Learning Hub Limerick and GOSHH awarded funding for youth mental health support projects

Limerick youth groups awarded funding for youth mental health support projects. Roisin O’Connor, Administrator GOSHH, Temilolu Ojuawo, Sexual Health promotion worker GOSHH, Varena Tarpey, CEO GOSHH Ireland, David Campos, Community development worker GOSHH, Karen Yelverton, Corporate account manager at VHI, and Cian Guerin, Youth Advocacy worker GOSHH. Pic: Don Moloney

Two Limerick youth groups, Learning Hub Limerick and GOSHH, receive part of €85,000 in funding, benefitting more than 2,000 young people

Learning Hub Limerick and GOSHH receive part of €85,000 in funding from the Vhi Health & Wellbeing Fund in 2025 to support youth mental health projects benefiting over 2,000 young people nationwide.

Vhi and the Irish Youth Foundation (IYF) today announced the latest recipients of the Vhi Health & Wellbeing Fund, with ten youth and non-profit organisations across Ireland awarded grants totalling €85,000. These projects will directly benefit more than 2,000 young people, supporting initiatives that build resilience and help manage anxiety through early intervention and prevention.

This year’s grant recipients span Dublin, Cork, Kilkenny, Galway, Limerick, and Donegal. In Limerick, two organisations were successful in receiving funding.  

advertisement
advertisement

advertisement
advertisement

advertisement
advertisement

advertisement
advertisement

Among them is the Learning Hub, an organisation which helps young people to stay in education and break the cycle of early school leaving. The Learning Hub will use its grant to support Creative Aftercare Limerick, a programme designed for young people aged 17–23 with experience of care services. The initiative provides a safe, inclusive space to explore creative and cultural interests, helping participants build resilience and connection.

Also based in the region, GOSHH (Gender, Orientation, Sexual Health, and HIV)—the only dedicated LGBTI+ youth charity in Limerick, Clare, and North Tipperary—will expand its services through increased youth worker hours. This will enable weekly youth group sessions, resilience-building workshops, and one-to-one support for LGBTI+ young people.

Since its launch in 2020, the Vhi Health & Wellbeing Fund has provided €444,000 in funding to 54 youth groups and non-profit organisations nationwide. This investment has enabled direct engagement with 37,700 young people. The Fund continues to make a meaningful impact by supporting young people facing challenges such as addiction, disability, homelessness, trauma, and international protection.

Other organisations receiving funding include Finglas Youth Resource Centre, Irish Refugee Council and Just ASK (Dublin), The Shona Project (Donegal), Wellsprings (Cork), Droichead Family Resource Centre and Aiséirí (Kilkenny) and ARD Family Resource Centre (Galway).

Karen Yelverton, Corporate Account Manager at Vhi, said, “At Vhi, we believe that investing in youth health and wellbeing is one of the most powerful ways to shape a healthier, more resilient future for Ireland. Through the Vhi Health & Wellbeing Fund, we’ve supported 54 youth organisations and reached thousands of young people with meaningful, community-led interventions.

“This year, the fund will support ten outstanding projects focused on tackling anxiety, building resilience, and creating safe spaces for young people to thrive. The feedback and measurable outcomes we’ve seen over the past five years confirm what we’ve always known—early intervention works, and when young people are supported, entire communities benefit.  

Sarah Edmonds, CEO, Irish Youth Foundation, said, “The Vhi Health & Wellbeing Fund is a vital force for good, reaching some of Ireland’s most vulnerable young people and supporting organisations that are truly changing lives.

“This year, grants will fuel projects that not only strengthen wellbeing, but also create positive ripple effects for families, schools, and communities. We’re proud of the partnership with Vhi, which is delivering opportunity and real support where it’s needed most.”