Have a question you’d like an answer to?
Need a second opinion about something? Talk to a trained Youth Information Officer about a wide range of topics.
Chat with us now
How does it work?
The chat service is available between 4pm and 8pm, Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays). If you want to chat to a Youth Information Worker during that time, start a conversation now.
If you would like to leave a message outside of the hours of our chat service, we can come back to you by email the next time we’re online.
What we can help with
Popular topics right now include include:
- Questions around COVID-19
- How to keep yourself motivated for the Leaving and Junior Cert
- What supports are available if you have lost your job
- How to stay connected with your friends while staying at home
- What are the restrictions around COVID-19 and what they mean for you
We can help you with any questions you have, from education, employment, your rights and entitlements, social protection benefits, college grants, accommodation, and more.
The most important thing is your safety
If you tell us that you are under 18 and are being harmed, are at risk of being harmed, or have been harmed in the past while under 18, we must report this information to Tusla – the Child and Family Agency – and possibly the Gardaí. To make these reports, we need your full name, your age and the county you live in. If you choose not to share this information with us, we will be unable to make a report.
Who will you be talking to?
Our chat service is staffed by Youth Information Officers from centres across Ireland. Youth Information Officers are trained in providing information that is impartial, accurate, relevant to your question, in a non-judgemental and easy to understand way. The Youth Information Officers staffing the system are from YMCA Ireland, Crosscare and Youth Work Ireland.
Chat with us now
Are you in a crisis?
This is not a service for people experiencing a mental health crisis, but if you need mental health support right now, text SPUNOUT to 086 1800 280 to start an anonymous conversation with a trained volunteer – 24/7. Standard text message rates may apply.
Who are we?
SpunOut.ie is led by its reader community and young volunteers.
A group of 160 young people from around the country form the SpunOut.ie Action Panel (SAP) which provides leadership to the organisation.
Hundreds of young people volunteer their time to the work of the organisation through writing and proofing content, making videos and giving feedback.
Our team of ten staff manage the day-to-day running of SpunOut.ie and rely on reader analytics and the SpunOut.ie Action Panel to provide us with the direction and leadership to stay in touch with the views and needs of the readers we serve. The staff facilitate the mechanism for our young leaders to be heard and then follow their lead.
SpunOut.ie also has a voluntary board of professional types who take responsibility for the good governance of the organisation. The board also ensures we stay true to our mission to be a website by young people, for young people.
All information about the governance of SpunOut.ie can be viewed in our Governance section.
