Fintona sisters launch game changing mental health app

A ‘GAME changing’ mental health app for mobile phones has been officially launched by a pair of innovating Fintona women.

Sinead Welsh, creator of the app, and her sister Paula Fletcher returned to Tyrone after living in Melbourne, Australia for more than 10 years and quickly recognised the need for improved mental health and wellbeing support in the North.

The sisters have direct professional and personal experience of mental health challenges, including suicide, and recognised the need to improve the way information, support and help could be shared, particularly among young people.

The result is the Informed Minds App, which has been co-designed with young adults over the last three years.

It now boasts over 365 vlogs from real people sharing their lived and learned stories and local professionals sharing their top tips along with advice on where to get help, local crisis support and how to help yourself, all in an accessible and confidential format.

Sinead said, “Both Paula and I are determined to use our professional experience in international child protection and education to really make a difference. Mental health is an acute national crisis and young people need information that is easily relatable, and short video stories are an ideal way to get real stories and advice across in relevant and practical ways.

“The app allows them to see and hear the stories of others without having to feel any stigma about asking for help, particularly for more risky topics.

“And the feedback from users has been amazing, particularly on how they feel more hope and can learn how to help themselves and their friends. The vlogs in particular hit the spot, the idea being that young people now have an empathetic friend at their fingertips.”

Meanwhile, Paula said that their ultimate goal was to reduce self-harm and suicide rates.

She said, “Our vision is that suicide can be prevented, and that positive mental wellbeing can be a reality for all.”

Paula added, “And we’re delighted that our app can do just that. Now we’re working with private businesses, community organisations, schools, colleges and universities to get it onto the mobiles of as many people as possible – after all, how many young people have you seen not glued to their phones?”