Ireland’s Third Age Foundation wins EESC Civil Society Prize for Mental Health

Brussels – Ireland’s Third Age Foundation, which battles loneliness among people in old age, won the first prize in the EU Economic and Social Committee (EESC) Civil Society Award for Mental Health.

“Their work on mental health is truly inspiring and should also be recognized at the EU level,” said EESC President Oliver Röpke at the awards ceremony during Civil Society Week.

“People across the EU, young and old, are increasingly struggling with mental health,” he added. Anxiety and depression spiked across Europe. Civil society plays a pivotal role in providing services that are currently not adequately supplied by the public health system, with particular attention to the specific needs of vulnerable groups.”

“Mental health disorders such as anxiety, depression, and eating disorders have increased throughout Europe,” EESC Vice President for Communication, Laurențiu Plosceanu added.

“Mental health disorders may be a silent epidemic,” he noted, “but it is certainly a huge epidemic. With this prize, our committee wants to break this taboo and talk about mental health and mental well-being. And we also want to highlight the work that civil society does to improve mental well-being.”

The European Economic and Social Committee rewarded five nonprofit organizations for their contributions to combating mental disorders, which have risen dramatically in the EU.

The 50,000-euro prize was shared among the five winning projects.

Third Age Foundation was awarded the first prize of 14,000 euros.

The other four runners-up each received 9,000 euros.

In second place, was the Pro Lapinlahti Association, Finland, for its Lapinlahden Lähde community center. In third place, was Integra, Slovakia, for its “Crazy? So what!” initiative; in fourth place, was the Lilinkoti Foundation, Finland, for “The World of Recovery” games. In fifth place, was the Animenta Organization, Italy, for its project ‘Telling Stories for Good’ project.