We’re nearly there but we still need your help!
By Jocelyn Yeboah-Newton, Fundraising Manager
With just over £2,093raised, we would like to thank all the fantastic supporters who have donated. £2,000 enables us to provide much needed therapeutic support for 4 x young people for 6 months.
With continuous pressure on CAMHS and mental health services and over *23% of under 18’s being turned away for support, the need for our work is ever increasing. At Off Centre we work with young people dealing with some of the most complex challenges in life.
Our support for our young people, covers a range of mental health issues such as, Depression, Anxiety,Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Bi-polar, and Personality Disorders or may have early symptoms of Psychosis. Many of our young people will have multiple issues when they arrive, they may have suffered physical, sexual or emotional abuse, domestic violence or have been a victim of crime. Some young people will come to us homeless and in these incidences we work alongside our Advice and Information team to help secure accommodation before we begin to work on their emotional issues. We prefer to work holistically to empower and supportwith advice and guidance around influencing problems. These range from housing, employment and benefits welfare in additionto offering emotional support through counselling, art therapy or dramatherapy.
Meet Karley(her name has been changed for her protection):
When we first met Karley, she informed us that she had witnessed domestic violence in the family home and had been a victim of emotional and verbal abuse by her father.
Whilst her Mother and the family were receiving support, Karley’s father had reappeared in their lives which was causing anxiety and fear for their safety. From his reappearance, Karley began experiencing suicidal thoughts.To express her pain, she was self-harming by biting her arm.
Photo credit: Becca Anita
The trauma of the domestic violence alongside the aggressive and manipulating behaviour of her father, impacted on her ability to sleep in fear of something happening in the night. Her father would attempt to exercise control over Karley through putting her down and disapproving of her individuality, style, and expressing no genuine interest in her life. Her father liked to play mind games with her.
Karley’s confidence and her self-esteem had been severely affected.
During our time with Karley, she had made a lot of progress. She made good use of the space and the therapeutic relationship resulting in a good attachment with us. She was able to reflect,express her feelingsand thoughts through her art work and explain what they meant.
The therapy Karley was receiving, had ignited great support from her family unit where they had begun encouraging her to talk about her feelings as well as affirming her sense of self and her abilities. This helped both Off Centre and her family work in partnership to support Karley into recovery.
It was clear that her family relationships are very important to her.
As therapy continued, she was able to put meaning to images which contained symbols and metaphors related to her experience. Later she could reflect on her journey through art therapy and proved to be very insightful. She could express how her father’s behaviour both towards herself and her mother had fuelled her fear and her anger towards him. By the end of our sessions with her, Karley was able to internalise a good and healthy attitude about herself, her achievements and abilities.
Over her time with us, she began to increasingly demonstrate a significant growth in her confidence and self-belief. No longer needing to self-harm to express her mental anguish.
She says;
’… through the creative arts, I can channel my sad or angry feelings and know I’ll feel better afterwards.’
By the end of her time with us, Karley was able to implement some boundaries in regards to communicating with her father which empowered her to exercise a level of control even if in a small way. Karley has now gone on to take part in extra-curricular activities as well as extra study classes with a positive perspective on her future!
It because of cases like Karley, wework tirelessly and passionately to ensure that every young person who walks through our doors receives the best care for their mental health issues.
Every child deserves support to be the best they can be. We can’t do this without the support from people like you! We implore you to support us and help young people like Karley, have a chance to be great!
Thank you from everyone at Off Centre!
Charities reg: 288275Limited company No: 01764019
25 - 27 Hackney Grove,
Hackney London, E8 3NR,
Telephone: 0208 986 4016