OnSide Youth Zones
Bridging the Gap
We are delighted to announce our partnership with young people’s charity, OnSide Youth Zones, has been a great success. Through our partnership we were able to help identify and provide mental health support to young people across the Youth Zone network. The programme, which was also supported by the Rayne Foundation, was part of Onside’s ‘Culture of Health’ initiative established in partnership with the Oglesby Charitable Trust.
The Foundation’s grant of £90,000 over the programme went towards implementing “Bridging The Gap” at 10 locations across the UK.
“Bridging the Gap” was successful in upskilling staff at OnSide’s Youth Zones so they could provide access to stigma free, multidisciplinary mental health care to young people who are experiencing, or at risk of developing mental health issues. 210 mental health first aiders were trained as well as a further 611 staff members who received training on physical, mental and nutritional health. The staff worked with young people to identify problems they were facing and offer support before they reached a crisis point. Through the partnership 1033 young people received 1-2-1 support and a staggering 5377 young people engaged in targeted initiatives.
Young people also had the opportunity to work with a Health and Wellbeing Manager to secure specialist support from external agencies as appropriate.
“Thanks to the CareTech Foundation for helping us develop the skills to better understand the mental health and wellbeing needs of young people. I get involved in a lot of projects but when Future (Barking and Dagenham Youth Zone) entered Culture of Health as part of the third and final cohort, I quickly got and liked the idea behind the project. Going forward as Head of Youth Work, I feel it should be something, and we will work hard to ensure it remains embedded long term. In fact, we’ve achieved a standard of a good working environment in the youth work sector. Why? Because this change supports the team in being their best selves to better support the young people we are working with (physical, mental, nutritional health). This also goes hand in hand with ensuring that we have and can keep the right staff members feeling supported in delivering youth work. We now have a great way to introduce the different elements of ‘Health’ to young people”.
You really helped me to reduce my anxiety with meeting new people and talking about my emotions, I have now started having more positive conversations with my mum when I’m feeling anxious or not myself.'
