Young people in Grantham helping others build resilience
A project working with unemployed young people from the Earlesfield Estate has been taking place over the past six months.
Grantham-based social enterprise, Now Unlimited, have been working with local young people in a number of innovative ways, in order to provide support and help them build up their emotional resilience.
The programme also encouraged those looking for work to develop skills valued by employers. The young people involved completed a course focused on using their emotional resilience when faced with difficult situations or issues.
In addition they undertook a research project to find out more about mental health problems amongst young people.
Now Unlimited, who run various courses helping people of all ages deal with stress, decided to create this youth project due to the prevalence of mental health concerns in the younger generation. One in 10 children and young people aged between five and 16 suffer from a diagnosable mental health disorder. Over the past decade the number of young people being admitted to hospital because of self-harm has increased by 68 percent.
In order to improve the situation for young people struggling in Grantham, Now Unlimited came up with inventive ways to offer support. This included working with a rapper to enable them to express their feelings. They also worked together to write a comedy script, and created wrist-bands designed with the message: ‘You are not alone’.
One of the young people who took part, said anonymously: “We are a group of young people going through a lot of stress. We want to use our experience to help other people deal with stress.”
Another added: “The rap is a way of getting our message across, dealing with what is real, things that other young people can relate to.”
Team-building activities, a youth friendly website, and the production of a number of other helpful resources were also part of the project.
All these achievements were celebrated in a special event held at the Earlesfield Youth Centre on November 28.
Now Unlimited, set up by Gonerby Hill Foot resident Maureen O’Callaghan, continues to work with young people in the area, and has a range of stress-reducing courses for all ages.
For more details contact Maureen at maureen@nowunlimited.co.uk or on 07939 845920, or visit www.nowunlimited.co.uk