Amber Flag Initiative

Amber Flag registrations open from Monday 7th September 2026!

Amber Flag application submission will open on Friday 23rd April 2027 and will close on Friday 4th June 2027.

You can submit your completed application at any time during this submission window and applications will be reviewed in the order they are received. Whether you have achieved your Amber Flag previously or your new to the initiative we are delighted your joining us!

The Pieta Amber Flag Initiative recognises the individual efforts to create healthy, inclusive environments that support emotional health and well-being in the following organisations:

• Primary and Secondary Schools

• Further Education and Training Centres

• Youthreach

• Third-level Institutions

• Organisations and Clubs

By joining Pieta’s Amber Flag movement, you’ll be part of a community across Ireland working together to break the stigma surrounding mental health. If you are a business, please visit our Amber Flag for Businesses page.

• Primary schools can offer their students the opportunity to begin their well-being journey, where they can learn the basics of positive mental health.

• As per the Well-being Policy & Statement Framework for Practice 2018-2023 (Department of Education & Skills, 2018), promoting the well-being of our children and young people is a shared community responsibility.

• Schools can play a major role in enhancing protective factors and minimising risks.

• Primary school subjects such as Aistear, SPHE, Arts Education and PE, as well as others, can be good places to start the children on their well-being journey and will help in gaining an Amber Flag.

• Secondary schools offer students the opportunity to continue their well-being journey.

• Research shows that adopting a whole school approach provides a wide range of educational and social benefits including: improved behaviour, increased inclusion, improved learning, greater social cohesion, increased social capital and improvements to mental health (Weare and Gray, 2003).

• The Amber Flag is a great way to tie together a secondary school’s well-being programme that often includes SPHE, PE and CSPE.

• Many students attend various organisations to further their skills, training, and education.

• The Amber Flag is the perfect initiative to promote teamwork and gives students an opportunity to meet and work alongside others.

• Students can learn life skills and be supported and educated in how to cope with challenges that they face.

• Youthreach is an ideal setting for the Amber Flag as there is a strong emphasis on personal development and the individual needs of students.

• The Youthreach curriculum focuses not just on the academic but equally on vocational and soft skills development.

• Most Youthreach are doing subjects such as SPHE, Sports, Art, Design and Mixed Media, Drama etc., all of which can help to build self-confidence and self-esteem which leads to positive mental health.

• Many Youthreach are already doing the foundation work for the Amber Flag so it would be great if their efforts were awarded at a national level.

• Third-level institutions in Ireland have a huge role to play in people’s mental health.

• Almost 75% of all serious mental health conditions first emerge between the ages of 15 and 25 (Kessler et al., 2005). Many full-time undergraduate entrants fall within that age group (HEA 2018); and for that reason, students are identified as a high-risk group for mental health difficulties.

• Our hope is that all third-level institutions in Ireland get involved with the Amber Flag as they work towards implementing the National Student Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Framework (2020).

• Clubs and Organisations are the perfect opportunity to promote positive mental health.

• The ethos of many clubs and organisations are teamwork and participation.

• Through these, clubs and organisations can illustrate what it’s members can do to educate and reduce stigma around mental health.

• By having an Amber Flag awarded to them, clubs and organisations are showing their communities the importance they place on promoting positive mental health.

1. Register for Amber Flag by visiting www.idonate.ie/event/amberflag26-27

2. Create an Amber Flag Committee

3. Complete an audit of past and current activities which promote emotional health and wellbeing .

4. Set and complete 2/3 emotional health and wellbeing goals.

5. Complete a Pieta fundraiser. 

6. Complete and submit the Amber Flag Application by the closing date, along with evidence of the goals achieved.

7. Receive a physical flag and a digital certificate and badge.

8. Celebrate achievements with your community

Check out Amber Flag Information Booklet 26 27 for more details.

The Amber Flag initiative is in its 10th year. A record 554 Flags were awarded in 2024/25. Once a flag is awarded, it is often placed in a prominent position outside, flying at full mast, acknowledging the great achievement. Businesses may choose to highlight their Amber Flag by including the Amber Flag mark in their email signatures, and by placing their flag in a prominent location in their physical premises.

By taking part in Amber Flag, you are demonstrating a commitment to the vision and objectives which underpin the initiative. 

Celebrating communities where emotional health and wellbeing are placed at the heart of learning, leadership and everyday life. 

• Whole Community Approach: Embed a whole community approach to emotional health and wellbeing 

• Strengths Based: Strengthen protective factors through increased awareness and education 

• Connection: Foster connections, belonging and positive relationships across communities 

• Prevention:  Promote sustainable, preventative approaches to support lifelong emotional health and wellbeing. 

• Collaboration: Champion collaboration and shared responsibility to create lasting, positive change 

• By taking part in Amber Flag, you’re helping to build a positive and supportive community where everyone can express themselves, work together and make a difference to each other’s wellbeing.

• By being part of your Amber Flag Committee and setting meaningful emotional health and wellbeing goals, you'll empower your community to focus on what matters most to them, creating lasting, positive change.

• By completing your Amber Flag fundraiser, you play a vital role in sustaining and growing the Amber Flag initiative and directly contribute to providing life-saving therapeutic counselling services for children, young people, and adults.

• By joining Pieta’s Amber Flag movement, you’ll be part of a growing community across Ireland, where we work together to break the stigma surrounding mental health.

Whether you're a teacher looking to implement a whole school initiative, a community leader looking to make an impact or an organisation committed to supporting the mental health of your members, there's a place for you within our Amber Flag community.