The team behind With You’s service for young people in East Dunbartonshire may be small, but it’s certainly having an impact.
Referrals to the service have increased by nearly 40% since January, highlighting the urgent need for support tailored to those under the age of 25.
“Children as young as 11 years old come to us for help,” says service manager Christine McCauley. “The support they need is completely different to what would be provided by an adult service. We have a great reputation with partner agencies in our area, because they know that we are helping young people at a really critical point in their lives.”
Christine’s team of two substance misuse workers, Aaron and Hannah, meet the young people they support several times a week in order to form a relationship and build up trust. As well as holding one-to-one sessions, they support young people to attend meetings with other organisations, such as their school and social work.
The service is able to make direct referrals to With You’s CBT and trauma therapists, meaning its clients can access this support without having to join the long waiting list for CALMS.
Christine explains: “Some of the young people we support are using substances because of trauma, they are looking for a way to numb painful feelings. Others have started using substances because they want to have a good time and it gets out of hand.
“I really worry about the mental health of the younger generation. We meet so many young people who have anxiety, they feel like they don’t fit in. So they turn to substances for a feeling of confidence.”
With You has been proudly supporting the people of Scotland for almost two decades. Our person-centred drug and alcohol services are deep-rooted in communities across 12 local authority areas, from the busy streets of Glasgow to the rural pockets of Dumfries and Galloway.
“A 14-year-old boy came to us because he was using cannabis. It was affecting all areas of his life — from his relationship with his parents, to his learning at school.
Just three years later, his head teacher describes him as a ‘model pupil’. He got great results in all his exams and he is a keen sportsman! He’s 17 and the world is his oyster.”
-Christine McCauley, service manager at With You in East Dunbartonshire
Dedicated to reaching as many people as possible, we also provide national support online via our webchat service and on the phone, offering free, confidential advice on drugs, alcohol, and mental health.
If you’re worried about your own drug or alcohol use, or if you want advice for someone you know, please get in touch with us via our webchat service or by contacting one of our local services — we offer free, non-judgemental advice to whoever needs it: https://www.wearewithyou.org.uk/help-and-advice/find-service/
This blog was originally published by With You. You can read the original post here.
DDN magazine is a free publication self-funded through advertising.
We are proud to work in partnership with many of the leading charities and treatment providers in the sector.
This content was created by With You