When I first started my journey into social innovation and social enterprise, I took inspiration from this famous quote: “The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man.” (George Bernard Shaw).

However, it never mentioned anything about doing mad and crazy things! Well here goes:

As many of you know I’m passionate about social innovation and supporting the next generation of global changemakers – the one reason why I love my current role as CEO of Young Social Innovators . However, one area that still really concerns me is the rising levels of mental health issues in our young people which is only getting worse and in my humble judgement the single biggest issue we face in on the island of Ireland today, and I’m not saying that lightly.

Research states that, by the age of 13 years, 1 in 3 young people in Ireland is likely to have experienced some type of mental disorder. By the age of 24 years, that rate will have increased to over 1 in 2. Add into this that the biggest killer of young mean under age 25 is suicide – we just have to do something more about it and now.

So, with that in mind I have come up with a “cunning plan” which is to rope in my good friends Alan Elwood and Chris Ross (The 3 Amigos) to put ourselves through our own physical and mental challenge and run t

The Cape Wrath Ultramarathon in May 2024. Just need to run 400KM or the equivalent of 9.5 marathons over 8 days. Oh, and did I mention only 1 in 3 manage to complete the Cape Wrath Ultra!

Hope is not all lost as we have all spent a lifetime mountaineering, running mountain marathons (although retired several years ago!) and maybe just maybe we can all get across the line regardless of the odds and not to mention the gammy knees, ankles, and old age in general!

This challenge will be a partnership between Young Social Innovators and Positive Steps which Alan Elwood set up recently with a vision to connect people to the natural environment, and each other, helping individuals manage life’s pressures, build sustainable networks, strengthen future resilience, and deepen their affinity with the environment. At YSI we provide social innovation skills and knowledge to young people to develop their own youth-led solutions to social issues for a more fair and equitable Ireland (NI and ROI). Together with the support of Chris Ross and the team McKees we will work together to do our bit in improving mental health in young people.

So, we need your help through sponsorship and over the coming weeks we will be letting people and organisations know how they can support us both individually and through business sponsorship. Your generous sponsorship will be instrumental in driving forward new youth-led initiatives that are focused on mental health. It will aid in providing vital resources to young people so that they can have a voice on the issue and enable them to co-create new innovative solutions. This is not just about financial assistance; it's about giving our young people hope, a sense of community, and a safe place to discuss, innovate and co-create positive solutions.

Moreover, your contribution will help us to advocate for significant policy changes. Our other objective is to create an environment that better supports mental health, breaks down barriers and stigma, and fosters open and constructive conversations about mental well-being at Government level.

We believe that together, we have the power to create a substantial, positive impact on the lives of those who are bravely battling mental health issues every day. This is a cause that is affecting too many young people across our island, either directly or indirectly, and it's a chance for us to support our young people and empower them to come up with new ideas and solutions for a more positive and resilient generation of young people.

We kindly ask you to consider sponsoring us in this crucial cause. We understand that a sponsorship is a big commitment, and we want you to know that your contribution, no matter the size, will have a profound and direct impact. Every little bit counts, and together we can ensure that mental health is given the attention, understanding, and support it deserves.

All the funds we raise will go to Young Social Innovators and Positive Steps to support young people across Ireland.

As I’ve said before we are currently in set up mode and more news will follow shortly. In the interim if you’re keen to know more just get in touch with any of us through LinkedIn or you can get me on my email: roger.warnock@youngsocialinnovators.ie