A new youth project has started at Southend Hospital

May 2, 2024

A new youth project has started at Southend Hospital.

The project initially started at Basildon Hospital in 2019, (commissioned by the Violence and Vulnerability Board) with the main aim of the project to support young people who arrive at Accident and Emergency due to being victims of violent crime. They are offered a youth worker to support them in accessing services within their local community, advocate for them and also work with parents carers, schools/colleges, social care and other provisions such as Children and Young People's Mental Health Services (CAMHS). The service is catered around what the young person wants and can be available for as long as needed.

Following from the development of the project in Basildon Hospital, 700 referrals were completed and 95% of the young people were in a mental health crisis. This project has now rolled out into Southend-on-Sea, and it is now offered for all young people that arrive at Accident and Emergency or if they have a long-term health condition such as diabetes and epilepsy.

The Youth Work in Hospital Project Team supports young people to:

• Feel confident to manage life's stressors
• Find community groups and activities to join
• Meet other young people with shared interests
• Engage positively with school, college or work
• Work out options for the future
• Develop resilience, confidence and self-worth

Their service is:

• Entirely voluntary, which means that young people must want to engage with us and are under no obligation to
• Open-ended, so there is not a specific time limit on support and if a young person feels they no longer need support now but then, in the future want to reach out again, they can, and their Youth Worker will continue working with them
• Not waiting list limited so most referrals are contacted within 5 days and an initial visit arranged as soon as possible after that
• For more information about the Youth Work in Hospital Project, email hospitalyouthworkteam@essex.gov.uk or call 07385947147.