Youth support scheme that ‘really made a difference’ expanded

A project that helps distressed teenagers is being expanded.

The Youth Navigators programme aims to help young people aged between 12 and 16 with complex social issues when they attend accident and emergency.

Specialist youth navigators identify those children and young people in need of help and aim to provide them with practical support so they can access long-term assistance.

Since being launched in 2021, the scheme, which is delivered by Medics Against Violence, has helped more than 600 youngsters.

Most of those who were helped were struggling with their mental health and wellbeing because of problems at home, with friends or bullying, with some who were more severely impacted suffering from suicidal thoughts.

The scheme currently operates in children’s hospitals in the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and NHS Grampian areas, but it will now be expanded to University Hospital Wishaw thanks to £64,000 from the Scottish Government.

Mental wellbeing minister Maree Todd said the funding will also see a pilot of the programme operating in Taylor High School in New Stevenston, North Lanarkshire.

She said: “Since the Youth Navigator programme started in mid-2021, it has supported over 600 young people.

“This additional support for the programme is in addition to the substantial investment we are already making to improve the mental health and wellbeing support provided to children, young people and their families in Scotland.

“This funding is the result of the Scottish Government listening to children, young people and families and taking direct action in the areas where they have told us more support is needed.

“Ensuring that all children and young people can get the right mental health and wellbeing support at the right time is a key priority for this Government, as our continued record investment in this area goes to show.”

Professor Christine Goodall, co-director and founder of Medics Against Violence, said: “We are delighted to receive funding from the Scottish Government to pilot the expansion of the Youth Navigator programme.

“The youth work approach that the youth navigators take provides young people with a trusted adult with whom they can discuss their feelings, and through discussing what is most important to them, put plans in place to support a safer future.”

She said the expansion to another hospital is “much needed”, while piloting the programme in schools will “take prevention further upstream to try and support young people with any issues they are facing before they get to the crisis point where they require medical intervention”.

One young person, who did not want to be identified, spoke about the help they had been given through the scheme, saying: “I appreciate what the Youth Navigator programme has done for me – giving me someone to talk to who won’t invalidate my feelings and genuinely help me is something I’ve always wanted.

“I am so grateful to those involved – they really made a difference in my life.”