HERE FOR YOU - AREA 43
The Here for You project, by the Ceredigion Youth Charity – Area 43, was developed to provide a free accessible online counselling service for young people aged between 16 and 30, resident in Ceredigion with some specific targets for those who lived in remote rural areas or who could not attend a physical location to receive a counselling intervention.
The pilot sought to provide a counselling service delivered by remote means through online video and audio services delivered directly to young people in a location of their choosing with flexible appointment times to suit their life situation.
The pilot was very successful in delivering an online service to young people who have previously struggled to engage with more formal and structured settings for support. The impact on some individuals has been profound, with interventions providing the support that they need and given them the tools to better manage their wellbeing.
A service user stated, “The service really worked for me, the number of sessions available meant I could explore issues properly without feeling rushed. It was flexible and allowed me to receive counselling when it suited me.”
As the service was active during the COVID pandemic it was recognised by the local primary care sector as an invaluable resource to support young people who were expressing low to mid-level mental health issues. GP’s were actively signposting young people to the service as a result of feedback they had received from other patients who had engaged with the project.
The service has been able to continue post pilot with direct commissioning from both North and South Ceredigion Primary Care Clusters. The positive impact, feedback and experience of the service users being a key factor in the commissioning.
As a result of the Here for You pilot project, the mental health services available free of charge in Ceredigion has expanded. This provides an opportunity for any young person to access a talking therapy service quickly and confidentially within the county.
To read the full report on the activities and success of this project please click here.
To view the case study click here.
This project has received funding through the Welsh Government Rural Communities – Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, which is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Welsh Government.
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