Support Charlie’s Challenge

Local Peterborough resident Charlie Edwards will be fundraising by trekking Ben Nevis.

We are delighted that local Peterborough resident Charlie Edwards has chosen to raise funds for YPCS by taking on the challenge to trek Ben Nevis on 10th September and wish her well in this tough personal challenge.
 
Charlie has direct experience of a close family member suffering with poor mental health and so knows at first hand the impact this has on those that suffer, as well as the effect this can have on their families.
 
As the theme for Mental Health Awareness Week this year was nature, Charlie has chosen her challenge to trek Ben Nevis to link her fundraising efforts with this theme.
Charlie told us, “I think it’s fitting with how the past 18 months have been with lockdowns and restrictions – finding ways to get outside to benefit our mental health. I have set myself the challenge to climb Ben Nevis in the hope to connect to nature and raise money for charity.”
 

Support Group for Parents and Care Givers of Transgender, Non-Binary and Gender Questioning Children and Teeangers

YPCS and The Kite Trust are offering a support group for parents of transgender, non-binary and gender questioning young people.

YPCS and The Kite Trust are offering a face to face support group for parents of transgender, non-binary and gender questioning children. This group will be a safe space to ask questions, gain knowledge and be supported.
 
Date: Tuesday 21st September (group held fortnightly)
Time: 7pm – 8:30pm
Location: Annabelle Davis Centre, School Bungalow, Broadway, Yaxley, PE7 3JD
 
If you would like to be part of the group or to find out more information, please email admin@ypcs.uk or call 01733 903288.

YPCS Chair Authors Book Chapter

Our Chair Alison Graham has authored a chapter in the upcoming book ‘Resilient Voices’. In this book, publisher and anthologist Brenda Dempsey brings together 45 voices to share their true stories of resilience, positivity and hope from a pandemic.

Our Chair Alison Graham has authored a chapter in the upcoming book ‘Resilient Voices’.
 
In ‘Resilient Voices,’ publisher and anthologist Brenda Dempsey brings together 45 voices to share their true stories of resilience, positivity and hope from a pandemic.
 
Sharing their experiences of surviving through a pandemic, and other stressful situations life throws at us, the 45 Voices come from all walks of life – from doctors and nurses, to parents and business owners – raising their voices and sharing their real-life inspirational stories, to show their bouncebackability and resilience.
 
Each of the contributors are New-Found Heroes in their own way, baring their souls and finding the courage to allow themselves to be vulnerable, in a pandemic that in many ways unites us.
 
All profits of Resilient Voices will be donated to the NHS in gratitude for their commitment, dedication and going beyond the duty of their role to support, help and protect lives.
 
Resilience Voices is available for purchase here. 
 

Mental Health Awareness Week

Find out how you can support Mental Health Awareness Week with our fun challenges!

This week is Mental Health Awareness Week and year’s theme is Nature.
 
We will be posting ideas throughout the week on our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for how we can get more involved with nature in ways that support the ‘5 Ways to Well-Being’: connect, be active, take notice, keep learning and give.
 
Learn more about Mental Health Awareness Week at Mental Health UK.

YPCS Is Coming To Wisbech

It’s official – YPCS is coming to Wisbech!

It’s official, YPCS is coming to Wisbech! 

We are delighted to announce we have now commenced our licence to occupy St Peter’s Lodge, a hidden gem in the heart of Wisbech. The building will become our second Annabelle Davis Centre, where we will be delivering our free counselling service for young people and providing support for families. We are fortunate and grateful to St Peter and St Paul’s PCC for enabling us to use this building.

In the coming weeks, a programme of improvements will be made to the building, which will include refurbishment and adaptations to the ground floor to ensure it is fully accessible.  There will be dedicated therapy rooms and a large community room, which can be used for support groups, network meetings, workshops and training events.

We wouldn’t have got to this stage without the fantastic support of the local business community, for which we are enormously grateful and there are still opportunities for businesses to get involved. We will be recruiting staff and will of course welcome volunteers for on-going support and to help with fundraising events.

If you would like to get involved, please contact our Operations and Development Manager by emailing thelma.wadsley@ypcs.uk or phoning 07943881614.

Fostering and Adoption Support

Young People’s Counselling Service are proud to support this network for families who foster and adopt and those considering these options.

St. Peter’s Church, working in association with the Annabelle Davis Centre and the Home for Good charity, are launching a new group to provide support to families who currently foster and adopt and those who are looking to.

The group launches on Saturday 27th February and we would love to meet you! The aim of the initial meeting will be for us all to identify how we can best support you, whilst providing you with a space to meet other families who foster and adopt.

Due to the current climate, the group will initially take place over Zoom with a view to moving in person, when this becomes an option.

If you’d like to register to attend, or if you have any questions, please contact Rev Sarah at yaxleyvicar@gmail.com. We would love to hear from you.

You can also find details at: https://www.saintpeters.co.uk/events/fostering-adoption-support-group/

 

Poetry Competition

We are starting our series of ‘Express Yourself’ challenges for Children’s Mental Health Week with our poetry competition!
 
We invite those aged between 11-18 to submit a three verse poem on the theme of positivity.
 
The poems will be published on our website as part of showcasing how young people have taken part in Children’s Mental Health Week. Our winning entry will receive the prize of a Fire 7 Tablet!
 
Please send your name, age and your poem to events@ypcs.uk.
 
The closing date for entries is 19th February. 
 
We can’t wait to read your poems!

Children’s Mental Health Week

The July 2020 Mental Health and Young People Survey commissioned by NHS Digital shows that the proportion of young people experiencing a probable mental health disorder has risen to 1 in 6. This is equivalent to 16.6% of young people.
 
At YPCS we want to raise awareness of the growing number of young people who may be facing mental health problems. Throughout the week we will be running a series of 16 minute challenges for young people and their families to take part in. With ‘Express Yourself’ as this year’s theme for Children’s Mental Health Week, we will be encouraging you to get active and creative! Be sure to check our Facebook each day to see each challenge!
 
We would love for you to join us by commenting on our daily posts with photos of you (and anyone else you can get to join you!) completing our challenges. The images shared on our daily challenges will also be put on our website to showcase what young people have done to help raise awareness of children’s mental health.
 
We will also be launching a poetry competition on Monday for 11-18 year olds. The prize for the winning entry is a Fire 7 Tablet so watch this space!

YPCS Awarded Children In Need Funding

Young People’s Counselling Service has been awarded funding of £65, 000 from BBC Children in Need to deliver play therapy, counselling and expressive arts over the next 15 months. This will help us to continue to deliver our services in the Whittlesey and Yaxley and also extend our services into the Wisbech area.

Through this funding:

  • 60 children and young people will be able to receive up to 12 sessions of free integrative psychological therapy
  • 62 families of children and young people receiving YPCS services will be able to attend targeted support groups to help them understand the challenges their child faces and how best to support them at home
  • 108 children and young people will able to participate in a programme of expressive arts including art, performance, story telling and music with the added opportunity to achieve an Arts Award.

YPCS Chair of Trustees, Alison Graham said “We are delighted to have been awarded this funding from BBC Children in Need. It will not only support many children, young people and their families, but also enable us to work in partnership with 20Twenty to deliver expressive arts and involve our patron, actor and artist Annabelle Davis, in supporting arts delivery.”