Young people are increasingly turning to the internet to seek help for their mental health, but they face significant barriers when trying to navigate the vast amount of information available online to identify the resources they can trust. Ireland responded to this challenge by launching an online tool designed to connect young people aged 14-34 with personalised mental health information, resources and support. Championed by Minister Mary Butler TD, Government Chief Whip and Minister for Mental Health and with support from the Health Service Executive (HSE), spunout Navigator was developed by spunout; Ireland’s youth information and support platform. Spunout connects with young people over one million times, each year to support their mental health and wellbeing by meeting them where they are online. 

One year on from its launch, over 54,600 young people across Ireland have visited Navigator. Examining the trends in how users engaged with navigator over this last year provides valuable insights into how young people seek help online.

Trustworthy resources tailored to young people’s needs. 

Navigator is free, anonymous, quick, and easy to use. The tool asks users three short multiple-choice questions. First, users choose a mental health topic or concern they want to explore. Next, they refine their search by focusing on the specific aspect of that topic that is most relevant to them in that moment. Finally, users choose the type of support they are searching for. Based on these responses, Navigator provides a collection of personalised results, including factual articles, real-life stories, calming activities, and signposts to appropriate support services in Ireland. 

Trust is integral to how Navigator was designed. spunout applies rigorous quality measures to all resources included on the Navigator platform. spunout staff write all information provided by Navigator based on thorough, credible, and up-to-date research. Subject matter experts, including mental health professionals, fact-check and approve this information, and spunout volunteers aged 16-25 proofread the content to ensure it is accessible, relevant and written in an appropriate tone. spunout staff proofread and approve all support service listings, which contain information provided by the services themselves. Services included in the support service directory are selected based on spunout’s Resource Inclusion Policy, which outlines clear quality standards for inclusion.

Co-produced with young people.

spunout staff created navigator in partnership with the HSE, a steering committee of youth mental health sector experts, and mental health researchers. Crucially, young people were central as collaborative partners throughout the development process. Before work on Navigator began, the project was inspired, in part, through consultation with spunout’s Youth Action Panels; a network of over 250 young volunteers across Ireland who provide direction, insight and solutions to the organisation to ensure spunout is meeting the real needs of young people. 

When work on Navigator began, a dedicated Navigator youth advisory committee was established. The group was made up of members of spunout’s Youth Advisory Panel who have lived experience, both of seeking help and using mental health services. The youth advisory committee were involved at every stage of the tool’s development – from choosing what mental health-related topics to cover, to how the tool should look and feel, and how the tool should be promoted. Additionally, spunout staff conducted a national survey of nearly 1,000 young people in Ireland to inform the design and development of the tool.

This co-production approach ensured Navigator was built around the realities of young people’s lives.

The risks and opportunities of online helpseeking for young people.

For many young people, the internet is the first place they turn when experiencing mental health difficulties. Online helpseeking can take many forms. Some young people search for information to build their understanding of mental health. Others search for practical strategies to ease their distress, or look for peers sharing their own lived experiences to feel less alone, or seek out professional support services to get the help they need. 

Online information and resources are often immediate, anonymous, and available 24/7. These qualities are appealing to young people. spunout’s consultation work shed more light on what young people look for in a digital mental health tool. Feedback highlighted the importance of privacy. Young people expressed a desire for tools that don’t require a sign-up or log-in. Feedback also highlighted that online tools should have strong links to services that provide human support, and that this support should be available 24/7.  At their best, online mental health resources empower young people to choose to access information and support at their own pace and on their own terms. 

However, while the internet represents a vital source of information and support, young people are also acutely aware of the risks that come with online mental health content. Online mental health information and support comes from a wide range of sources, and quality and accuracy can vary significantly. It can be difficult to tell the difference between the trustworthy content and the potentially harmful misinformation. 

Navigator was developed to address this challenge by providing a free, accessible and reliable online source of trustworthy mental health supports, tailored to the needs of young people in Ireland. In response to consultation feedback, Navigator doesn’t require users to make an account or sign-up, and it’s connected to 24/7 real-time listening support via spunout’s Text About It service. 

Insights from one year of Navigator

Since its launch in June 2025, Navigator has been visited by over 54,600 users. Exploring the patterns in how young people use the tool offers valuable insights into what challenges young people are currently facing and their support needs. 

Overall, difficulties with friends or family emerged as the most frequently explored topic, accounting for 23% of searches. This was closely followed by specific mental health difficulties (22%) and feeling stressed or low (19%). The popularity of resources focused on managing relationships was particularly interesting, and underscores how deeply interpersonal issues can impact young people’s mental health. While mental health discussions often focus on diagnoses and symptoms, this serves as a reminder that everyday relationships remain a major source of both challenge and support.

Resources related to anxiety and depression were among the most frequently accessed on the platform. The article ‘Am I Depressed?’ was the most viewed article of the year, while ‘Dealing with anxiety’ also featured in the top 5. This isn’t a surprising finding, it aligns with research findings that anxiety and depression are some of the leading causes of illness for young people globally. 

Practical tools and techniques for managing mental health symptoms and improving wellbeing were consistently accessed. Popular resources included grounding and breathing exercises, self-care planning, ADHD motivation strategies, and self-compassion exercises.. The popularity of resources like these suggests that young people value tools they can use independently and immediately. It demonstrates the importance of supporting young people in self-management alongside providing information and signposting to services. 

Users varied significantly in terms of the levels of mental health needs they seeked support for. While many young people accessed general wellbeing content, like mindfulness exercise and resources for building coping skills, supports for self-harm and suicide were also among the most frequently accessed. This included resources like an article on how to make a safety plan and suicide prevention support services. These trends underscore the diversity of young people’s information and support needs, and the importance of providing a broad range of support options that meet young people wherever they are in their mental health journey.

Valuable insights can also be gained from the ways in which young people access Navigator. Almost 80% of users accessed the platform on their phones. This reinforces the importance of designing digital mental health resources with a mobile-first approach. For many young people, smartphones are their primary gateway to information, support, and services. 

Crucially, many young people have used Navigator to learn about their professional support options and move their help-seeking from online to offline. Counselling and psychotherapy providers were among the most frequently accessed services on Navigator. The article ‘How to access counselling or psychotherapy in Ireland’ was one of the most viewed articles on the platform. Navigator has also facilitated 637 conversations with Text About It; spunout’s free, anonymous 24/7 listening service since launch. This highlights that online helpseeking can be a vital stepping stone in a young person’s mental health journey that empowers them to access further support on their own terms. 

Looking ahead for Navigator

Following the launch, spunout has continued to grow and develop Navigator. New content pathways have been developed, guided by youth feedback, covering topics including loneliness, exam stress, grief, trauma and PTSD. Moving forward, we will continue to expand Navigator’s offering by embedding more bite-size psychoeducation tools adapted from spunout’s wider mental health content bank. Youth consultation is ongoing and will continue to refine the user experience on the tool. 

The first year of Navigator has demonstrated the demand for trusted digital mental health supports and the value of co-designed, evidence-informed approaches to online help-seeking. As the platform continues to grow, it remains focused on helping young people access the trusted mental health information, resources and support they need, when they need it.

To learn more about Navigator, visit www.spunout.ie/navigator