Do One Thing: Jack

I am Jack, Peer Support Development Worker for the Children and Young People’s Services (CYP).

The pandemic has resulted in a significant increase in mental health difficulties for young people, which has made the work that I, and the rest of the CYP team do, so much more important.

As a team we have managed to keep supporting young people with their mental health online through both one-to-one and group methods; I am responsible for running our CYP Peer Support Groups, which provide 18-24 year olds with a safe place to share, understand and give mutual support to other young people who are struggling with their mental health.

This is an incredible service to be a part of as I have been able to see young people (volunteers and group members) supporting each other through a very difficult and isolating time.

Support for young people is so important at the moment and it is crucial we educate young people on mental health and where to find help; not only will this encourage young people to find support when they need, but it will also create a better perception of mental health for the upcoming generation. If we couple this with more accessible services with larger capacities, young people’s mental health will be in a much better place, allowing them to live positive and fulfilling lives for longer.

For World Mental Health Day I am proud to be able to play my part in supporting young people to achieve better mental health.

Find out about all our services for young people.