We support young people, offering crisis counselling, creating a safe environment and teaching invaluable techniques such as stress management and how to regulate emotion. Workshops exploring self-expression, identity and aspirations as well as creativity will help to build children and young people’s sense of self worth. We will re-engage those children and young people who have developed a mistrust for services following unsuccessful interventions.
Trauma-Informed Practice
In 2020 we launched a Trauma-Informed Practice approach to our work to better improve access young people have to emotional, wellbeing and mental health services. Our Youth Workers have undergone extensive Trauma-Informed Practice (TIP) training facilitated by CAMHS. A wide range of young people who attend CYP were surveyed to see, in practice, how their emotional and wellbeing needs were (or were not) being met by CYP. A Trauma-Informed needs assessment was carried out, with the Project Director analysing in detail the different ways of implementing a Trauma-Informed approach. From this, the Project Director and Therapeutic Youth Worker have since developed a Therapeutic action plan to inform the Therapeutic project. This action plan will form part of a universally practised trauma-based approach while improving the young people’s awareness and experience of wellbeing and seeking support.
The Therapeutic Youth Worker has discovered a psychological methodology to explore; the Integrate Model developed by Psychologist Charlie Howard. The Therapeutic Youth Worker will research the model further and establish what can be used or adapted to contribute to the method of working in the Therapeutic Project. Further work will include where psychological working methods can be implemented into the Therapeutic Project.
From conversations with young people and reflective practice sessions with youth workers, it’s clear multiple young people seek 1:1 support. Therefore, 1:1 work with young people will make up a significant proportion of the Therapeutic Project work.
