Author: Debbie Watkins

This week is Mental Health Awareness Week with the theme of kindness.  Our lead Chaplain, Lucy McGrath, who is currently furloughed, has spent time reflecting on the importance of showing kindness to ourselves, as well as others, during these uncertain times:

“When I think about the work of our staff at YMCA DownsLink Group I can see that kindness can be found at the heart of what we do. Our frontline staff have demonstrated their ability to be imaginative, adaptable and resilient, working hard to make sure they can still provide the much needed support to the young people who access our services and live in our housing projects. Similarly, our back office staff have been equally creative, flexible and adaptable enabling frontline services to function. It is really amazing what is and has been taking place at YMCA DownsLink Group to ensure that young people are supported during this pandemic.

Around us in the world we see many examples of people going the extra mile, helping neighbours, supporting the vulnerable, and of course the health and care workers who are right up against it – working flat out in the midst of illness, death and immense grief.

Surrounded by so many examples of heroism, creativity, and resilience it can be very easy to give ourselves a hard time if our own experience is a real struggle. Maybe we are working to our limits and have a sense of purpose and value but at a cost of feeling overwhelmed and exhausted at times. Maybe we are furloughed and feeling a bit useless. Maybe we are struggling to manage work and small children, or even teenagers or older relatives. Maybe we live on our own and haven’t spoken to anyone in a few days. Maybe family life is anything but the Waltons and relationships are under huge strain.

Whatever our situation, kindness can help and it needs to include ourselves. Most of the major religions of the world encourage us to “Love our neighbour as ourselves”. Only you know what most helps you – perhaps making time consciously to do something you like doing or ringing a trusted person up for an offload. Whatever it is I hope each of us is making time for kindness to ourselves.

From a place of kindness to ourselves it is easier to be kind, showing kindness to others helps us as well as them. We may not be in a place to do heroic things but each of us has the power to be kind every day. It’s as simple as asking the next shopworker or delivery man how they are or giving someone a smile as you step onto the road to allow them to pass.

Coronavirus may be incredibly infectious, but I think the outpouring of kind acts all around us show that kindness is even more contagious, and that fills me with great hope that this pandemic is birthing a kinder world.”

Brighton & Hove’s, Make Change Count campaign supporting people who are rough sleeping, is back for 2020.  We’re teaming up again with many other local organisations who are experienced in supporting rough sleepers and preventing homelessness. Like us, these organisations are working during the Coronavirus crisis to provide connections into services and help people meet their basic needs.

The participating organisations are: BHT, St Mungo’s, Sussex Nightstop, Equinox, Antifreeze, The Clock Tower Sanctuary, Umbrella Brighton & Hove and YMCA Brighton.

Over four years, more than £100,000 has been raised and gone directly to help some of Brighton & Hove’s most vulnerable residents.

Our CEO, Chas Walker, explains why we’ve always been a part of the Make Change Count campaign:

“We’re delighted to be working in partnership with other local charities on the Make Change Count campaign again. As a charity that tackles the issues of youth homelessness, through a range of services, from our Youth Advice Centres (YMCA YAC) to our supported housing projects in the city, we understand the complexity of homelessness. It is only by working together that we can tackle the issues and combat the rise in homelessness. Our aim is a future in which every young person has the opportunity to fulfil their potential.”

Through Make Change Count, you can help with this essential action by supporting the aims of the campaign which are to:

• Help people who are rough sleeping to access support services available in the city and to move away from the streets for good.
• Encourage an alternative option to giving directly to individuals on the street. You can donate to Make Change Count online .
• Let Streetlink know if you see anyone in need living on the streets so tailored help can be offered.

Cllr Gill Williams, chair of housing committee, said: “I’d like to say a big thank you to all the organisations who help our vulnerable residents and to everyone who supports their work.

“The Make Change Count campaign makes a positive difference for so money people if all ages and backgrounds. It’s great that all money donated to the campaign goes directly to people in need in our city. Contributions are used to provide food, access to shower facilities, healthcare, clothing and a wide range of practical help based on individual needs. This can be lifechanging and lifesaving.”

To find out more visit Brighton & Hove’s Council website.

At just four year’s old, Poppy Napthine has set herself a marathon challenge. She is attempting to ride 26 miles in a week to raise money for us as part of the 2.6 challenge set up in response to the loss of income for charities by the cancellation of the London marathon. Inspired by Captain Tom Moore, the youngster has already smashed her original fundraising target (£184.40 to mark when the YMCA began – 1844) and is now hoping to raise £1,844. In just four days she’s cycled 15.9 miles and is on course to complete her challenge by the end of the week.

Poppy, who is also the daughter of our very own head of service in Guildford, Paul Napthine, is raising money for us as, like every other charity, we’ve been hit by the loss of fundraising income and the idea of the 2.6 Challenge is to get people to do any activity around the numbers 2.6 or 26 and get their family and friends to sponsor.

Poppy (possibly helped by her dad) explains why she’s set herself this challenge on her JustGiving page:

“My name is Poppy and I am 4 years old…. I love my bike, I have become very confident on it since this virus arrived (my Dad says ‘too confident’).

