again this year both in person and through the online streaming provision for those who cannot make it on the day.”

Chief Executive of Cork County Council, Valerie O’Sullivan says, “It is important to support our teenagers, particularly in challenging times. The Teen Talk initiative is an excellent example of the role of Cork County Council in supporting our community. Thanks to the support of Healthy Ireland and the Local Community Development Committees (LCDC), we have delivered important messages to over 12,000 teenagers, their teachers, and their families.”

This year, Teen Talk will have Susan Hayes Culleton as MC and include speakers such as former Munster Rugby Captain Billy Holland and Karen Weekes, the first Irish woman to row solo across the Atlantic.