Young Concern Trust wins a place as one of ITV’s People’s Millions charities.
- By Chris Clements
- Published 11/12/2009
- Harlow Information
Harlow charity Young Concern Trust has won a place to take part in ITV Anglia’s People’s Millions. Eight charities in the ITV Anglia region will compete on television during the week of 23rd November 2009 to win Lottery funding for their projects; and viewers will vote by telephone for their favourite one. Young Concern Trust’s appeal will be screened on Wednesday 25th November between 6.00pm – 6.30pm.
If Young Concern Trust is successful it will secure £50,000 which it can then match with promised funding from the Fowler, Smith & Jones Trust and the charity’s own funds to refurbish the former Dashes Family Centre and establish a new Youth Counselling & Resource Centre.
Director Robert Locke says: “This is such a great opportunity for improving the lives of many vulnerable children and young people here in Harlow. To expand and extend our services we desperately need the centre to be made ‘fit for purpose’ and useable. We need the town to get behind us and make sure we win this Lottery cash – then we can immediately get on with refurbishing the centre and providing new services. We need everyone in Harlow and across Essex to watch the appeal on 25th November and phone in to vote for us”.
Earlier this year in June, and in presence of Harlow Councillor Eddie Johnson, EEDA Chief Executive Deborah Cadman and Lady Kemp-Welch, the charity officially launched an appeal to secure the necessary funding to make the centre ‘fit for purpose’. With a positive result from the Lottery’s People’s Millions Young Concern Trust will have achieved its target.
With new Youth Counselling & Resource Centre the charity will:
· Double the number of children and young people to 1,000 who can access counselling and therapeutic groupwork (including new projects to tackle teenage pregnancy and promote sexual health)
· Offer innovative and accessible e-counselling services
· Target counselling services at looked after children to enhance their self-esteem, confidence and aspirations
· Improve outcomes for children and young people in line with the Every Child Matters agenda: improving health, reducing inequalities and social exclusion
· Act as a hub for other children and young people’s services
· Expand the charity’s geographic coverage to neighbouring communities.
Former-Essex High Sheriff, Lady Diana Kemp-Welch is a co-founder of Young Concern Trust, which is now in its 21st year of operation, says:
“I remain convinced that there is, and that there will be an increasing demand for the charity’s services. We need a new youth counselling centre to enable us to broaden and increase what we do. Early intervention is vital to breaking the intergenerational cycle of under-achievement and social breakdown. Young Concern will be able to provide better services to children and young people, enabling them to turn their young lives around.”
Some key facts about Young Concern Trust:
· It is a small charity providing professional, free and confidential youth counselling services; many of whom are disadvantaged and have experienced physical, emotional and sexual abuse.
· As a dynamic charity, working with almost 500 children and young people aged 11-25 every year, the aim is to contribute to their mental health, develop confidence and self-esteem.
· Counselling is provided on a one-to-one basis, in groups and often in local community settings including schools. Up to six sessions are provided at times to suit from Monday through to Saturdays, including evenings.
· Works in partnership with other local agencies: the PCT, local authorities, colleges and schools, the Connexions service and St Clare Hospice. The counselling team is fully qualified to help children and young people with: *bereavement *relationship *bullying *emotional difficulties *anger management and self-esteem problems.
· Recent evaluation (from a baseline of 72 clients) found that 93% said the counselling was useful, and believed their problems had been well understood by their counsellor, and claimed to be much better able to cope in their lives.
· Young Concern is a BACP (British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy) Accredited service.
