Youth Access

In this section

Making Tracks Project

Project aim

The MtP aims to improve services for young adults with complex needs by developing better partnership working between GPs, Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) and Young People’s Information, Advice and Counselling services (YIACS) operating in the VCS.

The project has selected three pilot sites to develop and evaluate an improved service offer for ‘harder to reach’ young adults, who will be able to access a new and distinctive package of holistic support combining medical, psychological therapies and social welfare advice services.

Project summary

Youth Access will provide the pilot sites with a package of development support which addresses the individually assessed needs of each locality. The tailor-made package of support will enable sites to develop replicable models for improving partnership working between the VCS and local GPs in meeting the health and social welfare needs of young adults. Opportunities to share learning, attend workshops and training, will also be offered to participating pilots. The MtP will ensure that young adults and key stakeholders are involved in the development and shaping of the project. The project will be independently evaluated and its findings disseminated at local and national level.

Objectives

The MtP will seek to achieve the following objectives to:

• Develop new tools and resources to enable YIACS to demonstrate more proactively and effectively the work of the agency and its contribution to the achievement of local and national targets, to GP and or PCT commissioners.
• Develop new resources to support GP practices and or PCT commissioning of YIACS providers.
• Develop and evaluate a model of good partnership working between GPs, PCTs and YIACS which improves services for young adults with complex needs.

Anticipated outcomes

The MtP is intended to lead to the following outcomes:

• Better partnership working between GPs and voluntary and community youth sector providers.
• Increased awareness of young adults mental, emotional, psychological and social welfare needs in PCT and GP commissioning practices.
• Improvements in the social, mental and physical health of young adults with complex needs.

Funding and timescale

This is a three year (2008 to 2011) project funded by the Department of Health.

The Pilot Sites

The 3 pilot sites that Youth Access will be working with to develop the Making Tracks Project are:

Streetwise is a young people's (under 25's) project based in the City Centre of Newcastle upon Tyne. Visit Streetwise's website

YASP in Manchester provide support, welfare rights advice, social activities and health advice to young people: free internet access, activities, groups, counselling and an advice service, including a specialist service for young refugee and asylum seekers. Visit YASP's website

MAP works with young people aged 11-25 in Norwich and the surrounding areas, to provide access to the independent information, advice, counselling and support they need. Visit MAP's website

If you are interested in this project please get in touch with Amandeep Hothi, Development Officer for this project.