Since the pandemic, the need for mental health services has increased dramatically.
Today's young people can have a wide spectrum of needs that must be addressed before they can continue their journey to a better future.
SW!TCH Minds is dedicated to meeting these needs and supporting at-risk young people as they find their future.
Our trained and qualified Youth Development Workers provide one-to-one mentoring in schools alongside a range of positive activities within the community, all supported by our award-winning VIP Mentoring framework.
We've also partnered with other organisations to offer a full range of specialised support for young people with more complex issues.
This include counselling for issues such as depression, anxiety and loneliness, family therapy and counselling, and specialised support and counselling for young people with autism spectrum disorder or learning difficulties.
One-to-one mentoring
Weekly sessions in schools give a young person the opportunity to build a trusting relationship with their mentor while they gain confidence, self-determination, and agency over their future.
Engaging positive activities
Targeted group activities, both physical and creative, are held in local community settings to give young people a positive and safe space to improve their wellbeing, learn new skills, and make new friends.
Working in partnership
Our team works closely with our partner organisations, statutory bodies, and professionals to identify at-risk young people, respond to developing issues, and ensure a truly joined-up approach to mentoring.
Co-designed solutions
Each young person helps to develop their own learning plan, and their unique situations and needs are examined to help shape the course of their mentoring to ensure the best possible outcome.
What is VIP Mentoring?
VIP Mentoring helps young people to find their vision, their identity and their purpose.
Young people consistently tell us that they want more support, particularly when it comes to questions of mental health and the social and emotional pressures they face.
What’s often missing for young people are trusted adults—someone that can be relied upon when facing challenges in their lives. But trusted relationships that encourage positive self-esteem, resilience, and growth take time to flourish. This simple truth often gets overlooked when systems and professionals are facing increasing pressure to deliver results.
VIP Mentoring empowers young people to discover a sense of vision for their lives, to understand their identity and be comfortable in their own skin while providing positive activities within safe boundaries that help them to unpack their purpose.
VIP Mentoring was recognised by the CYP Now Awards in 2009 and the Philip Lawrence Awards in 2010.
Our SW!TCH Minds team is currently supporting young people in
Havering
Want to refer a young person?
Know someone in need of help?
Whether you’re a parent, school, or other organisations, simply fill out our referral form to get a young person help.
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I see firsthand how we help young people with difficult obstacles to manage their emotions and behaviour. SW!TCH Minds is a crucial support tool for any young person with challenging mental health needs. The mentoring and activities give them a chance to get wider support by connecting them with their community.
Alex Nelson
SW!TCH manager, LifeLine Projects
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