I am going to ride my bike 26 miles in the next 7 days to make some money for YMCA Guildford, I hope the weather stays sunny because I like to stop for a snack picnic, regularly! My little brother will probably tag along for the ride.

My Daddy works for YMCA Guildford, part of YMCA DownsLink Group, and he’s helping a lot of young people with his friends to stay safe and to give them somewhere to live. They need to get some money to get food for them as many of them can’t work at the moment, they also need to make some fun things to do help them stay motivated.

I would like to raise £184.40, the reason I have chosen this number is that 1844 is when the YMCA started so it’s really old, even older than my Dad! That just shows how long it’s been helping young people. They need some help now…

Thank you and I am off to get my helmet… stay safe everyone.”

To support Poppy visit her JustGiving Page

If you’ve been inspired by Poppy or Captain Tom and would like to set up your own challenge to raise money for us visit our 2.6 Challenge Page. It is really easy and every page makes a difference!

We’re delighted to announce the launch of a new online service, www.e-wellbeing.co.uk  from our counselling team (YMCA Dialogue) that supports young people with their wellbeing and mental health. e-wellbeing has been in development for a year and was due to launch in six months. However, increased pressure on young people’s mental health, due to the COVID-19 outbreak, has meant that the development team at YMCA Dialogue have worked around the clock over the last six weeks to get the project live. Funding has been provided by Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, alongside support from the NHS Sustainability & Transformation Plan, to bring forward the launch date and ensure young people across Sussex can get the help they need.

At launch, e-wellbeing will be an accessible guide to the mental health services available to young people in Sussex and Surrey. However, interactive content will be added over the next few months to enhance the user experience and a marketing campaign will target young people. Young people have also been involved in developing and testing the service it at each stage of development.

Cat Pritchard, our Wellbeing and Therapeutic Services Manager & Digital Lead, has been heading up the project. She explains how the new service will work and why it is different to other ‘wellbeing’ websites:

“Mental health systems and pathways are often complicated and many young people, parents & carers, and professionals remark that they are difficult to navigate. This website works to simplify the process of accessing the right help, in the right place, at the right time.

Local services have worked incredibly hard to adapt their offers so they can continue to meet the needs of young people remotely. Now, more than ever, it’s so important that young people know there is support available to them and that there are lots of different ways they can help themselves and their peers.

e-wellbeing is different to other websites, in that it poses a series of questions to help guide young people to the appropriate content. It provides young people with self-help guidance and information about different aspects of mental health difficulties and supports them to make the decision about whether they may need help from a professional service. Crucially, they will then be connected with information about services in their local area.”

Commenting on the launch of the new website, Dr Rick Fraser, Chief Medical Officer at Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, which provides specialist mental health services to people of all ages in Sussex said:

“We are living in a time of unprecedented change around COVID-19, a time when just about every part of our lives seem very different to how they were only a few weeks ago and a time when our usual sources of support, communication and connecting may not be there. For young people this can lead to feeling isolated, frightened and stressed which can lead to mental ill health problems. What I like about the digital platform for young people is that it provides a virtual place for young people to access good quality information, support and link with others in a way that is safe and managed. This is an innovation that works in COVID-19 times but should also work well in times beyond. I look forward to seeing how this develops.”

Kent Surrey Sussex Academic Health Science Network (KSS AHSN) have also been working with YMCA DownsLink Group on a number of activities to speed up the introduction of the new service, including identifying funding opportunities and potential partners. Commenting on the initiative Des Holden, KSS AHSN’s Medical Director, said:

“Wellbeing is not just about physical health, it is about mental and social health as well. To bring the information needed by children and young people, their families and other supports in their life together, in one place, accessed through one front door is a great step forward.

I’m very proud that, when so much focus is on dealing with a viral pandemic, organisations are coming together to offer something better for the health of young people. At KSS AHSN we’re delighted to have been able to play our part in this project locally, and we are championing the initiative nationally. Long may innovation in young peoples’ health continue.”

It is expected that e-wellbeing will have a range of impacts, including supporting more young people to develop skills to improve their mental health or maintain positive mental health, whist providing faster access to the right service for children and young people. It should also ensure higher rates of appropriate referrals to existing mental health services, and, in doing, should reduce pressure on frontline services, including GP surgeries and A&E.

e-wellbeing has been a project that has come out of years of experience by the YMCA Dialogue team in running counselling services for children, young people and families. YMCA Dialogue is the largest provider of school counselling in Brighton & Hove, and, in 2019, it provided therapeutic services to over 3,500 people in schools and communities across Sussex and Surrey. e-wellbeing will extend the reach of their service and enable more children and young people to access mental health advice, support and professional services using digital solutions.

Behind the scenes, YMCA Dialogue, have been working very closely with web development company Boz Boz to create the e-wellbeing service. Boz Boz have been committed to delivering this service ahead of schedule to ensure children and young people can access the help they need during this uncertain time and have been valuable partners in the project.