Gertie Raftery, DkIT Student Counsellor, welcomes the partnership:

“I am delighted that DkIT has partnered with 50808. Sometimes, it is easier to text than talk, and the Student Counselling Service would like to be able to support all students to access support when they are feeling overwhelmed. We know from the recent Union of Students in Ireland report, National Report on Students and Covid-19, that this is a service that students will be open to using”.

The new text service was officially launched on Monday, 14th September 2020 by Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris TD. 

Speaking at the launch, Minister Harris said,

"Students are our future leaders, politicians, entrepreneurs and business leaders, teachers, engineers, health staff, chefs, mechanics. Many of our science students will progress to careers where they develop new vaccines, so that we will have less risk from viruses such as the one we are valiantly trying to stem at present.

They have endured so much. We now must take care of students’ mental health as we have a duty of care to them.

This partnership will be vital. It will offer students a lifeline at any hour of the day. It will be free and anonymous.

Our students need this service more than ever. I am also delighted that my Department was able to secure €5 million in funding for mental health services in our institutions of higher education, to ensure the ability of HEIs around the country to continue to provide assistance to students in need of help."

50808 is a first of its kind for Ireland: a free 24/7 text service, providing everything from a calming chat to immediate support for people going through a mental health or emotional crisis - big or small.

From breakups or bullying, to anxiety, depression and suicidal feelings, the Crisis Volunteers are available 24/7 for anonymous text conversations.  The aim is to provide immediate support in the short term and connect people to resources that will help them into the future.

For more information about this services, please contact the Gertie Raftery, Student Counsellor at DkIT and Chairperson of Psychological Counsellors in Higher Education Ireland (E. Gertie.Raftery@dkit.ie; T. +353-0429370200).

Student Counselling Services remain available to new and returning DkIT Students at this time. To contact the student counselling services email counsellor@dkit.ie or call +353 (042) 9370247.